The Search Light signals and the CL signals (SafTran) all operate pretty much the same using the NORAC rules.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Operating_Rules_Advisory_Committee
In Trainz the signals are given number designations.
Using the numbers:
Type 02 - Permissive/Home signal with diverge
Type 03 - Advance/Distant diverge, setup before a Type 06 diverging signal.
Type 04 - Absolute
Type 05 - Permissive
Type 06 - Diverge
Type 08 - Interlocking.
As you can see there are various signal-types and each one has a purpose. Not all the signals listed here are used or have been created by Jointed Rail, which by far as the best ones as far as I can tell.
The most important signals are Type 04s, which as they say are absolute. There is no waiting bones about this. When an Absolute signal is red, you stop. Period. This means the junction is not set for you, and or the block ahead is occupied. You moving through a red Absolute can mean a derailment.
A Type 05 or permissive signal, means you can continue to go along. A red permissive signal means the next signal ahead is red so get ready to stop at the absolute.
A Type 06 is a diverging signal as stated. With a Type 06, you place them when you have a junction or a crossover, and where you go from a single track to the double.
A Type 08 is used for big interlockings and junction setups such as a wye. Think 3 signals because there are 3 heads.
Here's an example of a setup I use with good success, and is pretty close to what I have seen in real life. We are going to go from left to right, west to east if you want to think of it that way, then from single to double-track, then back to single track again.
...., going to the double track, we place a Type 06 RD and face the signal so that the lights face towards the single track. The RD designates this is a right hand drive and the AI to keep right. You may need to use direction markers too, recommended, to keep the dumb AI from going left.
Facing back towards the single track, we have a Type 04. This is that absolute stop and tells the AI and us too not to go if the light is red.
In between the Type 04s on each end of the double-track, I place Type 05s. These are permissive signals and allow the AI to move along even if there's another train ahead, otherwise, if you used a Type 04, the AI in the following block will wait until the forward train has left the block completely.
When we finally reach the single track again we repeat again with the Type 04 facing the switch, and the Type 06 facing with its back towards the double-track so the targets look at the single track.
This is the signaling in its basic setup, which is pretty successful for the most part. Now for some other info, which you might find helpful. Blinking signals... You'll see these all over, especially with the CL SafTran and the Searchlights. A blinking yellow signal means the next signal ahead is going to be a solid yellow. This means the driver has to slow down to half of the running speed at the solid yellow and prepare to stop at the next red signal. Blinking green signals have various designations for speed and train movement, and so do blinking red signals.
You can actually tell which track a switch is set to when looking at a type 06. Remember this signal is used to designate a diverging movement, such as in a crossover. If the signal above is green, this means you'll move right. If it is the opposite, you'll stay left. If they are red over yellow, or yellow over right, it means that you are to change tracks, but do so at half speed and prepare to stop at the next one. If this is a flashing yellow, it means you are proceeding through this signal at speed, but be warned the next signal is a solid yellow and followed by a red so you better prepare to slow down.
This is probably simplified a little bit, but keeping these little rules in your head will help you with your signaling. Remember too we sometimes have to fiddle with things to get them to work even if they're not quite prototypical. I may have the diverge right and left mixed up as I am not using Trainz at the moment and I'm confused...
John
