Re: Train signals
Author: bruce bennett
Date: 12-05-2007 - 14:21
All the roads I have worked over ( basically everything west of the Mississippi) Red over yellow was "approach diverging" meaning slow to prescribed speed for the turnout, and being ready to stop at next signal. For the case they claim against the engineer the GCOR version would be red over lunar (a bluish white signal) which would convey Diverging restricted, meaning a speed allowing you to stop within half your range of vision, watching for train, engine, men or equipment as well as mis-lined switches and broken rails not exceeding 20MPH.
The red over yellow would allow 40MPH where the approach restricted can make any speed to fast if you hit anything! GCOR roads love to place hard to see red flags as a test on train crews on restricted speed tests!
Many years ago the western roads standardised their rules in the General code of operating rules, the eastern roads do not use the general code. Yes the government would do us all afavor be makeing the rules and signal indications universal. As a retired engineman, i wuld have a hard time charging the young Amtrak engineer as at fault, the NS and Amtrak need training improvements, and get on the same rulebooks!
Bruce Bennett
Retires engineman and SLE