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LEDs have certainly helped with power consumption.

Railroads do seem to be standardizing on all lit signals (except when a signal is approach lit and dark when no train is present).
There are only a couple lines I have noticed that still use "dark" as part of an aspect. I'm not sure why they didn't get changed the last time signals were changed out, but the aspects are still in the rule books so why not?

With PTC and cab-signaling advancing, I'm sure we will see the retirement of most line-side signals in the future.

justalurker66 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 15, 2021 1:59 am

LEDs have certainly helped with power consumption.

Railroads do seem to be standardizing on all lit signals (except when a signal is approach lit and dark when no train is present).
There are only a couple lines I have noticed that still use "dark" as part of an aspect. I'm not sure why they didn't get changed the last time signals were changed out, but the aspects are still in the rule books so why not?

The LEDs are more helpful from a failure rate standpoint, less so power. Most systems are current-sensing so as to throw a fault if the light burns out. They are designed for the old light bulbs, and so the LEDs usually have a heat sink on the back with a heat strip to consume enough current to match the old bulbs, and keep the signal system happy.

As Andrew mentioned in the August 2021 heads ups, the signals at Brighton's west end are out due to the bad storms we had yesterday and this morning. As of this afternoon, the EE signals have power.

AndrewsTrains wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 4:52 pm

West end Brighton searchlight signals are out

Recently CSX and or a utility company went through and marked buried cable/conduit in several spots on the Plymouth sub. They also have been using a boring machine to bore holes under a lot of crossings. Makes you wonder...

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 6:06 pm

Makes you wonder...

Anywhere in specific? Are these points east or west of Ensel?

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 6:06 pm

Recently CSX and or a utility company went through and marked buried cable/conduit in several spots on the Plymouth sub. They also have been using a boring machine to bore holes under a lot of crossings. Makes you wonder...

Here comes the canucks

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:34 pm

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 6:06 pm

Recently CSX and or a utility company went through and marked buried cable/conduit in several spots on the Plymouth sub. They also have been using a boring machine to bore holes under a lot of crossings. Makes you wonder...

Here comes the canucks

Ahh, the pot swirls again

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:57 pm

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:34 pm

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 12, 2021 6:06 pm

Recently CSX and or a utility company went through and marked buried cable/conduit in several spots on the Plymouth sub. They also have been using a boring machine to bore holes under a lot of crossings. Makes you wonder...

Here comes the canucks

Ahh, the pot swirls again

Canadian telecoms subcontractors.

As of 10:25 this morning the signals at Brighton's WE are still out.

Train lined high green on high green talked about it to dispatch

The signals are dark in both directions in South Lyon. They have been out since yesterday without any power issues in the area. Wonder if they’re getting upgraded, removed, or just malfunctioning?

JG1423 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 10:17 am

The signals are dark in both directions in South Lyon. They have been out since yesterday without any power issues in the area. Wonder if they’re getting upgraded,removed, or just malfunctioning?

Anytime we get as much rain as much as we did the last day and a half, you can always count on signals or CTC malfunctioning anywhere on the Plymouth Sub with the old antiquated system that remains.

AndrewsTrains wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 13, 2021 5:34 pm

Train lined high green on high green talked about it to dispatch

What signal/location?

BL2-1843 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 12:16 pm

Anytime we get as much rain as much as we did the last day and a half, you can always count on signals or CTC malfunctioning anywhere on the Plymouth Sub with the old antiquated system that remains.

Been here since the 40's or 50's, most of it is from the original PM installation IIRC.

Speaking of dark signals, I stumbled across some fantastic footage of C&O 2765 running on the Plymouth Sub back in 1993, at the 12:43 mark, they pass the WAS at EE Brighton and the signal goes dark.
I know the lenses are designed so that light can more or less only go straight, but the way the lights turn off doesn't look like the camera moving out of the lens' focus.
I have also heard that the ABS at Green Oak is approach lit ("very approach lit'" according to a friend), were the signals on the line all approach lit at one point? If so, when did they transition to the current always-on arrangement?

Here is a link to the video: https://youtu.be/3naSPlSjQj0?t=745
The video should open to the correct timestamp.

The signal reverts to STOP when the head of the movement has passed the signal. Under C&O signaling, that would be red over red and the bottom light, in this case, goes dark as it's not required as part of the indication. All normal here.

C&O Dispatcher wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:29 pm

The signal reverts to STOP when the head of the movement has passed the signal...bottom light, in this case, goes dark as it's not required as part of the indication.

I see, I failed to notice that only the bottom aspect is visible in that part of the video, thank you for clarifying!

For anybody following the South Lyon Signal Saga, I made some comments in the heads-up section yesterday.

Signals were dark at EE South Lyon. The eastbound D706 called approach at WE South Lyon, but by the time they got to EE South Lyon, they called a clear signal. I repositioned myself, and sure enough, the signals were lit (showing red then, because they already passed.)

As soon as the last car passed the signal, they went dark again. This area has not been approach lit, and the fact that they got an approach at WE South Lyon makes me assume that things are not working properly.

EE South Lyon is still dark tonight. I couldn't catch the train that came through a little while ago, so I don't know what occurred then.

When the power goes out, the signals go (are supposed to) battery power. When on battery power, the signals will be dark until the train enters the block.

Yes. No power outage here, though. They’re acting increasingly strange at EE South Lyon especially during times of radon.