CN Signal question

[firemedic54]

On my way home from work this morning I crossed Main St. heading east in Fenton and normally can see the searchlight signal at the Lemen st. crossing. Today it was not lit. I drove past my old house on Howard St. and looked west at the other signal and found that one also shut off. I did see a crew in that area a few days ago. Anyone know if CN is going to remove these permanently or replace with the new LED style?

[bnsfben]

Possibly, I would not be surprised as CN has been upgrading a lot of the signals in Michigan on the Flint and Holly subs. But who knows, maybe they will stay for a while longer?

[RRTTF]

Perhaps the signals are approach lit, or have been changed to approach lit? This saves batteries and light bulbs! If a signal has been taken out of service, the head is typically turned perpendicular to rail traffic. A totally dark signal must be interpretted by a train as the most restrictive indication which can be given by that signal.

[firemedic54]

The signals used to be approach lit but changed a few years ago. It's possible they went back to the old system but I would think they'd go with LED's and save the bulbs.

[RRTTF]

I would rather prefer that they go back to semaphores. That way, when the bulb or the LED (whichever) burns out or fails, the trains can still know the signal indication! But, alas, with PTC (positive train control) on the horizon, we may soon be the end of wayside signals altogether, putting our entire trust in some computer somewhere.

My prediction about PTC: We will be seeing some pretty big train wrecks because people will become too complacent in the computer. The aeronautical community has already proven this: Most midair plane collisions occur at VOR locations with both airplanes being on autopilot.

Heck, if the PTC folks get their way, all trains will be crewless. The "dispatcher" will be sitting at his desk with a bunch of computer screens and Ninendo-type joy sticks running all the trains in his or her territory.

[firemedic54]

Nice..stick controlled trains. No one at the helm? Awesome...then when the computer program has a glitch that's when the accidents will happen. Well anyways...I will look again over the next few days and see what progress, if any, has been made.

[Yodonvito4]

I heard that CN plans to swap its searchlight signals at Coolidge with LED safetrans this year. Going to assume that this applies to the entire Michigan Division.

[Norm]

They are slowly but surely replacing them on the Holly sub with LED's. I suspect the Flint and South Bend subs are on the same program, although in my seven months of living in Durand I didn't see any changes in the area.

[firemedic54]

This morning I got confirmation from a guy on our fire dept. who is a signal maintainer/installer for CN. He says that they are installing new LED's on the Holly sub. Didn't mention anything about the South Bend sub but one could assume that's going to happen as well.

[GTW6401]

A new signal was put up at MP16 in Royal Oak this past week.

The signal department has been working in the area, so the older GTW style signals in R.O. and Birmingham should be replaced very soon.

[firemedic54]

I'm guessing they're moving from south to north. The old style signals here in town are still up.

[CR Cabanaw]

yeah yodonvito4 and myself know the guy in charge of signaling and communications for a massive segment of CN and they've been putting up LED safetrans a lot lately...

[GTWChris]

New signal masts are up on the Holly at Birmingham, Charing Cross and Opdyke. The new signals will probably be up in within a month. These signals are the last intermediate signals south of Pontiac to be replaced. I believe these are also the last tri-light signals remaining on the Holly, as all the signals north of Pontiac are searchlight.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

Another new signal mast is up around Farnum St at 13.5 for Main 2. Can be seen from the Royal Oak Amtrak Station.

[GP30M4216]

Two masts are up at the south end of the Birmingham Amtrak station platform. The mast along the eastern of the two tracks has the heads up but turned, set for bi-directional operation. The relay box is on the western track mast and the heads have not yet been installed.

Birmingham "station" is looking good, but the lack of sufficient parking is a real drawback to using this facility.

[firemedic54]

Still no changes to the signals up here in Fenton. Searchlight signals still in place. Based on what's been posted here they'll make their way north eventually. I know they changed the signals in Linden a few years ago to the new LED's right at the Bridge st. crossing so maybe soon.

[freightfan]

New signal masts are up on the Holly at Birmingham, Charing Cross and Opdyke. The new signals will probably be up in within a month.

The new signal heads have been installed near MP22 (Opdyke Rd). Still turned at a right angle to the track as they are not using them yet. Talked to a signal guy who was there today. He said the main reason for replacing the signals was that many were old - 70 years old in some cases, even though the signals @MP22 were much newer. He also said these signals would have new aspects allowing the trains to go faster. I did ask what the aspects were - perhaps flashing green?

[Eric Berger]

They never did replace the signal that was at CP Penn; that one disappeared about a year or so back, and is still gone.

[GTW6401]

All the new signals between Royal Oak and Pontiac are in service.

[freightfan]

I've noticed that the signal masts on Main 1 are lower than the signal masts on Main 2. They used to be the same height. Is this done for safety or clarity (or why was this done)?

BTW, I have noticed that flashing yellow has now been implemented (assume this is Advance Approach).