Rule 409 - Advance Clear to Stop

September 16, 2016 10:01 PM

If you've ever wondered what railroad signals mean, you're in luck. Of course, Wikipedia and the resident railfan editors there have you covered, but there's so much more to it than a wall of text.

For instance, Ian Juby, a Canadian railroader, has put together a helpful video series to foster your understanding:

Railroad Signals, reading and meanings, part 1: The basic three light system

Reading Canadian Railroad Signals part 2: Single and two headed signals

Part 3: Railroad Signals, reading and meanings. Diverging and Limited speeds, to and at signals

and if your brain isn't broken yet, there's:

Part 4: dwarf signals

If you'd like a handy set of charts, railroadsignals.us has you covered.

Oh, you're a modern, 21st century type? There's an app for that.

Model railroaders, not willing to be left out of the fun, sometime go to great lengths to have their signals operate protoypically. Here's a peek under the hood, so to speak, of the wiring involved in signaling a model railroad.

posted by pjern (4 comments total)

This is super interesting pjern, I didn't know how much I wanted to know this.
posted by motioncityshakespeare at 11:50 PM on September 16, 2016

I could listen to that man talk about train signals for ever. Very soothing
posted by james33 at 3:29 AM on September 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have always wondered about this. Thanks!
posted by COD at 6:02 AM on September 17, 2016

Oh man, I think I've been resorting for this post for about 25 years. (I am 34, and remember asking my parents about rail signals, but I always forgot to ask someone who would have actually known)
posted by ArgentCorvid at 5:30 PM on September 17, 2016