How to Read Railroad Signals

Railroad signals are a very useful tool to railfans. They can allow us to see if a train is coming, and what it will be doing. In this video, we will take a look at all of the basic signal indications on North American railroads. While this guide was designed for the western United States, most North American railroads use a very similar system.
This video is a remake of my original railroad signal video. It has, however, been made easier to understand, more refined, and shorter. It has also been generalized to help more people. It is NOT intended as a training tool for present or future railroad employees.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
0:29 - What are signals for?
0:47 - Mainline indications
2:17 - Diverging indications
3:37 - Restricting indications
4:36 - Conclusion
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Helpful link:
This website has detailed charts of the signal indications used by many major railroads - signals.jovet.net/rules/index...
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Music (if in the video) is from www.freesoundmusic.eu/
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[@trainpuns2]

i saw this video before, but then realised i couldnt read the signals, so i figured i NEED to watch this.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Glad I could help you out!

[@railroadfan2533]

That is nice that you are teaching me about railroad signals Central Texas Railfan.

[@railroadfan2533]

The Central Texas Railfan, thank you so much for teaching me about the Railroad Signals.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

You are welcome!

[@bossmayfield]

Great job!!!!

[@sernajrlouis]

Awesome video and channel just subscribed

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thank you! Welcome to the channel!

[@david-stewart]

Good job 😊👍

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thanks 😄

[@b_7081]

Thanks, very helpfull

[@jerrycarroll4581]

Clear as mud and simple as radar.

[@Ozarkrailfanprod8098]

Nice 👍 I already knew most of these but I was Bored and Watched it anyway lol 😂

[@YouWontFindMeSoStopSearching]

Thanks Man

[@hvfd5956]

I need to figure out how to get where I can see certain lights near Hutto. I have noticed a couple of places where trains seem to always stop. The US 79 UP track in Hutto is mostly east bound traffic, except for a certain gravel bucket mostly for the new Samsung plant in Taylor and Amtrak. I'm sure there must be a related west bound mostly track, but I have not found it yet. I'm only a year into part time rail fan. Related to the next comment, about a year and a half ago, I was up in Long Island and had a chance the experience the LIRR. Seems to be a well run system.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

In Hutto you can see a signal halfway between Chris Kelley Blvd and Jim Cage Rd, it's hard to see without binoculars or something. Outside of town to the east at County Road 132 you can easily see the signals near that road. Austin Sub is almost all northbound/eastbound. The Lockhart Sub from Smithville to San Marcos handles much of the southbound traffic for San Antonio.

[@csxandamtraktrainlover2989]

Is there ever gonna be a part 2

[@Twigarms9959]

this will be very useful once I get a job at the railroad

[@brix3298]

Good luck, I’m going down the same time path too

[@Kaithelegoguy]

Same

[@shayseahawkraptorfan]

sadly they might automate it so idk if I can do it

[@mom_im_losing_it]

Just make sure you can see them properly color blind kills.

[@Nahtn]

Did you get it yet?

[@Stanf954]

Whete wayside signals are not present on mainline except for interlockings, cab signal are used.

[@b_7081]

Is there a part 2 to this video ?

[@relaxandrefocuswithmegan]

Nice video Merry Christmas I came upon this video accidentally

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too

[@gpersaud]

Found this gem, going to take my S&D testing for the MTA/LIRR tomorrow

[@acuraledgend9648]

Well try study for mta ...apreciate the video

[@julietibbett7054]

A vere slow intermotal train past a red block signal in my town

[@ClinchfieldRailfan]

I already know how to read railroad signals.

[@Aperture137]

0:28 is that restricting? I cant tell.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Nope, its a clear. That lens definitely has a whiter hue.

[@frostbyte3978]

Part 2 when?

[@graysonfues3492]

What about red flashing

[@austinhodgestherailfan5318]

Can you teach me how to read Norfork Southern Signals

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

This chart should help! signals.jovet.net/rules/NS%20Signal%20Rules.pdf

[@jovetj]

Remember that Norfolk Southern territory encompasses a variety of predecessor railroads, and that those predecessors have had different signaling schemas which live on to this day. That's why there are multiple pages in the NS (and CSX) charts. It's important to know which predecessor territory you're looking at when interpreting a signal. If you have any questions, just ask.

[@austinhodgestherailfan5318]

@@jovetj ok I will

[@austinhodgestherailfan5318]

@@jovetj can you make a video on Norfolk and western signals for me?

[@jovetj]

@@austinhodgestherailfan5318 I do not live near Norfolk Southern territory. Do you have any specific questions?

[@Lukasekt212]

American signals are so easy and simple to read compared to Czech railway signals

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

That I believe. Some railroads here use speed signalling which is more complex.

[@seanwilson5516]

What the purpose of making the signals harder to read? Is that any help to the people running the train. Is it train operating or quantum physics?

[@cemops8660]

why is it so difficult in the us too? not sure about czech signals but in the UK it's basically just; red = stop yellow = signal block before red, warning that you need to stop soon double yellow = signal before yellow signal green = clear for the next 4 signal blocks this signal system is used in conjunction with AWS. if a green signal is next, a 'ding' sound plays signalling that it's clear to the driver. the other signals will instead play an alarm sound which you need to acknowledge within 7 seconds or emergency brakes are activated. for diverging or points switching, there is a white line on top of the previous signal head, which will also have a flashing single or double yellow light depending on how far away the switch is, and the status of the signal past the switch points, saying which way you are going. before this signal, there would be a speed limit pre warning sign, and the AWS alarm will activate, indicating to the driver that the future speed limit restriction sign applies to them, as sometimes when continuing on the main line you don't need to change your speed. flashing green is sometimes used on the east coast mainline, to allow trains to continue up to 140mph. this isn't often used anymore i don't think this system is effectively standard on all network rail controlled lines, the exceptions being the underground which is controlled by tfl the american system seems very interesting compared to the UK, but my home country's are even more confusing lol

[@toddhunter3137]

​@@cemops8660what is the signal you see sometimes on station platforms in the UK, its a white circle with a black line going through it, sometimes the black line is horizontal and other times its diagonal through it?

[@jovetj]

1:03 Unfortunately, this is not true. All red lights on an _absolute_ signal does indeed mean _Stop,_ but on a permissive signal it means something better. When it's better, it does not necessarily mean the train must stop at all. 1:44 That is not true, either. The signal aspect must match what's in the rulebook. If Yellow over Red is not in the rulebook, then it's a signal improperly displayed. In the case of _Approach_ signals (for example), the red light on the bottom doesn't have much meaning. But, there are signal aspects where the bottom red MUST be there. It's bad advice to say "ignore it"-it's always a part of the signal aspect and should not be ignored. 1:51 *Advance Approach. 2:55 *Diverging Advance Approach. 3:24 It should be noted that Yellow over Yellow is the most-varied signal aspect across different railroads. It can mean many different things, depending on the railroad and signaling schema. _Advance Approach,_ _Approach Medium,_ _Approach Diverging,_ and _Approach Slow_ are the most common meanings. 4:18 The Lunar White or Flashing Red can be on any signal head (with all others red or dark) and it means _Restricting._ That means it can be on the top, middle, or bottom. Overall, a well done video. Signaling is really down to the details, so I believe it helps to be as exact as possible when explaining it to others.

[@xheralt]

Setting aside the fact that Yellow over Red IS in everybody's rulebooks, there are NO indications that _require_ a (solid) red in EITHER middle or bottom positions. Signal heads in those positions could be depowered _or missing altogether_ (signal masts with heads only in 1st and 3rd positions are uncommon, but do exist!), and be understood as synonymous to red, *and rulebooks take that into account.* If a rulebook doesn't, it is either poorly written or incomplete!

[@jovetj]

@@xheralt In rulebooks where 🔴Red over 🟢Green *_and_* 🔴Red over 🔴Red over 🟢Green are both _Slow Clear,_ then _Medium Clear_ must be shown by 🔴Red over 🟢Green over 🔴Red. That convention came about because it was cheaper at the time for all the 2-headed point signals to mean Slow speed once Slow and Medium became distinguished, and Medium was the exception. The NYC was a prominent example of this schema.

[@AllieThePrettyGator]

They looks like regualar traffic signals except green on top and red on bottom

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Yeah pretty much. Green was put on top to avoid road traffic mistaking it for a traffic signal.

[@jovetj]

@@TheCentralTexasRailfan Red was put on the bottom to make sure that no part of the signal below the red can collect dust or debris to block the aspect.

[@captaindunsell8568]

Just in case you “accidentally” get stuck on the tracks …

[@user-th7wu4eu4m]

STOP means STOP

[@ddstanfield9259]

You said a bottom red signal can be ignored but 2x you went back to the lower red and said something else. You confused me

[@jovetj]

Don't ignore the bottom red. In most rules, both Yellow by itself and Yellow over Red mean the same thing. But it's what the rulebook dictates that matters, and there are situations where that bottom red really does matter. The signal aspect is _everything you can see._

[@seanm2931]

Good route signaling, speed signaling is entirely different.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Yeah. Route signalling for the win. So much easier to understand

[@jovetj]

@@TheCentralTexasRailfan They're not that much different. The only difference between the two is that Speed Signaling indications prescribe specific turnout speeds , whereas Route Signaling does not.

[@ahmettaskn5687]

2:51 Turkish flag on the red light :) I think it is due to glare

[@TheGreyGhost_of43rd]

Restricted signal knowledge i see

[@zekeysmos88]

You need Authority not permission to pass an absolute from the Dispatcher. If you repeat that upon flagging a signal he will not accept the permission verbiage. Great content throughout

[@NWO.Klabautermann]

Try German ones

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

I've never been to Germany and don't have any experience with German railroading.

[@jovetj]

German signaling isn't too complicated. Make a video about it yourself and teach us all!

[@NWO.Klabautermann]

@@jovetj Im a German Traindriver myself, so I dont think I need to Learn them

[@jovetj]

@@NWO.Klabautermann Please re-read what I wrote.

[@eddieknox9874]

how about red on top and red on bottom??????????

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

That means "stop" just like a single red.

[@wasatchrangerailway6921]

You mad a grave mistake! You do not ignore a single red aspect only on a double stack signal!!!! It must be treated as the most restrictive indication the signal can display! Ignoring a low red signal only will get you fired!!!! I am a retired engineer, and I would never have passed a "low red aspect only" signal for all the tea in China without coming to a full stop!!!!! We would've then called the DS and told him about the missing aspect!!! Then being "delayed within a block'", we would proceed at Restricted Speed until we saw the next signal indication displaying something other than stop!!!!!!!!

[@joeydoherty368]

The rule I heard was, if it’s not all red, it’s not red at all. If nothing else is on, it’s all red! I think though the narrator meant though that there is a color above the bottom red signal.

[@jovetj]

Correct. It's what the rulebook shows/says that matters. You can't ignore any signal lights, and can't ignore any dark signal heads. If what you see on the entire signal is not in the rulebook, then it's _improperly displayed_ and everything you said comes into play. If Dark over Red is in the rulebook (or timetable), it's fine. If it's not... Dark over Red is currently in BNSF's rules for _Stop,_ but not UP's, CSX's, NS's, or NORAC's.