When driving around full size railroads, I notice a lot of little signs beside the track, obviously meant for the train crews. Mostly, they just have one letter on them, I seem to remember seeing “M” or “W” but there could have been others.
What are they called. “Markers”, maybe?
What do they mean? If I wanted to add some to my railroad, where would I put them and what letters do I put on them?
I am just guessing, but, I think they might tell the engineer to restrict their speed or to blow a crossing signal. Anyone Know which ones are which or can give a few examples?
I’d like to add some to the ALLY, but, I’d like to tell visiting operators what they are for and what they need to do when their train passes one.
Hi Bob, I don’t know about US trackside signs but here in Oz a W sign means Whistle amd they are usually located before road crossings. It’s more than 50 years since steam was phased out but W for Whistle has remained, I don’t think many trains have a whistle any more.
I believe the Trains forum has a sign database that;s open to all. M might be what’s left of a milepost. It would read M over a number, but if they were seperate pieces and the number piece came off,
In the US, a “W” sign is called a whistle post and it alerts the crew that a grade crossing is coming up. Some railroads used an “X” instead of a W (for “crossing”). There may be a number after or under the X to indicate multiple crossings.
There are also “S” signs that mean “station or drawbridge 1 mile”.
Markers are what goes on the end of a train. These are called “signs”.
Actually the technical term would be a fixed signal.
Another one is a big yellow “V”, that’s a yard limit sign. That marks the limits that the main track is operated by Rule 93 Yard Limits. There are also speed restriction signs which may be some form of yellow sign or down arrow and resume speed sign that is a green sign or up arrow. The speed may also be on the sign post. If two numbers are there the higher one is for passenger trains and the lower for freight trains.
In addition there are fixed signals in dark (non-block signal territory) where there may be a yellow bar at a 45 degree angle up from a post. That is an approach signal. It is usually a couple miles in advance of a junction, interlocking or drawbridge. At an interlocking in unsignaled territory there may be a red bar or board horizontal from the post, that is s stop signal (actually a “stop and proceed” signal). Some railroads just use octagonal hiway stop signs too.
There are many track side signs in use, and often vary from railroad to railroad. Some are permanent, others are temporary and clamp onto the rails to notify the train crew of maintenance workers in the area, to post a temporary speed limit, or to indicate a derail in use. I got a new battery for my camera so I will be sure to photo some of these track side signs when I am on the Amtrack lines next week.
Back to the original photo, it appears that the half-chevron ‘snowplow wing warning’ has been incorporated into the square switchstand markers at both switches. These are frequently seen as slanted boards on a plain wood post. anyplace where extended snowplow wings might encounter objects that shouldn’t be plowed.
The underground cable warning is a more modern development. I don’t remember ever having seen one during the transition era.
Not shown in any photo, but often present - big D at a derail, circular yellow restricted speed signs, “Yard Limit” on a post…
The Japan National Railway Company went over the top on signage - Kilometer posts, 100-meter stakes, grade boards (like those flanger warnings, but gave the grade in meters per kilometer, sloped up from the post for upgrade, down for downgrade,) triangular shapes on the ties at curves, stating the radius in meters… Modeling all of them will be FUN!!!
Those signs have nothing to do with snow plows as we don’t get any snow here in southern Queensland Australia. They indicate trailable points (turnouts) The points are sprung/weighted so that they always point in the direction indicated, but because of the spring/weighting can be entered from the opposite end on the other track without damaging the points. If a train goes through them in the opposite direction you can see the diagonal white indicator flick horizontally as each bogie passes through the points. Of course there is an override feature so trains can be sent the otherway. It’s usually in the form of a person holding down (or up) the spring/weight.
Interesting that in areas when snow plows are used a similar sign is used.
That’s what I get for not checking the whole story! That photo looks so much like the Great Plains that I never even thought of it being south of the Equator!
While Nevada gets plenty of snow, the amount that falls in my home town in an average year wouldn’t make a decent snowball - if you could gather it before it melted away. OTOH, there are things to be said about standing in the bright sunshine on a chilly 24 degreeC day and looking at the snow on Mount Charleston, 50 kilometers away and three kilometers higher…
