Tryed to look this up in past discusion and got nowhere (not a very good search engine here). I am to the point of adding trackside signs and other details. I put up the telltails and the mile markers in reasonable places for a model railroad, mile markers were randomly spaced in what just looked good distances, telleltails were placed the same, one of which is too close to the tunnel entrance, about 32’ while the other is about 200. Now I have yard limit signs, slow and no clearance along with whistle posts, the no clearance I get but the others, no so sure of. Also any other signs or objects near the rail ideas would be good, got a ton of details packed away like mail pouch stands and flange greasers to name a few. Don’t want to overpower the scenes but also want to enhase the railroady feel.
A railroad’s mainline and yards are almost like two different railroads - different people running them, different rules etc. The Yard Limit sign indicates that a train is entering a yard area, and yard rules (like perhaps restricted speed) are in effect. In real railroads, the “yard limit” often stretchs several miles either side of the actual switching yard. That’s not practical on a model railroad, but it should be a little ways from the start of the yard trackage.
I agree, as our layouts are often well-compressed versions of what we really want, but don’t have room for.
I put whistle posts a little bit over 200’ from the crossing if it’s on straight track, and somewhere over 300’ when the track is curved, which is the majority of situations on my around-the-room layout.
For a larger image, simply click on the photos.
Here’s a whistle post in Elfrida, where the crossing is just beyond the little shed that’s behind that third telegraph pole…
…and there’s a truck, to the left, about to cross the tracks.
Speed limit signs are at the ends of the various towns through which tracks pass, so there are signs, to the right of the track, with in-town speed limits for inbound trains, and resume-speed limits when leaving town. The maximum speed allowed on my layout is 45mph, and in most cases, it’s there to allow the engineer to get a run at the many grades which will be encountered.
Here’s a Resume Speed sign for an East-bound train leaving Elfrida…the upper one is for passenger and express trains, the lower one for regular freights…
There’s also a similar sign in the distance to the left of the tunnel’s portal, but it’s blurred due to the camera being set-up for a close-up view. The speed limits on it are 30 and 25.
This one’s a sign for plows and flangers, with the lower one warning of an in-track obstacle (the guard rails on the short bridge, which would require the flanger blade to be raised), and the two angled boards, which warn of obstacles outs
Very good info and it gives me an idea about the whistle posts, I am using signs from Horsls which I found more to scale than all the other ones I had on hand but the whistle posts are not to my liking but I do have a bunch of unused mile markers same shape as your W’s and I have dry transfers or decals of a W.
Yard Limit signs:
This is a tricky one, as it technically doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with yards, but applies to the main track.
The “Yard Limit” rule allows trains/engines to occupy the main track and move in both directions without having to get permission from the dispatcher. “Yard Limits” can be applied anywhere where there’s major switching (using the main track) expected to happen, so that a train can do back and forth and runaround moves without having to get special orders, flagging protection, etc.
For placement, the “Yard Limit” signs are located at the outer limits of these limits - that’s pretty obvious, but you want those limits to be far enough out so that engines can do the work they need to do, but not TOO far out, as it restricts train speeds through the area.
(Under timetable rules, trains/engines using the Yard Limit rule to occupy the main must clear the times of First (and sometimes Second in some rule books) class trains, but NOT Third, Fourth class or Extra trains. Any of those trains must operate at restricted speed as they could at any time encounter another train using the main track without warning.)