I'm new to modeling, how do you signal the direction in which a wye is opened?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
2

Excellent question, I’m a newbie and I have a couple of wyes to install on my new layout, and I was wondering the exact same thing.

My thought were it’s just a preference thing, and to be consistant how ever you label them, or for me, sending an open or closed with my DCC throttle.

3

I am not certain I understand “the direction in which a wye is open”.

By “wye”, do you mean a switch track commonly called a turnout or do you mean and actual “Y” wye configuration of tracks which can reverse the direction of a train?

Where do you want to signal that it is opened? A signal on the tracks for the model engineers, or a signal on a control panel?

4

Prototype answer: You would signal a wye switch for the diverging route.

Since both routes go through the same turnout, they would both have the same speed through them (assuming that the track beyond the wye is the same for both routes). So regardless of whether you are using ‘speed’ signals or “route” signals, the signal indication would be appropriate for the speed of the turnout (assuming that each route has no other restrictions beyond it that would affect movement over the wye switch)

So regardless of which way the switch is lined if the track beyond the switch was signaled and clear for at least 2 blocks, then you would get a diverging clear.

Model answer:

  1. Signal it like the prototype.

So regardless of which way the switch is lined if the track beyond the switch was signaled and clear for at least 2 blocks, then you would get a diverging clear.

  1. Make the through route the “normal” position and signal that route like a straight switch in the normal position and make the secondary route the “reverse” position and signal it like a straight switch in the reverse position.

So if the switch is lined normal and if the track beyond the switch was signaled and clear for at least 2 blocks, then you would get a clear or if the switch is lined reverse and if the track beyond the switch was signaled and clear for at least 2 blocks, then you would get a diverging clear.

  1. The signals really aren’t block signals but switch indicators, make the through route the “normal” position and signal that route like a straight switch in the normal position and make the secondary route the “reverse” position and signal it like a straight switch in the reverse position. So if the switch is lined normal , then you would get a clear or if the switch is lined reverse , then you would get a diverging clear or approach.