Cohoes Signal

[Mdudek]

On the Colonie Main in Cohoes, there is a signal near Mohawk Paper that is always lit (yellow over red unless a train is nearby). I was wondering what the significance of that signal was. I thought the lower light had something to do with a diverging route, but the Green Island branch is long gone. Also, it is one of the only signals that isn't approach lit.

Thanks for any info!

[Wayside]

Yellow over red = approach, which tells a train to be prepared to stop at the next signal. This would be the default for an automatic signal when the next signal is an interlocking or controlled point that is left at stop until manually cleared for a train to pass.

[Engineer Spike]

This signal is the last automatic block before the absolute signal at CPO5 (formerly NG Cabin). This is capable of 3 indications, Clear, Approach, and Restricting. In D&H signal practice, a signal with staggered aspects is the last automatic block signal before an absolute.

[newpylong]

B&M too!

[Engineer Spike]

There is a new signal which has been erected north of the present one. It is north of the Main Street crossing, and Mohawk Paper switch. The new signal has been there for about a year, but hasn’t been activated yet. The 8.1, and 8.2 signal is still a searchlight type. A maintainer told me that it had been left, in spite of all the rest having been changed. This was explained to be because of the problem with the circuitry of all nearby crossings. I’ll bet that the old signal would not work with the new PTC system, so it will soon be replaced. Another odddity is the number. D&H used to number the signals for the whole milepost, with the tenths decimal 1 for northbound, and 2 for southbound. This convention has changed. Now the southbound signals are numbered to the closest even decimal, and northbound to the nearest odd decimal.

[Mdudek]

Thanks for the info!