Signals.

[patrick]

I have a question regarding semaphore signals which protected manually operated level crossing gates. Were these signals home or distant? Also what colour were the semaphore arms painted in the early seventies. Thanks.

[Garfield]

I have a question regarding semaphore signals which protected manually operated level crossing gates. Were these signals home or distant? Also what colour were the semaphore arms painted in the early seventies. Thanks.

 

Hi Patrick. Manual gates are protected by distant signals. The signal arms are red (later dayglo orange, like homes, starters, etc.).

[patrick]

Hi Patrick. Manual gates are protected by distant signals. The signal arms are red (later dayglo orange, like homes, starters, etc.).

 

Thanks Garfield.

[Old Blarney]

Patrick,

 

I wonder if these pages may be of assistance to you?

 

http://www.railsigns.uk/overseas/ireland1/ireland1.html'>http://www.railsigns.uk/overseas/ireland1/ireland1.html

 

http://www.railsigns.uk/overseas/ireland1/ireland1.html

 

irish railway semaphore signals

 

Click on either of these and it will take you to the page. When on the page Click on the Camera beside the illustrations. This will take you to photographs. Whilst the two pagess show Distant Signals the Photographs will show you a Home Signal too.

 

I'm not certain that Garfield's statement is correct in relation to Distant Signals being used to protect a Level Crossings. Whilst a Distant Signal may indeed be used it is, as far as I'm aware, a precautionary warning signal. It is there as the name implies to warn of the presence of another signal and make the driver aware of it. A Distant Signal may be passed in either position. A Home signal (Unless it is a repeater)must not be passed at danger - Signal Arm horizontal.

 

Hope these assist you.

 

Old Blarney.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Old Blarney

[josefstadt]

Garfield is correct. The signals protecting manually operated level crossings were distant signals. The 'home signals' in these cases were the red lamps on the gates themselves. Using a distant signal to protect the gates allowed trains to pass the signal at caution and to pull up to the gates - this being needed to allow the driver/guard to contact the gate keeper (where one was available) - and also in the case of crew operated gates. Had home signals been used then, if they were at danger, trains would have to stop at them and could not pull up to the gates.

Edited July 27, 2016 by josefstadt

[Mayner]

Some crossings are protected by separate home signals as opposed to treating the signal lamp as the home. The home signal is positioned at a distance from the gate to provide a margin of safety or overlap if a train overruns the signal.

 

 

In practice separate home signals were used where sighting distance was reduced such as curves. From a modelling perspective it would be more realistic to use a home rather than a distant signal as few of us have the room to place a distant signal a realistic distance from the gates

[StevieB]

A very concise explanation of the way that level crossings were signalled in Ireland.

 

Stephen

[Old Blarney]

Stephen,

 

Thank you for your correction to my post and the explanation provided.

 

John,

 

Excellent graphics.

 

Old Blarney.

[patrick]

 

A view from the tunnel mouth looking East towards Keilys Cross level crossing. I think I will use a distant signal here between the telegraph pole and the point. Since the gates will not be operating the signal will be permanently set at clear.

 

 

 

Any suggestion for this situation here? The point on the Right hand side is the entrance to Glen More passing loop.

 

 

This is the latest progress on signal construction.Not as neat as assembling the studio scale kits following instructions but I don't have to solder small parts. Hopefully they will eventually operational using memory wire. Thanks to everyone for the information.

Edited July 27, 2016 by patrick