The local quarry train, Ellis & Eastern, has a 4 mile line through town (former CNW). Today, I saw a sign attatched to one of the rails with a clamp type set-up. The sign was a red circle, approximately 12" in diameter, no words. This appeared to be clamped onto one rail, with a 4-6’, curved bar, that hung the circle about eye level. Obviously, the sign is temporary, as I just heard the train go by. What is this sign for?
Picture?
From my days on the CNW it may be a red board something to do with track work. Trains can not pass till board is removed only buy the person in charge
No picture.[:(] Just my sad description.[;)]
Pay particular attention to the last sentence of rule 5.4.7
5.4.7 Display of Red Flag or Red Light
A red flag or red light is displayed where trains must stop. When approaching a red flag or red light, the train must stop short of the red flag or red light and not proceed unless the employee in charge gives verbal permission. If permission to proceed is received before the train stops, the train may pass the red flag or red light without stopping.
If track bulletin Form B is not in effect, permission must include speed and distance. This speed must not be exceeded until the rear of the train has passed the specified distance from the red flag or red light, unless otherwise instructed by the employee in charge.
Displayed Between Rails. When a red flag or red light is displayed between the rails of a track other than a main track or controlled siding, the train must stop and not proceed until the flag or light has been removed by an employee of the class that placed it.
5.4.8 Flag Location
Flags will be displayed only on the track affected. However, when yellow, yellow-red, or red flags or red lights are used for protection without a flagman, track bullefin, track warrant, or general order, these flags must be placed to protect all possible access to the restricted area.
Flags must be displayed to the right of the track as viewed from an approaching train, except red flags or red lights may be displayed between the rails as outlined in Rule 5.4.7 (Display of Red Flag or Red Light). Flags will be placed in this manner unless otherwise specified by track bulletin, track warrant, special instructions, or general order.
When flags are displayed beyond the first rail of an adjacent track, the flags will not apply to the track on which the train is moving.
[quote user=“Murphy Siding”]
The local quarry train, Ellis & Eastern, has a 4
Thanks Ed. Now we know what it is- s railroad stop sign. Given the mounting between the rails, I kind of figured that. Now what would be the reason for the stop sign? It was in a residential part of town, about 100 feet from a crossing. The rail and ballast looked no worse there, than on any other part of the line.
Do you know if and where the train you heard stopped, and why?
Red flag between the rails is not just for track work…what it means is there is something beyond that point that is fouling the tracks or causing an unsafe condition…which could be anything from the train ahead has stopped to the rail is being worked on…go back and look again at about the same time frame…just after the train passes, and see if they dont put the flag up again…might be their way of protecting the rear of the train while it is loading/unloading or switching out cars.
Well, they only have one train. I could see nothing out of the ordinary for 1/4 mile in each direction. Track speed is about 10 mph at that spot. Does the red signify “stop, because there is a problem at this point”, or “stop-there is a problem further up the line”? I saw the sign around 8:30, but by 12:30, the train was running through. Maybe someone lost a contact lens?[:o)]
It could have been someone down the line a bit cutting brush or any of dozens of other tasks. If they were fouling the track, they had to put up protection. If there is a train movement that needs to be made, the conductor can coordinate that with whoever has the track. They will then take down their protection and allow the train to pass. If they have more work to do, the flag goes back up.
Just because you couldn’t see anyone doesn’t mean no one is working.
I suspect that the “clamping mechanism” probably included a derail. Whoever set up that flag was authorized to do so, and expected no trains to come beyond it. We have had instances were flags were left behind, but the riule about the same craft remove them is sacrosanct–somebody had to be called out.