Signal placement on mainline where turnouts are extremely close

[wjstix]

wjstix
Perhaps just get some three-head signals and assign a meaning to each aspect. So say green-over-red-over-red means the train is routed onto track A, yellow-red-red means track B, red-green-red means track C, etc.

The purpose of signals is to impart information. As long as everyone understands what the signals mean, then it should be OK, even if it’s not exactly what the prototype would do

Except now you need to provide a secret decoder ring to your crews to understand the complicated meaning of these signals that only exist on your layout.

On a model railroad, you could post a “cheat sheet” next to the interlocking plant. On real railroads, railroads have a book they carry with them with rules, lists of special circumstances, etc. so it’s not that unrealistic. Plus, the signal I described would only have six indications - seven if you count ‘all red’ meaning stop. I don’t think it would take that long for regular operators to get to know what it means.

That’s assuming the OPs wish to have one signal that gives every possible indication of how the track is set. If it were me, I would do a simpler two-head signal at each entrance to the interlocking and use dwarfs or a simple red-green signal indicator to show how each turnout is set.