Question Regarding Us Signalling [spg]

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by Shackamaxon, May 3, 2024.

  1. Shackamaxon

    Shackamaxon Well-Known Member

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    Screenshot (106).png

    Couldn't find this aspect in NORAC rulebook. Any ideas on how to read this aspect ?
    ( What's that white light in the medium speed head ? )
     
  2. Spikee1975

    Spikee1975 Guest

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  3. Myron

    Myron Well-Known Member

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    I swear US signals are so weird and complicated
     
  4. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    https://signals.jovet.net/rules/CSX Signal Rules.pdf

    Although both CSX and Norfolk Southern are members of NORAC, its model signals are guidelines; the individual railroads have their own variants. The same applies to the GCOR-affiliated RR (UP, BNSF, Caltrain, Metrolink)
     
  5. Crosstie

    Crosstie Well-Known Member

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    Yes, there's no one national standard in the US. Each railroad can devise its own system as long as it complies with FRA safety regimens.
     
  6. Spikee1975

    Spikee1975 Guest

    Uhmmm. German ones are probably more confusing for outsiders especially with Zusatzsignals, Kennlicht or the east german HL signals need studying too. (or the Augsburg SK signals)

    hochsignalisierung_hl.png
     
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  7. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    They are not however wildly dissimilar. Think rather of the comparison between German, Austrian and Swiss systems: they have a lot in common, and some quirky differences.

    Broadly speaking, the western (GCOR) railroads use mixed route-speed signaling, whereas the eastern (NORAC) RR use pure speed signals. So no "diverging" aspects on CSX! But on the whole the sytems are all related.
     
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  8. Spikee1975

    Spikee1975 Guest

    Basically all you need is to know what's Restricted, Approach Medium and Approach.
     
  9. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    And a white light, in whatever combination, pretty universally means "Restricting" wherever you are.
     
  10. mkraehe#6051

    mkraehe#6051 Well-Known Member

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    Hl signals are
    a) not a German invention - they're just the German implementation of the OSShD system, so once you know them, you'll need to do very little additional work to understand the signalling in most of Eastern Europe and large parts of Asia.
    b) complicated only if you try to remember each "complete" aspect. However, you don't need to do that - just think about the top and bottom light separately and it'll suddenly become super easy.
     
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  11. Spikee1975

    Spikee1975 Guest

    Was just to say they are probably more complicated than the straightforward US signals, for an outsider.
     
  12. Myron

    Myron Well-Known Member

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    to be fair, yes, everyone knows their own countries' signals better than another ones' but it's still mildly confusing.
     
  13. waltern#2574

    waltern#2574 Member

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    https://www.sh1.org/osshd/s.htm
    I traveled to various European countries. Although the semaphores look different, the signals are almost identical and can be easily read if you know their meaning from one country.
     
  14. mkraehe#6051

    mkraehe#6051 Well-Known Member

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    Well, they look complicated at first but there's actually a system behind it that makes a lot of sense and is quite easy to understand. On the other hand, I find most US signal systems are precisely as complicated as they look at first glance.

    (And of course with German signals, each aspect always looks the same - you don't get a colour light, position light, and dwarf signal variant of the exact same aspect)
     

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