Hi guys,
while talking with some friends someone asked the question if american railroads use a sign to announce the beginning of a grade or slope. If yes, is there something common or does any railroad have its own design?
Thanks, Michael
Michael,I have never seen one. You learn the grades through experiance.
There are intermediate signals with a grade sign or "G" plate. Signals with a "G" plate allow the train to pass a "stop & proceed" signal (not stop & stay signals) at restricted speed without having to stop on the grade.
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Never heard of such a thing in the US. I've seen pics of posts marking the ends of curves, but not grade sections.
What countries do use them? How accurate are they?
Never have seen one in many miles of track-chasing in the US.
In Japan, they were ubiquitous - white posts with arms, sloping upward away from the track where the track beyond was upgrade, downward if the track was downgrade or horizontal if level. On single track each post had two arms, indicating the grade beyond to the 'D'raiba' of trains in both directions. Grade was stenciled in meters change per kilometer (25.00 = 2.5% grade) and level was indicated by the Roman capital L, black on the arm.s white. They were placed at the point where the grade began, ended or changed.
Don't know if this is still accurate. I haven't been in Japan for over thirty years.
Chuck
I know BNSF has signs in place on the Orin Sub (Powder River Basin) that indicate the crest of a slope / grade. It's basically a standard speed sign (small yellow sign), but with what looks like a speed bump instead of a speed designation. Don't know if they are used anywhere else on the BNSF or other US roads.
Signs indicating the beginning of slope or grade I've never seen. And I'm not talking about in the US. I haven't seen them anywhere in Europe, Asia or Oceania.
I have frequently seen EMPLOYEE TIMETABLES that list the average grade between each two stations on a given line or district, along with the distance between stations, and the milepost identification. This is (was?) required to be carried by each operating employee and identifies grades. There may be other notes about permanent restrictions and rules for specific milepost locations.
Of course, you could work this up for the employee timetable on your own layout.
leighantI have frequently seen EMPLOYEE TIMETABLES that list the average grade between each two stations on a given line