NS Train Goes Through Red Signal

He obviously had permission by the red from the dispatcher. Happens every day for various reasons. 

Thanks for the reply Rich. I wonder why the signal didn't turn green. Maybe the signal was broken.

The signal system may have been out of service for maintenance.

quote:

NS Ballast Train Blows Through Red Signal

This is exactly how bad feelings get started between the unknowing public and real railroaders.
If you will notice, the train was STOPPED, and before it got to the signal. Then, it proceeded by the signal and I am sure it was done with the permission of the dispatcher and "according to the rule"!!!

Some reasons why a Dispatcher might grant authority for a train to pass a signal displaying Stop, after which the train or engine must proceed at Restricted Speed to the next signal:

• "Track Light" showing occupancy of the block on the DS CTC diagram, when it is believed that the block is actually unoccupied. (could be a piece of scrap metal shunting the track, a broken rail, a switch not properly aligned, or failure of a signal component [which is designed to fail safely to Stop]).  A ballast train is often a work train, working with a gang and/or another train working under Track and Time limits which protect the other employees by the Dispatcher having locked the outer opposing signals at Stop, to prevent other unauthorized movements from entering the work area.
• Occupied by a preceding movement which is stopped. (necessary when advancing a following train or engine from the rear, to couple onto a preceding movement which requires a push.
• Authority to re-enter the block in which the engine's train -- or the rear portion of the train, as the case may be -- to re-couple and proceed in the direction authorized.  It is routine to leave the train -- or a portion -- standing and secured by air and hand brakes, while leaving the block to perform switching or other work, and then is is necessary to pass the red signal protecting the cars left on the main track.  In CTC this requires Dispatcher verbal authority.  In ABS, it is a stop-and-proceed move allowed by rules.

Those are three of the most common reasons.  The only time a crew can take it upon themselves to pass a red signal after stopping without obtaining verbal authority is in ABS.  EXCEPTION: Some - some - railroads allow a train in CTC to pass an intermediate (not at a controlled switch an there would be a number plate attached to the signal mast), without stopping, and proceed at Restricted Speed to the next signal.

If you have a scanner, you can listen to the authority being granted.  The Dispatcher grants it to the engine number, and must use specific words (authority [not "permission"], direction, and specific other instructions (such as to enter Main Track, to couple to your train or couple to a specific train ahead, or specifying limits "between A and B", or "joint with Engine 90").  A member of the crew must repeat the instructions back to the Dispatcher and receive confirmation from the Dispatcher that they were correctly repeated before being allowed to proceed.

If you ever see a train pass a red signal without permission, it will likely involve use of emergency braking, sand blowing up from the locomotive trucks, perhaps some crew member jumping off , running ahead very fast and carrying a lighted fusee.  Not easily confused with an authorized movement because of the obvious urgent clues.

Tom,

I for one appreciate your going the extra mile by explaining the various reasons, Thank you!

as always Tom, your experienced explanations are quite illuminating to a layman like me. Thanks.

There was a time when a crew not quite getting stopped before passing a signal, would release the air brakes from the emergency application, say nothing at all on the radio, or at most call the caboose and say something like "I'm gonna take a little slack:, gently back up to the "right side" of the signal and wait to see if it had not been noticed, or whether the Dispatcher was going to take care of it.  If the signal went green after a while, all was probably going to be all right and the Engineer just got a good self-teaching lesson out of it.  But there was always a little tension pilling into the final terminal, wondering if the Trainmaster and Road Foreman of Engines would be there to meet the crew.  If they passed that, they were home free and were better railroaders because of it, even though it was not authorized.

Understand, I have only - ahem - heard - of this, don't you see.  

I changed the title of the video. Please stop getting mad at me. 

I think I may have witnessed something like that a couple of nights ago. There's a 2-track stretch of UP track out of Colton Yard that parallels I-10 between the I-15 and the I-215. Every signal in that stretch was red (both directions), but trains seemed to be moving slowly past them westbound on the far main while others (eastbound) were stopped on the main closest to the freeway. There were several trains in that stretch I drove past (about 10 miles).

On the non-permission side of it, here are two very scary incidents of running through signals which could have ended very badly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ture=player_embedded and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR3n-9fPoJ4

We understand,   passing a stop signal without permission usually meant   meant one was fired    for at least a year.  Maybe longer. Very serious offense and it has to be that way, your life depended on it.

 I think we could take a switch off power and pass the stop signal  to enter a  siding If all communications failed.

In dark territory in the winter you could sometimes tell if the opposing train had  run the  meet  by his tracks (pun)    in   newly covered snow .  (Only saw it once).

Thank you for changing the title. Next time, please think before you post for all the world to see.

Many years ago, some friends and I did a Southern steam trip.  I think it was Knoxville to Asheville and return.   We traveled through a frog strangler of a storm.  All signals were red, but we kept going.  After awhile, we heard several scanners broadcasting the dispatcher's authorization to pass the red signals.  After two or three of these, we started to chant along with the dispatcher.  

ChipR