Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
Without pulling out my pre-1967 SP Book of Rules and reciting the exact set of rules, here's the easy explanation re: "Green Signals": Colored signals when carried by the lead road engine (and sometimes the lead helper depending upon the particular railroad's operating rules) were used to provide clear visual indications of train status such as: WHITE - "Extra Train Not on Timetable Schedule and Operated Subject to Clearance(s)/Train Order(s)"; and, GREEN- "Additional Train(s) Following this Train with Equal Time Table /Rules Authority" These signals were discernible/understandable by railroad employees (e.g., other trains, trackworkers, station agents, etc.) without the need to have copies of either the actual Time Table or Train Order(s) in hand that actually indicated how many Sections, or what Extras etc. were being run. Thus, colored signals acted as safety devices in addition to the Book of Rules, Time Table and Train Orders. Green signals (flags (day time) and lights (night time)) when displayed, denoted an additional train Section(s) following. In addition and for railroads using Train Indicator boards mounted on the lead road engine (e.g., Southern Pacific prior to 1967) would display the Section # - Train # displayed on the Train Indicators (e.g., "1-99" - denotied"1st Section of Train 99 (i.e., Coast Daylight, WB) with Section(s) Following"). "Equal Time Table Authority" means that all other trains meeting (regardless of direction) and/or track speeders and or track workers, etc., must observe the exact same timetable/train order/rules for each and every Section(s) of the met train. As an example, if Train X4106E (Extra Train 4106 - East Bound - note that Extra Train was the lowest class and that East Bound was the inferior direction of travel on the SP) was scheduled to meet Train 51 (1st class passenger train running in superior direction (west)), running in three (3) Sections) at Mojave and assuming that Train 51 was properly displaying green signals and Indicators, then Train 4106E MUST wait at Mojave until ALL three Sections of Train 51 have passed. On the SP (and other roads which used Train Indicator boards), the lead road engine on the first Section would display green signals together with "1-51", Second Section would display green signals together with "2-51". The third (last) Section would display "3-51" without displaying any color signals, thereby informing met trains, et al, that "3-51" was the last Section of Train 51. Note that some railroads had the last section display red signals on the lead road engine, thus alerting met trains, et al, that NO Section(s) were following. Note that many railroads did not use Train Indicator boards. Hope this helps.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag