I stand to be corrected, but I think that you are incorrect about North
American signals. It is true that Canada and the United States no longer
have common operating rules, BUT ... so far as the rules concerning signal
displays, in both Canada and the US, they will be standard throughout the
industry - regardless of the company. American rules concerning signal
displays, so far as I know, are more or less the same as they were when the
Canadian railway industry decided to go its own way and rewrote the rule
book.
The Uniform Code of Rules in the US and the CROR (can't remember what it
stands for) in Canada are federal regulations. Companies can not twiddle
signal displays or what they mean to suit a manager's whims. A Clear to
Stop signal in Canada will be the same on the CN as it is on the CPR.
Likewise, an Approach signal will mean the same thing in the States, no
matter what the road.
Since I retired from BC Rail, I'm admittedly behind the times, particularly
with American regulations, but I'm pretty sure that the railroaders from
both countries lurking on this list will back me up.
Joe Smuin
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger T." <rogertra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 11:13 PM
Subject: Re: [cpsig] American Canadian Signal Colours
I am interested in that Yellow Red Red is less severe (30mph) than a
Yellow
Yellow Red (15mph) I would have thought they might be the other way round.
Just my so called logical brain thinking!
Chris.
Compared to UK signalling, North American signalling is (Needlessly?)
complex and not even standardised. What one indication means on one
railway, could mean something else on another. And then there's local
variations as well.
The complexity comes from using speed signalling rather than route and train
spacing as used in the UK.
In the UK, for example, under normal circumstances, red = stop, until hell
freezes over. Not in North America. It could mean stop until Hell freezes
over, or it could mean stop and proceed.
Notice in the UK you will not get a red aspect from a signal in combination
with another colour? Because there, red means stop. Period! Over here,
you'll could a yellow over two red aspects which, in my opinion, diminishes
the importance of a red = stop.
But, that's the way it is and it ain't gonna change. I read a story by
noted UK author and railway historian, O.S. Nock about how uneasy he felt
when riding the cab of a North American diesel speeding past multiple red
signals just because one of them was green.
Cheers
Roger T.
Home of the Great Eastern Railway
http://www.highspeedplus.com/~rogertra/
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