Getting rid of signal bridges

l008com wrote:Yeah I learned that I'll never understand what all the differnet lights mean. They should really come out with a simpler universal system. So yellow means the same thing everywhere etc. Like a blinking yellow on the street always means the same thing... although thats not technically true since they use yellow as a traffic signal and just as an 'alert' type signal. Anyway you get the idea. Not that it matters as I probably won't be driving any trains anytime soon, other than the ones that are made of plastic.
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Well in case you really want to learn...you can follow this link to a very good study guide:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc-colsig.html

And if you want PRR position lights:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc-poslitsig.html

If you ever were to apply for a job at any RR in the operating dept. this would probably be the first test you would have to pass. It weeds out a lot of people from employment.

Here's a link to NORAC signals, which are used on Amtrak, MBCR, Guilford, and CSXT in this area.

CSX Conductor wrote:Here's a link to NORAC signals, which are used on Amtrak, MBCR, Guilford, and CSXT in this area.

That one I've seen before. I can see how an engineer could 'run a red light' with signals like that. Very complicated.

l008com wrote:I can see how an engineer could 'run a red light' with signals like that. Very complicated.

That's not a good attitude at all. The engineer better not have any misunderstanding of the meaning of signals....if he or she does they should not be running a locomotive/train on that territory.

To answer the original question, I believe, but have no official confirmation, is that the reason signal bridges are being eliminated is twofold:

1. Doublestacks. It was cheaper to take down the signal bridge, and erect signal masts than try to raise the signal bridge.

2. Fall Protection Rules. Most, if not all, older signal bridges do not comply with the Fall Protection Rules. The cost to retro-fit those bridges are more expensive than putting in two masts.

DAW

What are fall protection rules?

l008com wrote:What are fall protection rules?

Fall protection rules include safety measures to prevent injuries to an employee from falling. Typically they include things like railings, the tube-like 'cages' around vertical ladders, requirements to use PPE such as safety harnesses, and so forth.

I believe that in many cases, older signal bridges had deferred maintenance for years resulting in corrosion adversely affecting structural strength, and it was less expensive in the long run to replace them with the mast type of signal support.

l008com wrote:

CSX Conductor wrote:Here's a link to NORAC signals, which are used on Amtrak, MBCR, Guilford, and CSXT in this area.

That one I've seen before. I can see how an engineer could 'run a red light' with signals like that. Very complicated.

What you have to re-think, 008com, is RR signals are NOT traffic lights. On the highway, red/yellow/green are used to control the flow of traffic at intersections. A train doesn't "run" a red light-- An engineer fails to heed a signal!

RR signals indicate what is in front of your train, how close you are to it, and how fast you should be going. More than three aspects were needed, so different combinations of colors mean different things.

I found out it was easier to learn the aspect names using the PRR position study guide first. Then I was able to figure out the colors (Red over Red over Green does not mean STOP SIGNAL. It means continue past this signal but at slow speed as defined in the rules book.)

BingDude, just remember the old saying "If it ain't all red it ain't red at all".