trouble with indications

hey everybody

sorry for asking such a stupid question but i'm currently training for CSXT freight conductor hired out of Selkirk NY in the northern region, we use conrail signals and indications and im having a little trouble getting them down, i'm sure a majority of you are far past your days of studying, but i was wondering if anybody would be able to help with some tips or tricks on remembering the indications. i've been studying my ass off and once i get it i know i got it for good but i just cant make sense of how to read them. I would be the first of my family to be working for the railroad and the first in my family to become successful with a career. i have a son and a fiance. we come from a place where not many succeed. i'm not giving you a sob story i just want you to know how serious i am when it comes to this as petty as it sound i really do need help.

thanks guys

There's a bunch of stuff online, maybe you saw it already, googling "conrail signal indications" leads you to several guides. It looks logical, but the devil is always in the details, and the logic doesn't tell the name of the rule.

Maybe a real railroader will have some better tips.

Have you made flash cards with the signal aspects and try quizzing yourself? Are you having difficulty memorizing the aspects or the indications? The best way to memorize the indications is to write out the definitions over and over. Repetition is the key! Just buy a cheap $1 notebook and write them out 20,30 or 100 times, whatever it takes. Unfortunately, you're going to have to write the entire definition out anyways, unless that changed. When I hired as a Conductor, there was no REDI Center, but even the school we attended made us write out the definitions. If you Google any signal study guides, just remember that CSXT's former Con-Rail signals were NORAC. All CSXT did when they switched from NORAC to their own rules for former Con-Rail territory was take the existing signals and as a "1" prefix to the signal number. For example, a Clear To Next Interlocking" is Rule 280-A in NORAC, but 1280-A on CSXT. I hope this helps.

Did you see this site?

If it's any help in memorization, the general principle is that a flashing aspect is one step more favorable than the corresponding solid aspect; i.e. R/G = Medium Clear, R/*G* Limited Clear.
Thus there are 3 different aspects for Medium Approach:
On a 3-unit high signal, R/Y/R;
On a 2-unit high signal, R/*Y* (because R/Y = Restricting);
On a dwarf, Y/*R* (because Y/R = Slow Approach, therefore Y/*R* = Medium Approach.
Similarly, on a dwarf, G/R = Slow Clear, and G/*R* = Medium Clear.
And Clear is G/R or G/R/R on a high signal, but G/G on a dwarf, because G/R is already taken by Slow Clear.
The hell of it is that there are many aspects you won't even see in a given territory but you have to know them all.
FWIW.

This may or may not help, but two general rules I learned about reading signals:

1. If it's not all red, it's not red at all.

2. Read the signal from the top down. If the top head is green it's clear; if it's yellow the signal will start with approach. If the top is red, and the middle is colored the signal starts with "Medium". If the bottom head is lit it's "slow". But, of course, there are exceptions to all this.

DAW

To clear up a slight error, the saying goes if it not all red its not READ at all. Reds are used as place holders ie green over red over red on a 3 aspect high signal would be a clear signal, the reds mean nothing just place holders. When a aspect is flashing it bumps it up a speed. An example would be a medium clear 30mph. Take the same signal and flash the green it becomes a limited clear 40mph. Dwarfs or low signal aspects are a little tougher to get down but the indications remain the same. There are a few that are the same whether there high or low.

Remember lunar white no matter were its displayed always means restricting. Yellow on top means approach to either a speed or prepared to stop. Flashing bumps it up a speed. Cue cards and writing out the indications was the easiest way for me. Hope this helps and good luck

Railjunkie wrote:To clear up a slight error, the saying goes if it not all red its not READ at all. Reds are used as place holders ie green over red over red on a 3 aspect high signal would be a clear signal, the reds mean nothing just place holders. When a aspect is flashing it bumps it up a speed. An example would be a medium clear 30mph. Take the same signal and flash the green it becomes a limited clear 40mph. Dwarfs or low signal aspects are a little tougher to get down but the indications remain the same. There are a few that are the same whether there high or low.

Remember lunar white no matter were its displayed always means restricting. Yellow on top means approach to either a speed or prepared to stop. Flashing bumps it up a speed. Cue cards and writing out the indications was the easiest way for me. Hope this helps and good luck

Limited is 45, not 40.

do 40 on a limited and youll never be accused of speeding

Railjunkie wrote:do 40 on a limited and youll never be accused of speeding

Especially considering that, while the turnouts to #2 mains on my sub are limited speed, the #2 mains themselves are only 40mph!

repetition is the key