Signals are the same for both passenger trains and freight trains. The main difference between the two is that passenger trains are lighter and are allowed to go at a slightly faster speed. Comparing freight trains on the CP Railway in BC to the West Coast Express (a commuter train that goes between Vancouver and Mission on weekdays), the WCE will be going at a faster speed than a freight train on the same line, but the engineer still has to obey the signals. Also, when the WCE is going from Mission to Vancouver, the locomotive is moving the train, but it’s facing backwards. To counteract this, the rear coach has its own operating cab with controls and the engineer will be in there going to Vancouver in the morning, before controlling from the locomotive in the afternoon going back to Mission
A single headed signal that has red is a stop and proceed. But if it has an A plate it is a stop and do not proceed from what I understand. So if the A plate falls off or is covered in snow then the more restrictive stop and stay that the A plate indicates would revert to a stop and proceed which is less restrictive. Can you clarify this since it does not seem to be fail safe?
Wow, could the designers have made this more complicated and confusing? Happy this is available with out annoying music. This is educational and music is just an unnecessary distraction to the learning process. Anyway thank you.
Excellent work!! What is the best way to get into the railroad industry? I am currently a power plant operator in Alberta but I have been interested in the railroad and I think I would likely enjoy a job with CN or Canadian Pacific. Im just not sure which direction to go or how to get started.
Hi Jon - both CN and CP train you if they hire you. All I can say is apply - and attend a job fair especially, if at all possible. Right now they're pretty much laying off sadly. But it was a year of applying before I finally got hired on.
The (A) plate should stand for Automatic, not Absolute. So vertically stacked 2-head signals would be the same as a staggered signal. An absolute 2-head signal could have an illuminated (A) which would allow it to switch between absolute and automatic modes. If the (A) is lit up, stop, then proceed at restricted speed. If the (A) light burns out or gets covered over, it is an absolute stop. The single head signal with no plates would mean Absolute Stop, and Stop & Proceed with an (A) plate or number plate.
@@electric7487 It would have to be on the top head, because then it would mean the same thing at any such signal, even those with only one or two heads.
@@denelson83 Then what about dwarf lights? Wouldn't it make sense to define a flashing lower head as well? Then it would directly carry on over to the single dwarf light with a flashing red. My idea of generalising this comes from UPRR and BNSF. If you look at their signal rules, they explicitly define all nine "all red, one flashing" indications (six for main signals, three for dwarves) to mean _Restricting._ My idea was the same, except that the nine indications would mean _Stop & Proceed_ on absolute signals and _Restricting_ on automatic signals.
Working for Union Pacific and these are very helpful. Thank you
Part two was just as informative as part one. Huge like!
Signals are the same for both passenger trains and freight trains. The main difference between the two is that passenger trains are lighter and are allowed to go at a slightly faster speed. Comparing freight trains on the CP Railway in BC to the West Coast Express (a commuter train that goes between Vancouver and Mission on weekdays), the WCE will be going at a faster speed than a freight train on the same line, but the engineer still has to obey the signals. Also, when the WCE is going from Mission to Vancouver, the locomotive is moving the train, but it’s facing backwards. To counteract this, the rear coach has its own operating cab with controls and the engineer will be in there going to Vancouver in the morning, before controlling from the locomotive in the afternoon going back to Mission
Good stuff.
Another amazing video! Thanks
A single headed signal that has red is a stop and proceed. But if it has an A plate it is a stop and do not proceed from what I understand. So if the A plate falls off or is covered in snow then the more restrictive stop and stay that the A plate indicates would revert to a stop and proceed which is less restrictive. Can you clarify this since it does not seem to be fail safe?
This is what I've been saying. The (A) shojld stand for Automatic, not Absolute.
Wow, could the designers have made this more complicated and confusing? Happy this is available with out annoying music. This is educational and music is just an unnecessary distraction to the learning process. Anyway thank you.
Excellent work!! What is the best way to get into the railroad industry? I am currently a power plant operator in Alberta but I have been interested in the railroad and I think I would likely enjoy a job with CN or Canadian Pacific. Im just not sure which direction to go or how to get started.
Hi Jon - both CN and CP train you if they hire you. All I can say is apply - and attend a job fair especially, if at all possible. Right now they're pretty much laying off sadly. But it was a year of applying before I finally got hired on.
Too bad the Ⓐ is not really failsafe. What if it falls off or gets covered in snow?
0:41 - Except in British Columbia.
The (A) plate should stand for Automatic, not Absolute.
So vertically stacked 2-head signals would be the same as a staggered signal. An absolute 2-head signal could have an illuminated (A) which would allow it to switch between absolute and automatic modes. If the (A) is lit up, stop, then proceed at restricted speed. If the (A) light burns out or gets covered over, it is an absolute stop.
The single head signal with no plates would mean Absolute Stop, and Stop & Proceed with an (A) plate or number plate.
@@electric7487 I would have used a flashing red signal on the high-speed head to indicate stop-and-proceed, just like on highways.
@@denelson83 My thought as well, except with a flashing red on any head, not just the top. The other head(s) would be solid red.
@@electric7487 It would have to be on the top head, because then it would mean the same thing at any such signal, even those with only one or two heads.
@@denelson83 Then what about dwarf lights? Wouldn't it make sense to define a flashing lower head as well? Then it would directly carry on over to the single dwarf light with a flashing red.
My idea of generalising this comes from UPRR and BNSF. If you look at their signal rules, they explicitly define all nine "all red, one flashing" indications (six for main signals, three for dwarves) to mean _Restricting._
My idea was the same, except that the nine indications would mean _Stop & Proceed_ on absolute signals and _Restricting_ on automatic signals.
The A Plate is not fail safe, if it falls of the red lets you proceed.
I would say a more failsafe "stop-and-proceed" indication would be to have the top head flash red.
Thanks again for this great video. Just need to draw better switches to align with the signals.