Signal Box on Routes

ish6

Since 2001
Hi community,

How would you place signal boxes on a route, which can possibly have hundreds of signal lights?

Would you space them out or place one at every signal light?

Let us know how you would do it?

Thanks for any feed back!!

Ish:)
 
A signal box/switch tower is generally placed where there are sufficient points/switches and signals to make it worth while.

A double track junction, a station with a number of yards and/or branches and if the station/yard is really large it may warrant several boxes. In our system they were described alphabetically so you would have Bighampton A box, Bighampton B box etc.

As a rule one signal would not warrant a signal box. This is where automatic permissive colour light signals were so helpful.

Sometimes the junction or station was too small to warrant a full blown signal box and signal frames would be used instead. This was especially true of stations/junctions that were not permanently manned.

For realistic effects in your layouts use signal boxes only where you have a number of signals and points for it to control. Remember they can also control points and signals for some distance.

If you're talking about colour light signals remember they are either permissive or absolute. The absolute signals would be controlled by a signal box the permissives generally run automatically.





Cheers

Nix
 
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If you're talking about the little silver control box that houses the trackside control circuits for the automatic signals, you should theoretically have one everywhere you have switches, but you can share one where you have a cluster of switches.
And a tower at every yard with more than 4 tracks. Smaller wayside yards are frequently operated by the conductor on the train.

:cool: Claude
 
Hi Ish,

I am not to sure of the answer to this one, but it is something I have thought about.

I remember on one very large layout (not sure which one) but at signals that where some distance from a major yard or station area, they had one there. I have also seen some of these distance ones being powered by Solar Energy cells (whatever :o ) , which I am sure are on the DLS.

It will be interesting to other peoples views on this one.

I suppose another question about these are in layouts and real life, is that I have seen in layouts/life a raised "line" running beside the tracks in some areas. I am not exactly sure of these but I think they also run/control signals/levers. How this is actually worked out and why is something I am not sure about.

Craig
:):):)
 
There are less signal boxes now than in the days of semaphore signalling. As technology has advanced signals and points can now be controlled from one main signal box. If you are modelling a prototype layout the placing of signal boxes will be shown on track diagrams.. assuming you are using track plans/diagrams. This link http://www.simsig.co.uk/ although it is a game. It represents a signal box. It is usefull to see where actual signals are placed and the distance controlled by the box and the type of signals used at locations controlled by the box.
 
In my local area there is one signal box (Horton Road, Gloucester) controlling the convergence of two minor routes (Gloucester – Swindon and Gloucester – Cardiff) with the main Birmingham – Bristol route.

The box controls about 40 miles of track towards Birmingham, and about 20 miles in the other three directions.

There are one or two small boxes controlling busy road crossings but they are slowly being phased out.

Regards,

Chris
 
Hi Ish,

I put the little silver boxes near every signal as these would be the electronics for the signals like I've seen along my local railroad. I also place switch towers at the larger junctions like there were and still are in my area. When I have a switch tower, I'll put a group of the silver boxes lined up in a row outside the building just like they do here. This is where the electronics would be located.

Another thing you might want to use too is a propane tank. These are used to heat up the points if your route is in the north. There are little gas burners under the turnouts to melt the ice and snow during the winter.

John
 
I would like to thank everyone who contributed their opinions and suggestions! I will take it all into consideration, indeed!!!

Thanks a lot for the feedbacks!!!!
I'm sure, beside myself, many have learned a bit today!!

Ishie:wave: :p
 
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