The meanings of signals

does a red light on a signal tower mean there is usually a train coming down that track???

Sometimes it could mean that there is a movement coming in the opposite direction. It could also mean that something has goe passed that signal and is still within the same block. Either way the signal could be telling you that there is a train in that block. But many times signals will remain Red (Stop Signal) if there are no trains anywhere near you if the dispatcher doesn't have any trains coming for a while.

Hope this answers your question. I am assuming that you are just using the signals as a way to determine if anythingwill be coming or not.

Over here on the IC, after a while the signals will just go black. No red light here.

Yes Chris, there are many areas that have this type of signals, which only remain lit while a train is in the block.

Yeah CSX's Riverline is mostly approach lit signals. There is only one signal that i know of that is constantly lit. What i dont get is why some approach lit signals when a train passes it one going one direction the red signals for the opposite direction its traveling light up red right when the train passes it. Why not before?

CSX Conductor wrote:Yes Chris, there are many areas that have this type of signals, which only remain lit while a train is in the block.

Not to mention this track sees like only 5 trains a day, unlike the high-speed UP Chester Sub, which sees probably about 15-20 trains per day at best. You can bet those signals stay lit!

RCH022 wrote:does a red light on a signal tower mean there is usually a train coming down that track???

Aside from the rule that red means stop, the answer to your question depends on the practice of the railroad you are interested in. For example, a green indication (two green lights in a vertical pattern) in Amtrak's territory in NJ does mean a train is coming soon. New Brunswick, NJ is a good spot to see that. But on ConRail Shared Assets "chemical coast" parallel to the New Jersey Turnpike near Newark-Liberty airport, a color other than red (usually yellow here) does not necessarily mean a train is coming soon.

This web site provides signal indications and their meanings.
http://www.railfanusa.com/info/norac-signals.html

As you can see, and as it has been said, "if it's not all red, it's not red at all."

trainfreak wrote: What i dont get is why some approach lit signals when a train passes it one going one direction the red signals for the opposite direction its traveling light up red right when the train passes it. Why not before?

Because the signals do not light up until a train is within that specific block.


Perhaps this will help:

A southbound train on the River Line is approaching CP-118, and you are standing on the south side looking at the northbound signal for CP-118. If there are no other trains in the immediate block south of CP-118, the signal you are looking at will remain dark, until the southbound train begins to pass the southern end of CP-118, at which time the train is entering this new block and the signals will light up. The same applies to the southbound signal which was lit while the train was approaching CP-118 from the north, after the entire train has passed the sothbound signal, that signal will go dark, unless there is already another train in the block immediately north of CP-118.


Are you confused more, or did this clear it up for you?

Hopefully this will help you.

I think the answer to this question is 'it just depends'. Observations on the CSX main seem to show that the older, colored position light signals only illuminate when a train is imminent, altho' the man behind the curtain in Jacksonville may throw them up well before it arrives, or align a switch and light the signal for the next expected move.
The newer spotlights seem to be on all the time, particularly at an interlocking.
Malley