Signal Lights

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K

kylewoody

Member
Hey guys,

Just got another quick question - I'm moving my scenic progress on down my layout. I have just a stub siding I guess you could call it (does not reconnect, like a passing lane).

I wanted to put up some vertical light signals, but was wondering -

I know there would be two lights over each other for trains coming at the points of the turnout (top light mainline, bottom siding, right?).

However, would there also be a signal in the opposite direction, even though trains cannot enter the siding without backing up? If so, are the signals pretty close to each other? On opposite sides of the right of way? Would there only be one light for the "non-entering" direction passing the turnout?

Sorry for all the quesions, I'm still kinda new at all this.

Thanks again!
Kyle
 
Kyle, a siding (to be technical) does reconnect to the main track. What you have is a spur. Generally, spur tracks are not protected by signals because the traffic level is low. The switch machine will usually have a high level indicator that consists of a tall steel rod with metal "flags". one set painted red and one green. If the engineer sees the green indication, he knows the switch is lines for the main. If he sees the red flags, he knows the switch is lined for the spur. Since this indicator can be seen from both directions, you only need one. The switch stand may also be equipped with a light. In the old days, it would be a kerosene lantern with the same type of red and green indications. Today, they would use a low voltage light powered from the trackside communications wires or, more commonly now, a solar panel.

This type of track protections works fine in low to medium speed lines. With high speed lines, a spur that's frequently used might be protected by a distant signal. A small searchlight, even a dwarf, might be used a mile or so on either side of the switch. This distant signal would display the position of the switch and might be combined with a regular searchlight signal with both aspects mounted on the same mast. Depending on the railroad, the top signal would either red or amber if the switch was thrown against the main. The bottom aspect would show the current switch position. All railroads have different operating rules and different meanings for signals but a common one might be a red over red if the switch is thrown against the main and a train is occupying the spur. Amber over red might mean that the spur is occupied but the switch is expected to be lined for the main before the train gets to it. Green over green means the switch is lined of the main and there is no train occupying the the switch area or fouling the main.

Sorry to go on for so long but signaling is really a complex subject and is very much influenced by the railroad you're modeling. Kalmbach has several good books on prototype and model signals and buying one of those books and figuring out how signals work and why is a good investment.
 
i just happened to have a recent photo of one of these.
2756801433_4beccc1d32_o.jpg


on my layout i have a passing lane, that connects to a stud siding and then a 4 lane stud yard. I know in real life there is no such thing as a "stud yard" for freights (if so they are extremely rare). from my experience with trains, stud yards are unique to rapid rail transit. i always considered signaling something that would operate on larger layouts with main lines and full length trains running. good questions though.
 


In the picture you linked to, what you're seeing isn't a normal siding or spur. The track coming in from the left is branch line going from Flomaton, AL to Pensacola, FL. The signals on the left tell a train coming from the branch if it's safe to proceed from the branch to the main. The signals on the main are normal block signals as evidenced by the fact they have all turned red with the approaching train in the block. I'd need a CSX (or L&N, since this used to be an L&N line) signal expert to tell me exactly what the the signal positions mean, but they certainly aren't protecting a normal siding.
 
Hey Jim,

Yeah - used to go there a lot with my pops to watch trains. Will be there next weekend actually! :D We would stomp all around there, between Century, FL (right below Flomaton), over to Atmore, AL. I remember following a freight out of the yard there, over and past Atmore when I was flying over to Lucedale, MS a few years back for a Fly-In. Here's a pic.

2780506840_6734770140_o.jpg


That was taken at about 800' AGL over Canoe, Alabama. Westbound, between Flomaton and Atmore- train's toward the bottom right, kind of small - you can see the road bending and turning, ending up as a bridge over the tracks.

Kyle
 
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Kyle, nice aerial view. Sure is flat down there, isn't it? I didn't know you were a pilot. What kind of aircraft do you fly?

Rotor, if you look at the picture that Airslide posted, the engineer can only see the flag position that switch is lined for, since the red flags will swing around when the switch is lined for the diverging route. If he can see both red and green, that mean the indicator on the switch stand is broken and the train would have to stop until the brakeman visually inspected the switch and determined how it was lined.
 
I fly hombuilts/ultralights. Got about 500 hours now.

My plane (and the picture above) is a Quicksilver MX. I've flown pretty much all the panhandle of FL, lower AL, and into MS.

Here's a pic of it. I have the scheme modelled after one of my favorite planes - an old SNJ-3 (Navy version of the T-6 Texan).

2779833555_be017ed695_o.jpg


Kyle
 
Very nice looking craft, Kyle. I like that old Navy trainer paint scheme. Those ultralights have come quite a way from the old flying chainsaw days. :)
 


Thanks guys!

Yeah, they defnitely have come a long way. Quicksilver has been a good, successful company surviving since the late '70s to this day.

My airplane is powered by a 2 cycle Bombardier/Rotax motor, and is made up of AN quality hardware, aircraft grade aluminum and chromoly steel in very stressed areas. Very strong and safe - I'll do some mild aerobatics in mine, and I've seen a couple different friends loop and tailslide, etc. the same plane.

Kyle
 
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