Signal operation - BLMA Modern Bridge Signal

[Motley]

I just got the BLMA Modern Cantelever Signal Bridge. It has 4 signals.

I also just ordered the Logicrail signal animator circuits (4) with the Infrared detection.

Question: This will be setup on my two parallel mainlines. Does the top signals indicate the far end block, and the bottom signals indicate the current block?

So train on the mainline approaching the signal (going away from me), the signal that should change would be the bottom signal? And the train coming the opposite direction on the far end, approaching the signal (coming towards me) would be the top signal?

Do I have this right? Is that how the prototype signals work?

 

[CP9302]

In general the top signal is the track you are on, the lower signal is the diverging track. If you have no switch in the block, the lower will always be red. The upper would change to show what the approaching train should do. Red for stop, Yellow for slow down, Green for all clear.
If you have a switch, you'd have the upper signal go red and the lower yellow or green when the switch is thrown to tell the approaching train they are switching to the other track.
That is a very simplistic explanation, but I hope it helps.

 

[dave1905]

If you are interested in prototypical signals, please look up a signal rules web site and read it. The top signal means this block or switch, bottom signal means this block or switch descriptions are not prototypical at all.

Both heads, top and bottom have to be read together to get the aspect and each aspect has an indication. There are two general types of signal rules, "route" signalling where the signals tell you you are going on a diverging route or "speed" signals where the signals tell you the speed you should be going.

If you are using advance approach or higher speed indications then you would need 6 detection circuits, 3 for each track, for blocks beyond the signal, if you aren't using advance approach or higher speed indications then you would just need 4 detection circuits (two for each track). Any switches would also have to be interlocked into the signals also.

If you only have one signal bridge, I wouldn't worry too much about being prototypical. you could just put one detection circuit beyond the bridge and have the bottom sheads alsways red and the top cycle between red and green (depending on the occupancy of the block) or set the yello up on a timer where it goes yellow for a minute or so, then turns green. Not prototypical, but it exercises the lights. If you have switches or crossovers beyond the signals, you could use the signals as switch indicators. If the switches are lined normal the signals are green over red, if the switches are lined for the crossover move the route lined gets red over green and other track gets red over red.

 

[Motley]

OK thanks guys, I have a pretty good idea on how to wire it up now.