Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF signal charts

Can anyone direct me to BNSF signal charts and what the lights mean...green above red, etc?
I had a chart but due to a move it got lost in the shuffle.

Thanks for any help.

Zopilote

search "railroad signaling" and you will get the answer to your questions.

I'm amazed at how unhelpful people can be here (myself included at times)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3429794486/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3428978955/sizes/l/

The person who has that account seems to have several RR documents scanned in, may be interesting to check out!

Get the Altamont Press timetable for your area, if there is one and you don't already have it. Each timetable contains all the signal aspects and indications for the region that it covers, along with a great deal of other very useful information, and it's a compact and easy reference when you're away from home or a computer.

http://www.altamontpress.com/store/

Jaanfo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm amazed at how unhelpful people can be here
> (myself included at times)
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3429794486
> /sizes/l/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3428978955
> /sizes/l/
>
> The person who has that account seems to have
> several RR documents scanned in, may be
> interesting to check out!

My brain hurts from trying to make sense of all these different aspects - how do you guys in engine service (and now I suppose the conductors) manage to learn, retain, and remember all these signals and what to do?

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

I also second the Altamont Press timetables. Every railfan should not leave home without one.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

We might only see a small number of those signals.
Kevin


john1082 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jaanfo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm amazed at how unhelpful people can be here
> > (myself included at times)
> >
> >
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3429794486
>
> > /sizes/l/
> >
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_vogel/3428978955
>
> > /sizes/l/
> >
> > The person who has that account seems to have
> > several RR documents scanned in, may be
> > interesting to check out!
>
> My brain hurts from trying to make sense of all
> these different aspects - how do you guys in
> engine service (and now I suppose the conductors)
> manage to learn, retain, and remember all these
> signals and what to do?

john1082 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My brain hurts from trying to make sense of all
> these different aspects - how do you guys in
> engine service (and now I suppose the conductors)
> manage to learn, retain, and remember all these
> signals and what to do?

when you actually get out on the main and act on them, the signal aspects and their indications make a lot more sense...........

66

The best explanation of railroad signals that I found is on Al Krug's web site. It's not BNSF specific, but useful anyway.

The URL is http://www.alkrug.vcn.com/rrfacts/signals/signals.htm

I consider it of such enduring value that I downloaded it onto my computers.

OCV

It's pretty simple really....

There are 4 basic signal aspects...

Clear

Approach

Restricting

Stop

Everything else is a variation, or combination of the above.

The "complicated" signals are only found in terminal areas where there are
several interlockings in a row.....like between CP dayton and LAUS.

john1082 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My brain hurts from trying to make sense of all
> these different aspects - how do you guys in
> engine service (and now I suppose the conductors)
> manage to learn, retain, and remember all these
> signals and what to do?

My brain hurt on Signal day during training as well, but once you put it into practice it all just starts to make sense, takes a couple months though. Once you make sense of what the signals are saying then you begin applying which aspects govern what signal, interlocking, Control Point, etc, how they work together, and you get the basics for being qualified on a given territory.

Conductors have always been required to know the signals and signal progression, this is why the whole crew gets pulled out of service for a signal violation, not just the engineer. The only recent/upcoming change is that the Feds will certify us, like engineers, with a license or permit depending on our qualifications.

EDIT: Just to add, speed signals scare me...

Attached is a two page quick reference chart depicting current BNSF block and interlocking signals. It does not show cab or distant signals.

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Thanks to all who answered my query. I appreciate the help.

Zopilote