Trackside Warning Signs

[CPPedler]

Do the railroads in the U.S. and Canada use warning signs similar to the ones found here in the U.K., i.e. Whistle and Limit of Shunt (switch , across the pond) and speed restriction signs . Any info would be gratefully received. CPPedler.

[cacole]

Yes, the Union Pacific for one, uses speed limit and road crossing signs. These signs are on a steel post, and are a steel plate measuring approximately one foot square. The sign backgrounds are white and the lettering is black. For a speed limit, the sign is just a number, such as '45'; for a road crossing it is a large 'X' placed at the point at which the train should begin sounding its horn.

Yard limits, derails, and other signs are different according to their purpose.

[cwclark]

there are also mile marker posts alongside the track for engineers to determine where they are with the train and also, the mile marker posts are used for restrictions that are dictated in any given railroad's rule / timetable book... i.e...between mile marker so and so and mile marker so and so, (for example) rule 98 or rule 76 will apply....chuck

[Anonymous]

"Limit of Shunt" boards are Fixed Signals and the property of the S&T NOT warning signs... Speed Restrictions, Mileposts (and 1/4 - 1/2 - 3/4 - indicated by one, two and three spots or horizontal stripes) are Pway responsiblity (That's MoW). It occurs to me that I don't know for certain who dealt with "Catch Point" warning posts... P Way I think.

"Catch Points" were sprung points (switches) set to be open to derail anything running away downhill against the normal direction of travel... on DOUBLE lines... anything running right direction up the grade pushed them shut to run safely through. Once past the catch point anything that broke away would run back as far as the catch point where it would be tipped off... better than running back into another train. They remained in use until all trains became fully fitted with automatic brakes sometime in the mid 70s. There is still a warning board in place on the Down line from Birmingham on the approach to Stafford... nobody's nicked it or scrapped it because it's about 8' tall and must weigh at least a ton. It's MASSIVE.
I have seen pictures of an automatic catch point on a single line in Scotland. This was not the effect of the local brew... A single line section had a severe grade so the catch point was provided... within a length of gauntletted track. In either direction sprung facing pointsdirected the train through the left hand route (Like the C&NW we run on the correct side :-) ). At the end of the short length of gauntletted track trains simply pu***hrough back onto the single track. Down hill the track was unswitched, up hill it included the catch point.
I think I recall one other example???

I don't know whether you had anything similar in the US.

I've seen articles on derails and have a couple of kits.

Rather than derails at the ends of yards (and other locations) we almost always used "Trap Points"... these could be a single switch blade normally open to tip anything trying to escape off in the most safe direction. They were often two blades. Some led into sand traps and others were the entry to shunting necks... but that's a whole different set of stories.

[nbrodar]

The specific signs vary from road to road, but all use variations of whistle posts, mile markers, speed signs, and in some cases block limit signs.

[Anonymous]

Some people are going to just love this... "What's a Block Limit"?... I think I know... but...

[nbrodar]

At least in CSX's case, it marks the beginning or end of a block in non-signaled territory.

[Anonymous]

Okay... I didn't know....

So if it's non-signalled territory... the Blocks are... Board to board? trains run on timetable and/or train orders? Or radio dispatch? Or?

(Seems weird... I'm used to fully signalled... benefit of living in a "small" country).

[nbrodar]

The blocks run board to board and are named. Chester Block, Darby Block, Ferry Block, what have you. The signs state the name of the block you are entering and leaving.

Authority occupy the block is granted to the train crew by the dispatcher via radio or phone. After the crew clears the block, they contact the dispatcher and "give up the block". The process repeats down the line. There is also a form to record blocks, times authority granted and released, and the dispatcher and crew's names.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! :-)

Do both ends of conversation fill in form as with old train orders?

[nbrodar]

Yup. Although, at the dispatcher's end is often done on a computer.

[CPPedler]

Thankyou all , for the info . Does anyone know of a website that might show piccies of these signs etc., CPPedler

[dehusman]

With train orders, "both ends" don't fill out forms. The crews are given the train orders. Track warrants are where a crew fills out a form.

No freight roads use timetable and train orders anymore, only a few commuter lines.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

As I'm planning to model the 80's west of Chicago (but in an industrial/urban area) ... a primarily freaigh road but with the odd (very odd) Amtrak diversion... What would be the most likely system of operation... and do I need a tower? Put that slightly differently... I want at least one tower... (I've checked out the chicago junctions site... excellent)... what system please... ???CTC...would CTC be done on a small/local scale?

[Tracklayer]

So what does a triangle shaped sign with a black dot in the center mean ?...

Tracklayer