How it Works: Railroad Signals and CTC (US&S Type)

Learn more about how railroad signals work and how dispatchers coordinate train movements over a railroad. We return to Tim Dickinson's BN Pacific Division layout to help illustrate the topic. Tim has recreated fully operational CTC-signaling on his model railroad, along with a US&S Type CTC signal machine.
A big thank you to Tim for allowing me to visit, and to Barry for sharing some information about CTC.
MUSIC: I Need a Woman, Eric Feinberg (Epidemic Sound)
Thanks for watching!
Josh

[@PeterCPRail8748]

Alot of time and effort into that system, but totally worth it. Clearly he knows his electrical and wiring systems.

[@davidimhoff2118]

This model is amazing. I would love to hang out and just watch. Great video! He really explained well on how the signaling works.

[@joshuatoro8977]

Definitely a very extreme layout we need to see one day definitely shows how a smooth-running layout can be done

[@BrylcreemBill]

That is an awesome model railroad! It must be a lot of fun to run and to expand. And this is the first model that I've ever seen that has signals and switches that are controlled like a real railroad. Would love to see more of the layout and its electronics!

[@Ithinkiwill66]

I could watch this ALL day! Absolutely incredible! Awesome work of doing all of this sir!

[@ashevilletrainman6989]

Awesome!!! My layout isn’t big enough to truly warrant functioning signals , but if I ever finish, i might just install a signal bridge for looks and make a switch to change the colors

[@yrunaked4]

great video and this layout is beyond excellent. Cheers Rob

[@JeanPierre-jb5ln]

Excellent demonstration of CTC. thanks for sharing

[@TrainsandDioramas]

What a great demonstration! I've been following your signalling work from your first video years ago and have been learning ever since and this is a great video to complement that. I will be doing CTC signalling, albeit in a smaller set-up for my 'planned' New York Central layout and your work will be a graet reference. The difference will be that it will be speed signalling and I will have to figure out how to hack Digitrax system to do that. Always entertaining to see your videos. Cheers! Kaustav

[@railroadvelocipedeproducti2020]

Just keeps getting better and better!

[@mkosteck]

In case there are people out there that don’t know what US&S means. Since it wasn’t explained in the video.That is the name of the manufacturer of the prototype signaling system used on many railroads and it stands for Union Switch and Signal. Also in case you were wondering what the radio system that model railroad was using is called FRS, or the Family Radio System. A group of low power frequencies that can be used for two way radio communication without an FCC License.

[@jeffbaker2897]

Awesome, very informative information, would like to see more on signaling, and how to get it operating, from start to finish. Thanks & take care .😎👍👍👍🛤🚂

[@hansfriess]

Great video and explanation of the CTC board

[@MattsTrainsTractors]

Wow! This was great video and I learned so much about signals and train operations from this. The fact that you were able top get a real dispatcher is very cool. Keep up the great work and I look forward to the next video!

[@TrainDr101]

Mr. Draper is not a real dispatcher, but signaling & dispatcher is his passion & he's very knowledgeable on both. He's the expert on this railroad when it comes to that.

[@keithmallett7987]

Wow, thanks for sharing that info. It was very helpful.

[@ivortomana]

Perfect video and very nice layout with models !

[@benniepierce6283]

This is like the CTC system I controlled until more modern computer sustem was installed. For the most part I liked the old system better. For one thing it was more dependable than the modern updated one.

[@palmettostaterailfan7019]

Great video!

[@ramongoodwin8667]

This was great information

[@InvertLogic]

Very nice Layout and very realistic. great work! will be interested to see the process of how you made those realistic turnouts and all the boxes etc.

[@robertscott9756]

Outstanding!

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

That was very informative

[@noelhass3712]

An interesting and informative video, thankyou. We had CTC here (South Australia) with similar signals and control panels (Westinghouse Brake & Signal Co.) when I was on railways in 1980s, its all computer screens and a mouse now, sadly?

[@fairportrails107]

Nice

[@markmccummins8049]

I believe that this would work on just about any model railroad that has one main line or two main lines, with yards and spurs for industry.

[@GooseinTheCabooseProductions]

Awesome man!! Are you going to have more videos with the actual electronics and programming required to make it work?

[@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast]

Finally a related video that I can ask you something on! I have a freelance railroad that’s based off of SOU. do you have any documents where I can find SOU signal aspects, operating rules and train IDs? I don’t necessary need the operating rules, but I would like the signal aspects and train IDs.

[@nsmodeler24]

You can google search NS or Southern / SOU railway signal aspects and that should pull up several charts / signal diagrams. For train IDs, facebook groups specific to the railroad your modeling are a great resources that may help you find what youre looking for. Hope this helps!

[@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast]

NSmodeler24 thanks! I sort of figured out the train numbers. They had manifests in the 100 series and intermodals/TOFC in the 200 series. Other than that I couldn’t find anything for the numbers. As for the aspects, I found something.

[@nramorrisg8415]

Very nice what's the name of the switch buttons your using if you don't mind me asking, hope you don't mind a filing a long because I like learning new things. At a very young age I was hopping trains in Morrisville,Bristol,Levittown Pennsylvania growing up it was a tradition.

[@RailroadScannerMan15]

I know this is an older video, but wanted to ask. I’m a conductor on CN and the Beaumont sub, where I work in Mississippi, is CTC- much less like most of CN’s track. Does he have the ability to place a signal in “fleet” mode? Fleet mode allows for you to pass the signal, multiple times, allowing it to return to a signal more permissible than stop, Everytime. It also works when there’s cars in a siding, or main track, allowing only a restricting signal, or approach if only lines to the next signal. We use fleet mode for making multiple moves if we need head room, for example.

[@djray6019]

Nice layout! FYI: proper wording for occupying the main track is authority not permission! Permission is when your told to put a motor switch in hand! :-)

[@TrainDr101]

Nowadays it's authority, back in the 70's it was permission.

[@thatguyy7581]

Hey Josh, I have an unrelated to this video question. I’m building a C40-9 the same way you did, and I’m having a few issues. My first issue is the shell seems to be too short for the frame, as the trucks would clip with it if I cut it anymore. I’m wondering how to fix this. Thanks a ton and keep up the great work! - Cody

[@kahu_963]

Could we get a video of your updated Ctc system as a comparison.

[@nsmodeler24]

It's in the works as a follow-up to this one!

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Yay!

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Where did you find the switches to make the actual board of the ctc machine?

[@trainwhispererproductions460]

Hey great video! Are you going to do a roster update soon?

[@davidhughes4448]

Very nice. What is providing block occupancy, and what device is dictating CTC logic "behind the curtain"? Thank you.

[@TrainDr101]

It's 50% Signal Logic (If I'm remembering the name correctly), & 50% custom hardware & programming by Mr. Draper himself.

[@crazyfvck]

Neat :)

[@peterhall4086]

Just for interest, CTC systems are in use in Australia.

[@jovetj]

They're in use worldwide in one form or another.

[@garrettsubproductions8705]

Sweet video, how did you get your wire on your telephone post like that?

[@SuperBuildsInMC]

I would love to see what your procedures are in case there is a "derailment" do you just put the car back on track by hand or do you do something else?

[@TrainDr101]

We re-rail the train as quickly as possible to avoid any further damage to the models. Tim, the layout owner, will usually channel is prior real railroad experience into his best impression of a tyrannical trainmaster. If the derailment is is truly spectacular, we'll take pictures if it.

[@TexasRailfan2008]

supergamersbro I had a spectacular derailment one time, I had an Erie alco on the main line and a custom alco on the inner track. I had worked on the inner track recently and so I hadn’t fastened it back down yet, I was testing the track while I accidentally bumped the lever on my transformer and sped the train up way too fast, causing it to derail right when the Erie alco was coming around the corner, it hit the side of the Erie, derailing the coal car behind it,which hit a semaphore and shorted out the track circuit, throwing the main breaker on the layout. I was very thankful for that breaker that day...

[@ws9186]

What does the signal lever lights show when the signal is running time?

[@rabbitrail133]

Question on hardware, have you used atlas signal bridges and what do you think of them vs blma (which ate getting hard to find!) thanks for the update!!!

[@TrainDr101]

Not having seen the older Atlas one, I would presume that the BLMA one is of better detail/quality.

[@TrainDr101]

Not having seen the older Atlas one, I would presume that the BLMA one is of better detail/quality.

[@Zibiprzemek]

I think I like Polish style of doing things :D cool material though!

[@Poopsock14]

Anybody know Signalling software for this stuff available to the public?

[@jdbristow515]

Where does one get a professional control board. This one is very impressive.

[@TrainDr101]

This one is custom using a big piece of sheet plastic.

[@clineshaunt]

How do the switches on the ctc board lock to prevent conflicting movements?

[@jovetj]

On a real board like this it would be done with relays. If the operator tried to do something that conflicted with an established route (e.g. a cleared signal) then it would just refuse to do it. Nothing would happen.

[@clineshaunt]

@@jovetj Thanks!

[@MeigsCountyRR]

I love those old switches. Are they from actual use or are they reproductions? Greg in TN

[@TrainDr101]

Reproductions.

[@3006USMC]

🇺🇸

[@B744ERFJackLoh]

Is it in HO scale?

[@natfoot]

How on this layout are they doing occupancy detection?

[@nsmodeler24]

I'm not sure about the hardware, but it's based on electrical detection of resistance on the cars and locomotives.

[@woodalexander]

I'd like to see a video about this layout's signaling system and how it's installed, whether it's Chubb C/MRI, Digitrax, or LCC (probably one of the first two since LCC is relatively new).

[@ocsrc]

WOW !!!!! THIS GUY IS AMAZING I WISH I COULD DO THIS I WISH I KNEW HOW TO MAKE IT WORK

[@regisbrooks8064]

One locomotive since last year March Atlanta Cobb Galleria train show. Can't afford buying a new one r two with sounds

[@jamesdavis5096]

2:45 its a replica....but does it have all the complicated mechanical interlocks? i doubt that so it not a replica.

[@crrguy1625]

Nice