Hi,I have some signals from Tomar Ind.(H0) and I will place them on the right place.
For instance a vertical 2 head signal(H867).Does anybody know,where I can place them?
I like to reding your answers,greetings,Steffen
Steffen,
A dual head signal is usually as an ‘absolute’ signal at an interlocking or control point(CP). Like leading to a turnout where there is a choice of routes/speeds. These are ‘Stop and Stay’ signals. Single head signals with a milepost ‘plate’ below them are ‘permissive’ signals used out in the field(block signals) where they are usually ‘Stop and Proceed’(stopping short of an obstruction or train).
Jim
If you’re on an engine approaching a spot where a branch line veers off from the mainline, you’ll be likely to see a two-headed signal. The upper head relates to the mainline, the lower one to the diverging branch line. It’s a little like on a road where you have the main stop-and-go light for the road you’re on, and another stop-and-go light for left turns.
If the signal is green-over-red, you’re going straight on the mainline.
If the signal is red-over-green, you’re going onto the branchline.
If the signal is red-over-red, you have to STOP.
In coming from the branchline onto the mainline, you’ll sometimes see a two-head signal where the lower head is a “dummy” which is always red. This is just to reinforce that this is an interlocking signal and you HAVE to stop if it indicates stop. So if the signal is green-over-red, you can proceed onto the mainline. If it’s red-over-red, the turnout is probably set to allow a train to go thru on the mainline and you have to stop until it changes to green-over-red.
Its not so much that two heads means stop and stay, its the abscence of a number plate or an “A” plate that make it an absolute signal, not the number of heads. If you look at a typical CP, the signals where you go from the siding to single main, the places you really want to have a train stop and stay, normally have one head. A two head signal allows diverging indications or speed variations for going through diverging routes or interlocking routes.
So the two head signal should be infront of some switchwork such as the end of a siding or an interlocking and should display a diverging or lower speed indication when the route goes through a turnout…
Hi,friends,thank you very much for these quickly answers!
Which type of signal must I take at the beginning of a siding?The siding ends into a tunnel(the layout is in 3 rooms and run through 2 walls).I will also see with the signal the turnout-position inside of the tunnel.My signals are connected with Digitrax SE8C.
2-head signals can also be used as intermediate signals. For example, if at an interlocking for a crossover or a siding the signal is red-over-green (medium or diverging clear), an intermediate signal before it would likely be yellow-over-green (approach medium).
Kevin
Study this site:
The problem with using number boards (or the lack thereof) or a sign with P for permissive or A for absolute is that they’re easy to miss from a moving train at night, and crews using the lines under trackage rights etc. may be confused if their railroad does it differently. That’s why even when it’s just two rail lines crossing each other with no other connecting tracks, railroads have often used a two headed signal with one being a red dummy when it must be made clear that you have to stop to avoid a possible accident. A two headed interlocking signal showing red-over-red is indeed an absolute stop indication.
It depends partly on when you’re talking about too. I get the sense that many places that had multi-head interlockings say 50 years ago