Dummy signals

Barden · Post by **Barden** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:41 pm

Looking for non-working (dummy) signals to enhance my route. I read a posting somewhere pointing to downloads but have`nt found it again.
Can anyone help ?

johny · Post by **johny** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 3:36 pm

You won't find any as such. Dummy signals are provided in kits to get round certain problems, but in spite of their name they are operative, just can't be seen.

To achieve your aim of inactive signals, all you need do is load all the shapes of a given signal kit but not the sigcfg.dat and sigscr.dat files, nor for that matter copy and paste the text of these files into the route sigscr.dat and sigcfg.dat files.

Open the route.ref file with WordPad (not Notepad unless you're using XP) and write an entry for each of the shapes you are using in an inactive role. The signals are then installed in RE, without a red interactive, as the other inanimate objects. To be technically accurate you should also place a white X on each arm to denote it is out of use.

John

andrewgadd · Post by **andrewgadd** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:05 pm

At the risk of confusing things, dummy's are also the name given to the small disc (white with a red or black bar) you find down at foot level or as repeaters on platform and other blind spots.
End of lesson.

johny · Post by **johny** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:21 pm

Not in my signal kits. The term ground signal is used whether the signal is disc or miniature semaphore, and is the term used in "Railway Signal Engineering (Mechanical) by Lewis, 3rd Edition revised and enlarged by J H Fraser, BSc, AMInstCE (1932).

John

terrycunliffe · Post by **terrycunliffe** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:46 pm

johny wrote:You won't find any as such. Dummy signals are provided in kits to get round certain problems, but in spite of their name they are operative, just can't be seen.

To achieve your aim of inactive signals, all you need do is load all the shapes of a given signal kit but not the sigcfg.dat and sigscr.dat files, nor for that matter copy and paste the text of these files into the route sigscr.dat and sigcfg.dat files.

Open the route.ref file with WordPad (not Notepad unless you're using XP) and write an entry for each of the shapes you are using in an inactive role. The signals are then installed in RE, without a red interactive, as the other inanimate objects. To be technically accurate you should also place a white X on each arm to denote it is out of use.

John

Can this be done with the signal (light) showing red (stop)...? I would like to place these towards to end of my route, before the track end is reached.
Cheers,
TC

andrewgadd · Post by **andrewgadd** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 5:24 pm

Sorry John.

I was of coarse referring to footplate slang, you are correct in your terminology.
I just know what you will here footplate crews calling them.
It can be a little confusing!!!!

johny · Post by **johny** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 5:30 pm

Terry,

It could be done in the same way as the fixed distants have been done.

Andrew,

Yes, the bane of my life when working, was convincing engineers that slang terms were not allowed in technical manuals, particularly manuals for the aircraft industry. The same should apply to all situations where safety is concerned, one misunderstanding of an instruction could cause loss of life.

John