jovet: "I'm not sure how you'd get a HO semaphore on a signal bridge to work," Nitinol. Robert
I just love those Color Position Light Signals, hey I'm a UP man. Quite an interesting point you brought out there Joe of distinguishing the colors on this signal being a disadvantage this is very true. During my employment with the UP I decided to change crafts from the Engineering Dept. to Train Service, I passed all the required tests except the color vision test. Yes I'm color blind, and an exceptionally talented artist which baffles many. The test requires the candidate to be able to distinguish Color Position Signals at a 1/4 mile before approaching them, my problem was distinguishing red from yellow. Although a red contact lens ( for my left or right eye) would suffice, it was not acceptable and it does no good at night. How else could I read them? simple, knowing the position of the lights, Green top, Yellow middle, and Red below.
@mantonio131: There are several railroads that would try and throw you for a loup! The C&O colorlights, especially... each head had a different order to the lamps! Most color orders are pretty standardized nowadays, with (top to bottom) G-Y-L-R. Old BN (or one of its predecessors) and modern CSX installations use G-Y-R-L. American CN and/or CP modern installations can use just one signal head with up to 6 lights, including R-Y-L-G-Y and R-G-Y-L-G-Y! These signal heads do the work of two, with 1 or 2 lamps lit at the same time.
@mantonio131: How did you fare with triangular colorlights? Those can be G-Y-R or Y-G-R depending on the part of the country, railroad, and era.
Your illustrations are most interesting indeed Joe. The Union Pacific on some subdivisions and single mains use the very ones in your illustrations except in some areas such as the southbound wye trackage heading out of Shortline Yard Des Moines, the practice used there are multiple signal heads "Darth Vader" or hooded type with the first 2 heads having 3 lenses and the bottom head hosting only 2. Such order would be R,Y,G/Y,G,R/Y,L or supposedly white. These are the very ones I had to test on. You're correct about other carriers conventional signal practices such as the Baltimore Light Rail and the MARTA (CSX trackage) practice the red on top used on standard traffic lights as not to confuse engineers. Throwing you for a loop? I concur, but primarily classifying the carriers' autonomy and trackage rights. Unfortunately I never got to deal with the triangular color lights. Thanks for the illustrations Joe! Railroaders for Life Moe Antonio
My Favorite type of signal: B&O CPL Signals ... http://www.railroadsignals.us/cplprimer.htm now if someone could make one for MSTS ...
Oh, they've been made for MSTS. By more than just me.
Now that is a nice signal! Peter N Waterboro ME
My Favorite type of signal is the Chesapeake & Ohio's Union Signal and Switch Co. R2 Colorlights: http://www.railroadsignals.us/signal...r/CandO003.jpg , but sadly they're are being replaced by the Seaboard's Safetran "Darth Vader" Colorlights, its sad to see the R2's go.
