A fourth Color: Black

[minernut333]

Yesterday, Sunday October, 26 was an interesting day for me. Working for a party at the Westmont Park District around 4:30pm in the town of Westmont, IL 60559 the power went out. Luckily my boss was there to help me out as his computer went down too. 20 to 30 minutes later the power went back on. After the party was finished, it was 9:00pm and I heard the sound of the train horn going through Westmont on the BNSF line (The Racetrack). From the sound of the horn I believe the train was heading inbound. Here is where it starts; after I'm done with work, I'm driving home. As always I look left and right (West and East) when I cross the track. The signals on the gantry were black. I turn off on a side street and park. I jog down to the platform, looking east towards Hinsdale and at Westmont. Two Signal Gantry's had no lights running. I start to call the BNSF crossing concern number and just as i hit the third option, the BNSF truck pulls up to the Westmont Gantry. I walk over to him and say "Thank you". I then notice the lights are back in operation. He said it was a blown relay switch and it was the first for this to happen. My conclusion: I think the power outage had something to do with this. My question: Can a train operate on a line with two signal blocks black

[Saturnalia]

You assume any heads not showing an indication are red...so you operate as such...the signal aspects are designed that way: to produce by default the most restrictive indication based on the inputs.

If they're all out this works the same way...restricting at block signals and stop at absolutes...so the Dispatcher will have to talk you by...

[CSX_CO]

If they're all out this works the same way...restricting at block signals and stop at absolutes...so the Dispatcher will have to talk you by...

Not that simple at absolutes. At intermediates yes. Proceed on most restrictive indication and call dispatcher.

At absolutes, you lose power, you lose switch position, occupancy, etc. Before you can be talked by, someone has to verify the position of the switches involved in your move. With dual control switches that means switches have to be taken off power, exercised, lined for movement and locked. On a crossover than means both ends. On single control switches maintainers must crank switches and spike them. Once that is done, then a dispatcher can talk a train by. Very time consuming and a big hiccup in operations.

Practice Safe CSX

[minernut333]

The strange thing is when the BNSF worker replaced the relay switch, the lights came back on with the appropriate signal colors red and yellow. It seams that the signals were operating, but with no electricity going to the signal lamps. The hub center in Texas was supping the electronic that changes the colors but the signal lights were not on as in black. My only wonder is during the power outage, were the crossing signal and gates working? I don't see a backup generator around the bungalow. I would be a very safe idea to place one, just in case

[Ypsi]

I talked to an experienced Amtrak maintainer at length about crossing gates and other things one night when we were having issues with the crossing signals in town. He explained how they worked and what not, as for power if they lose their main power source they should have a number of backup barriers (the box we were at had like 4-6) that are hooked up to be charging while the box is reviving power. If the box loses power from the lines the batteries will take over. If the batteries die and there is no power whatsoever to the gates they will drop with no lights flashing and just be down. (This is due to the fact that a magnet holds the gates up and if it has no power the gates won't stay up). That is the worst case and something you don't want to see. But the gate should have power for at least a day if not a couple of days without line side power, and by then the issue should be fixed.

(This should be correct but it is possible the I have mis interpreted something told to me out of this or it is different on differnt or more modern systems, any corrections for what I said are welcome)

[CSX_CO]

The strange thing is when the BNSF worker replaced the relay switch, the lights came back on with the appropriate signal colors red and yellow. It seams that the signals were operating, but with no electricity going to the signal lamps. The hub center in Texas was supping the electronic that changes the colors but the signal lights were not on as in black. My only wonder is during the power outage, were the crossing signal and gates working? I don't see a backup generator around the bungalow. I would be a very safe idea to place one, just in case

Tough to know which came back first. From what I've seen, changes in indication happen quicker than the approach lighting circuitry to recognize the block is occupied and turn the signals on.

Unless you are going to fully enclose the generator somehow, they have a habit of walking off.

Practice Safd CSX