How to Read Railroad Signals

[@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!

[@rottenroads1982]

I learned that there are Absolute signals and Intermediate Signals. Intermediate signals are identified by a number board. A Red Signal with no Number board is an Absolute Signal, meaning it’s a Stop Signal. However, a Red signal with a number Board is an Intermediate signal, which means it’s a Restricted Proceed, and restricted Proceed is Proceed at restricted speed Also, Restricted speed is not an actual speed, but a condition, which is stoping at half the range of vision. I have been taking railroad training classes, and yes I do know allot about signals.

[@Jerry_SWMO]

Clear as mud and simple as radar.

[@brainwater]

Seems pretty simple. The top signal is for the non-diverging situation, and the bottom signal is for when the switch will diverge. Red means stop, green means go, yellow means go slow, flashing yellow means prepare to go slow.

[@kinkisharyocoasters]

The flashing yellow "approach medium" is just like the double yellow "preliminary caution" in the UK

[@GachaRobloxianAndrew]

I’ve always thought of the UK signals as a simplified version of the US signals. 😆

[@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!

[@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

[@Kai01191-t]

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?

[@ItsLegendarySparrow]

This video is cool, but do you have a part 2 of this?

[@sernajrlouis]

Awesome video and channel just subscribed

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thank you! Welcome to the channel!

[@david-stewart]

Good job 😊👍

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thanks 😄

[@robertmoir5695]

Are you planning to work for the railroad twigarms 9959 ? COOL !

[@BrendanielT]

Ok, so I saw on another video that the bottom head signal on triple headed signals doesn't mean anything at all unless it's any other color but red so does that mean the same thing for the bottom signal on a double headed signal?

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Yeah. The bottom signal doesn't really mean anything when just lit solid red. It's there for redundancy.

[@panamrailfan]

MBTA was mentioned

[@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

[@Aperture137]

0:28 is that restricting? I cant tell.

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

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

[@bossmayfield]

Great job!!!!

[@Ozarkrailfanprod8098]

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

[@Railfanner_crowley]

What about red flashing

[@jdrailfan391]

I think he said that red flashing meant the same as the restricting signal. Aka the White Lunar signal. He says it at 4:01.

[@rootedtogrowwny]

Nice video Merry Christmas I came upon this video accidentally

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too

[@jamesmonahanmusic]

FRIENDLY CROSSINGS (😊)2006

[@DJ_FOOD_STAMP]

Thanks Man

[@frostbyte3978]

Part 2 when?

[@Stanf954]

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

[@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.

[@Starvaze]

I'm pretty sure; Australia uses this method. Most notably in the south

[@julietibbett7054]

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

[@acuraledgend9648]

Well try study for mta ...apreciate the video

[@geoffreylee5199]

Ditch the music, ruins a good clip!

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@ludvigholst4767]

as a Swede, I'm terrified of american signals haha, why is yellow involved :D

[@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._

[@Bubblereal]

I already know how to read railroad signals.

[@gpersaud]

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

[@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.

[@robertmoir5695]

When a train passes by the light changes red

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

Yes. The signal is knocked down in other words.

[@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?

[@ahmettaskn5687]

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

[@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.

[@captaindunsell8568]

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

[@JosephBrim-n2o]

STOP means STOP

[@assetto1360]

Wait till you found out about PZB lol

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

What's that?

[@neini411]

It's a train control and safety system used in Germany, Austria, Romania, Israel and some other countries. (I don't have them in mind right now😅)

[@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.

[@EJayMD-11]

Medium speed is 30mph

[@statusworldchanger595]

WRONG ON THE FACT IF THE BOTTOM HEAD OF THE SIGNAL READS IT'S IGNORED! IT MEANS IT'S A "PLACE HOLDER"!

[@eddieknox9874]

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

[@TheCentralTexasRailfan]

That means "stop" just like a single red.

[@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

[@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.