Railroad Signals, reading and meanings, part 1: The basic three light system 

This is the clearest, simplest explanation of signaling I've found. Thanks!

As a train driver in UK, I find this type of signalling unnecessarily complicated compared to what we have here, but it's a great instructional video and interesting to see how other countries do it!

Thank you for the very good explanation of the signal system in Canada. I play Train Sim World and have not understood it in the simulation, despite the manuals. Now I finally have an idea how this system works.

Wish they had such a clear presentation for signals such as this one when I was training to be a brakeman! Also they have simplified the names of the signals as what is now a “clear to stop signal” used to be called “approach signal.” Good job!!!

Fascinating. It seems to be a lot more complicated than the British 4-aspect colour light signals, but if it works for North American railroads, then it would be wrong to say that one system is better than the other. Thank you for this excellent presentation.

The presentor of this material has done an absolutely excellent coverage of the generally unappreciated, yet very powerful, concept, of RTC which is essential, not only to safe rail operation, but equally importantly to maximize the capacity of the track plant, i.e. by optimizing the headways. I would like to use the opportunity to add a small comment: the "Restricting Signal" is often referred to by train crews as a "Dirty Yellow". Excellent presentation!

Thanks for the info, I have been wondering about the signals on my commuter rail since I started using it, this is the best explanation (the whole series) I have been able to find. Well Done!

We have a two aspect system in Melbourne Australia , likewise top aspect is normal speed clear , normal speed warning or stop , the lower aspect is medium speed clear , medium speed warning or stop . The only low speed signal is a low speed caution (small yellow/amber light) , this allows a driver to trip through a red home signal into a stabling siding , this can also be a dwarf signal post reading purple or yellow , yellow is clearance to shunt onto the main line , purple (looks blue) means the points (switch) have not been set to run into or out of a siding , thus purple is read as the same as red

Norac signals are basically the same, except what you call "clear to stop" we call "approach". Good stuff!

As a railway photographer this great informative video is a great deal of help! You are now my new best friend! Thank you!

Thanks for all this information! I've wondered for years what they meant in different configurations. I had to learn what they meant on the Chicago Transit Authority when I worked on the El-Subway system, but they were relatively simple.

Thanks. Very informative and easily explained. I particularly liked the fail safe coverage. Please post more about railroads. Thanks again.

As a player of Train Simulator and watcher of over millions of train videos on RU-vid, the only signal function I was always capable of automatically recognizing was a simple green signal turning into a red light once a train passes it. I recently just figured out that red signals turn yellow and then green when a train passes the signal blocks beyond them.

This helped a lot, I’m starting my training to be a train conductor for CP next week and wanted a head start and I came across your video. You’re an excellent teacher thx for the upload

great video. great pace. you introduce a concept, explain it, link it with other concepts, and review. You build on that concept to introduce next concept. well done. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed reading the Transport Canada manual... this is stupid simple! Thanks Bud!

Thanks so much for this!! What a wealth of information for not just railfans - but for Model Railroaders!!! .... We spend a lot on various signals - it's good to actually know how to *USE* them!!! ;)

Thank You Ian... I think~ I'm in the process of placing signals on my layout and your videos have given me a much better understanding of signalling. unfortunately not as simple as I thought!! None the less a very helpful series of videos I will have to watch several times.

This is an excellent video ... thank you for posting on RU-vid ... definitely learned some things that I didn't know previously ... thanks again for a great video.

Best intro to canadian signal systems out there . Well done ! Can't wait for more to come . Clear & understandably basic to prepare for more complicated signal to come in videos to come. Well done !!!

When asked how difficult is it to drive a train I always said "Driving them is easy. Making the buggers stop is what turns your hair grey."

That's the most straight-forward explanation I've ever seen. Thank you !

Many thanks! Been looking for someone to give a concrete explanation of this. Also I like how you explain the differences between the U.S. and Canada types. Much appreciated!

This is the best explanation of signals I've ever come across. Well done. Looking forward to watching the rest of the series. Well done.

Hello Ian. You are a railway enthusiast and it shows. Good way of explaining. I'm positively sure it does increase railroad safety by sharing how it works to the community. :)

Hi Ian, thanks again for this. Just back from western Canada vacation. I learnt a lot from your videos which proved very helpful over in Canada. Clear to stop I found an interesting name for a signal, got a laugh out of it.

Hello Ian! Just wanted to say, this is literally the first video I've seen on YT that's persuaded me to actually log in and rate it... Top marks, for both content and presentation. Thank you!!

The rail system just fascinates me, Thanks for all the interesting info.

Awesome video - very clear and understandable - much better than the short version I've heard (so far) in Trainz 2019 :) Now it makes sense. Thank you :)

thanks for this: it's much clearer than in the CROR handbooks

This is an excellent video. You are a natural at teaching this material, sir. Very well done!

Very well elucidated. Thanks for the information .

Thanks for this set of three videos on signals - very educational!

Great stuff! I was always curious about those signals so decided to check them out on a whim. Glad I did! You explained these really well! I'm also glad you're Canadian, as so am I. So that was a bonus. ;)

That was interesting and very well presented. You gave an excellent explanation. That's a lot of nuances to remember... I'll need to watch it again.

I always wanted to know this. Thank you so much for posting; thank your great presentation.

Perfect clarity 👌 When from dumbfounded to needing more information. Will probably watch this and however meny parts are next a few times

I learned alot watching this video and I'm not afraid to say I thought these train signals work like regular traffic lights. However I can can see that the way they interpreted aren't not the same at all. I'm happier to know my knowledge is improved, because of this video. Thanks for sharing it!!👍

This is literally one the best and most informative videos I have ever watched. Awesome explanation, man!

Thank you Ian, well presented and informative. Well done.

I operate LRVs in Kitchener Waterloo. Going under a bridge where freight passes, I always glance up at their signals, slightly confused. I think you're educational vid has cleared this up for me! Interestingly as well, when I saw the amber LED shown in your vid's light standard, I immediately interpreted "diverge". Lol. For me, an amber aspect is a change in track, a diverge from one track to another. Must be mindful of point position, therefore. Similarly, a green aspect indicates my route is set to normal, switches are set to normal so I'm on the straightaway. A red aspect or light: ALWAYS STOP!! In LOS, we use the lunar aspect or that bluish, whitish light. A vertical bar indicates a non permissive or STOP where by contrast the vertical lunar indicates proceed. A flashing horizontal lunar is preemption, indicating I'll get my proceed shortly. And so I digress....would love to see you do a video on switches!! You'd be a great facilitator anywhere where rail teaching is needed!! 😊😊😉

Thank you. this had been the most informative video yet on how to pass the signals in train simulator.

IMHO, so far, THE BEST explanation video ever.

I really enjoyed your video! Interesting to hear how you have different names for the signal aspects than what we use in the U.S. Hope to see more from you. I wish I had videos to watch like this before I went to work for the railroad.

Have jus come across your videos and channel. Thank you. Clear presentation and illustrations and as one who has traveled many of the long distance routes in Canada in the observation car, I appreciate this information.

There's a fourth aspect on some position lights. The restricting aspect is a diagnal line 90 degrees opposite of the approach aspect.

I’m studying to be a conductor at the moment. Being a rail fan and having a potential career with the railroad has me ecstatic 24/7.

I need to see this video YEARS ago... thanks for posting.

Hi Ian, I just came across your channel and I loved this. It was So Very interesting!!! Now I'm going to watch your next video. Have a good day, and thanks again Brother!!!

Thanks for explaining these signals on CN. It's beginning to make sense.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been so confused about North American signal aspects (British route signalling, here), and what each position represented. You explained it perfectly, and clearly. Especially the high, medium, and slow-speed *positions*! Makes so much more sense, now.

Holy shit.....just bought trainz railroad sim 2019 and was directed to this video by a friend of mine....im pretty sure ths little light bulb in my brain just burnt out....no fail safe system in my brain.....GREAT VID...LOTS OF DETAILED INFO.....but im pretty sure im gonna have to get a piece of paper and colored pencils for notes.....

Dude you are an amazing teacher!

You just earned yourself a subscriber. Now I understand why the US/Canadian signalling was built the way it was built and improved my opinion on it

Very well organized, informative, and interesting!

tx u so much for sharing this info.. open my mind N can feel what you feel as a railroader.. this video, it's useful enough for me because I'v been working for a project dealing with commuter line.. not as a railroader :-) but as a consultant..

Oh Yeah...my kinda video...full of awesome photos and information. Thank you for sharing.

Excellent explanations! Thank you, sir!

As a friend of mine who used to work for CP said; "If it ain't all red, then it ain't red at all." It can be quite disconcerting for someone who doesn't know the system to see a train flying at a signal with one green and two red aspects.

Thank you SO much for not ruining your videos by using heavy- metal guitar or techno......you have no idea.....

@ 9:40... now there's a curveball signal... here in the states, the LUNAR signal is the restricting signal not the yellow... so that red/red/yellow on the U.P. is, "Diverging Approach Slow: Proceed on diverging route prepared to stop before any part of train or engine passes the next signal. Speed through turnout must not exceed 15mph. Speed to next signal must not exceed 30 mph."... this also underscores the importance of those who travel on foreign roads to HAVE A COPY OF and UNDERSTAND that foreign roads TIMETABLE and signals and ALL of the restrictions on whatever subdivision you are visiting on... i wonder how many railroaders have been canned by dropping the ball on somebody elses' railroad

Great information! Moving on to part Deux!

This is a very good, and excellence teaching tool for those whom wanted to become a freight conductor and need a refresher in signal training. Thank you so much for this. :) :) "I had a little problem remembering the signals".

Cool video! Always wondered about this subject. Thanks much for posting!

Ian, this is very helpful. Well done!

This is awesome! If you ever get the notion to get off the rails, you should consider teaching (this or any other subject matter). You are very concise. Some other comments below indicate some minor omissions or factual errors, well.... we're all human, can't be correct all of the time. Thanks, Ian ! Safety First, Last, Always.

Wow, fantastic video! This explains the why so well.

Thanks so much for this! Now I know what those signals mean! I also note that BNSF in Vancouver looks like they use the U.S. signals like you described. So obviously the CN and sometimes CP crews that use this line also have to know these american signals. Also, semaphores were used until recently on CP's Mission Sub at the diamond crossing with SRY in Abbotsford.

Thankyou for this very accurate information. Never fully understood the functions.

Interesting to see how different signal systems work. Here in Florida, the FEC uses a slightly different system of signals. The high clear and high yellow are the same, of course. FEC's middle green indicates a diverging clear. A low clear sometimes indicates a clear diverging through a siding instead of the main track when no other trains are present, such as going around a slow order. Thank you for the primer on the Canadian signaling system. 👍

Fantastic explanation! Thanks for clearing it up!

Thank you for teaching me about those signals! Now I can tell what each one means!

Really clear, thanks. I've seen other explanations and didn't get it, but now I do!

Thank you very much! Best wishes and greetings from Europe! It remembers me a bit of the italian railroad signals although there are differences!

A brilliant video - and so well presented too.

Great video and very interesting. Your narrating is excellent.

Hi Ian, many thanks for these videos! I really enjoyed them and appreciate the time you took to put them together. Very well presented. I'm heading to Western Canada for the first time (from Australia) in September for some rail fanning the big ticket photospots. This will come in handy!

I've watched the El and Subway signals in Philadelphia back in the 1980s, and each signal head was a 3-color, shaped like upside-down traffic lights. I'd board a train and do what railfans do, move to the front door and watch from the front end as the train headed down route. I'd see plenty of green signals, until we got into Center City where trains can't move as fast and bunch up. We'd then pass a yellow signal to reach (and stop at) a red. We could actually see the train in front of us, and once it left a station and moved farther away, our light would turn from red to yellow and we'd move. There were plenty of rigged signals too, that had the green light permanently blocked; the signal would read yellow even if clear ahead, to artificially make the train slow down, then on approaching the red signal it would suddenly turn green. Typical SEPTA not trusting their drivers.

Thanks for the video , and now I can study up for my model railroad operations.

Thanks Ian, that was fascinating and interesting. Big CN fan, from Montreal. :-)

A good explanation of CTC speed signaling, which is widespread in east and northeastern US. Western US railroads typically use route signaling where CTC is employed. And most recently, speed-enhanced route signaling is used, still with two aspects, but with specific speeds assigned to each "approach xxxxx" indication.

I will give this video a 10 out of 10 good work. keep up the awesome work!!!!!

Thanks for the crash course. Always wondered what the definition of all the color combinations meant.

Great explanation! Thanks for doing this.

It's really a nice video and good explanation. Sadly, it is much more complex than the railway signal in India. 1) Green: track clear 2) Yellow: except next signal red and prepare to stop 3) Double yellow: except next signal single yellow and prepare to slowdown / trian will move to side track (if double yellow at home calling signl.) 4) Red: stop

Great video, thanks for the very clear explanation of the three light railway signaling system.

Thank you so much for this video! I take the train all the time and was always curious how it works, and thanks to you, now I know! You should consider being a teacher, that was extremely clear and understandable. :)

Super video and well presented. Really helped a novice understand. Thanks.

Wow finally i got it how all that works, thanks a lot :) I´m a locomotive engineer in germany, our signals have very little in common with that CN system. We have only one set of green, red and yellow and anything slower than track speed is shown with illuminated numbers 1 to 16, meaning 10 to 160 kilometers per hour.

Great Video, Thank You. Keep them coming

Very well done; Thank you Mr Juby!!

Excellent video! Very informative!

Great vid; very informative and clearly explained.

Great video. Better than a book I read dedicated to this subject!

I've been wondering what the 3 lights on the tracks meant for years. Thanks for explaining it!

Well done, and informative . Thank you

I agree with the last commenter. A wealth of info on how trains run. Thanks.

I like the CROR signal names. When I am teaching a new hire, I always explain it as what speed your at now, and what speed after. Clear to stop; clear now, going down to a stop, after passing the signal. Medium to Clear; medium speed now, up to MAS afterwards.

I think the LMS over in the UK trialled a similar system in the 1930s but it was never adopted. We still use route signalling as the basis for all signalling with the speed primarily based on the driver's knowledge of the route, although computerisation has come in as a safety back up.

Excellent explanation. Thanks!!!

You did a nice job explaining this. You must have teacher genes.