Lots of railfans ask me for my secrets to findings trains on a typical outing. Using research, maps, timetable and the radio, here's how I've improved my odds over the years.
I have loved trains since I was a very young lad. Danny's videos let me railfan from my living room. I'm not burning gas nor am I out there sweating in the Florida heat and humidity. A cup of coffee, a Distant Signal video, and I'm good to go!
Grady is one of those special civil engineers, he can do as well as explain how the REAL world works, and his train series takes you through the whys and hows (and sometimes 'whens') of railroading. Danny, you are both class acts and every video opens my eyes a bit more about stuff I've lived with from the beginning. For example, grew up in the 60's listening (and sometimes riding) the Edaville trains in Carver, Massachusetts. I'd be working the garden or the cranberry bogs and you could hear the whistle throughout the day. Thank you for the glimpse of scanner traffic, although it might be nice to breakdown what they are saying by each phrase/code word. Take Care Sir!!!
$11 dollars for that chicken dinner? Ya shoulda bought a few of them and stocked up for dinners through the week !!!! Grady !!! Yes, I watch Practical Engineering all the time. Awesome shoutout for him - he deserves it. Another great post !!! A lot of hard work goes into these things, we love every one of them.
You are the Bill Dance of railfanning! Hours of boredom and waiting for a few good bites and a catch or two, then edit it into an exciting show! Thanks for doing what we don't have the time or patience to do (yet!).
I love practical engineering, been watching him for three quarters of a decade now. The detail of the information, interesting content matter, clear explanations, all of it is great. Much like your channel, Danny. But I will still give the edge to you in terms of style. The cinematography, the lunch discussions, the before and after back yard discussion, all of it is wonderful.
Seeing Practical Engineering on this channel is world's colliding Danny! Another great video explaining what all that radio chatter means! Cannot wait to see the next video!!
I live 30 miles from Altoona, PA so I don't really have a problem finding trains. There's always something to see. A lot of the places I go have dedicated viewing platforms that I always meet other railfans. Part of the fun for me is meeting different people from literally around the world and sharing stories. Some of the best afternoons I've spent I may have only seen a train or two but did get to hear some very interesting tails.
It was so good seeing you again with a new Distant Signal video Danny. We really enjoyed this and will watch it again. Lots of new stuff and information. Thank you so much. Take care and God bless!❤😊
A few years ago you released a video talking about your scanner. Now for the longest time I felt that i didn’t need a scanner, well your video convinced me to buy one. Within the second time we went out I heard a nearby defect detector go off when we were about to leave. We stayed an saw the train. I have my eye on a timetable and thinking of getting it soon. Thanks Danny for all you do! Much Love!
Great to see you again Danny! Its like an old friend dropping by for a coffee and a chat about all things railway. I am one of your fans from across the pond in the UK and I am a retired railway signal engineer (41 years from 1977 - 2018). Really enjoy your content. Wish we had such unrestricted access to train-watching in the country. Everywhere is fenced off here. Love your drone footage too - really adds to the story. Take care, Mr Harmon, and we’ll see you again next time. Best wishes from the UK! 🇬🇧
Amtrak Empire Builder runs up to 8 hrs late, heading for Seattle. I got into Chicago 8 hrs late last time. Often about 6-7 hours late in Sand Point Idaho when I sat by the closed station in the night.
Here in Atlanta, we have a pretty good network of railfans that have become friends who have set base radios with remote access and MANY Facebook chats for the different subdivisions and districts. From points north, south, east and west, we share a lot of information with each other via the chats. For example, we had the CSX OCS run down the Abbeville subdivision recently and eyes were on it from SC, through and out of Atlanta. I was able to time my lunch break just right to catch it in a local city. Great content as always, Danny!
Gradys channel is excellent. I've watched much of his content but when I get a notification from Danny I stop what I'm doing. Two absolutely great gentlemen 👍🏻
Hey Dan. Back to your channel after a long hiatus. Introduced a lady who rails(but not against the night😅)to your channel. This episode was very pleasant. You always bring calm and easy viewing. Best to you. Thank you for your work.
The scanner is the KEY to the railroad universe. You nailed it! Interesting zoom shot of #92 at the end - it looks like the train is in danger of tipping over. Great work as always, Danny!
That Diamond antenna is the key, You could strap it to a Mattel Barbie walkie talkie and get the reception you desire! About the only thing better than that antenna for portable us is a portable Yagi, but then you have to contend with directional signal strength.
Or diverging on the NS, lol. But yeah, basically it prevents a full clear or approach from being given. On NS's absolute signals, they also use a single fixed red light underneath the head(s), to indicate that the signal is an absolute.
@@freebrickproductions NS sure does like its three-head absolute signals... They used to do lots of third-head Yellows for (I presume) call-ons, but maybe they don't do that as much anymore? CSX likes Lunar White on most all of its absolute signals for that reason.
@@freebrickproductions NS? Yes, definitely. The only exceptions to that may perhaps be found in old Conrail territory. The FEC is the same, but there is some flashing Red in spots, it seems.
I must commend you on your choice of lunch establishment; that looked delicious! And you can't go wrong with baked beans and mac n cheese for sides...all for $11! Oh yeah, and the rest of the video was great as well...lol.
Hello Danny! Good to see you again! I never miss a video that either you or Grady puts out. Y'all have the very best of railroad and railfan info on the net! Thanks for all you do and God bless you! 🚂
Danny that was an exceptional video. It whetted my appetite to do more research. Just got home to Ohio from a ride on the Amtrak Autotrain. What a great experience.
The reason for those signal that only display red on the high head is to keep train speed down at switches ahead. For example in my territory we have a few sidings and spurs with pot signals or signals that can only show slow clear as their best indication because you can’t exceed slow speed through the switch. This just allows you to pull out of the turnout, siding, spur, ect. At the speed for that track and then immediately blast off after the rear clears the switch.
4:40 Here in Hialeah, we had the iconic Hialeah Speedway that opened in 1954 and closed in 2005 after 51 years of racing. it was home to the famous Allison brothers, Bobbie and Donnie. A Target and Lowes stand on the property today which is about 30 acres (6 city blocks). Complaints from residents who moved in after the speedway was there knowing full well what was there, lack of interest on the part of Hispanics, and rising property taxes to the tune of $90,000 a year finally killed it. It was very sad to see it go.
10:05 Exactly correct, Mr. Harmon! The track ends, so it can't give any non-diverging, track speed indication at all. It has to be Limited or Medium or Slow.
Love your detailed informative videos. I always loved to watch trains but had no clue what-so-ever what all the jargon meant. You're voice also makes this very easy to digest!
Well done Danny! Anytime I her your opening segment it reminds me of simpler times ... thanks for all you do! Also, your railroad radio content is the best on RUclips, so please keep sharing that, it is the best!!
Man oh man, i can’t tell ya how much i love watching these. Super informative, and absolutely spot on narration. Keep up this amazing work Danny! Take it easy and have a great rest of your week! 👍
Good Sunday morning Danny! As always your input is most valuable to any level of railfan. I was told long ol time ago that the fixed red means you've reached the end of your track and a divergence onto another track is inevitable. These signals are typical for ends of sidings and at junctions where CTC is used even on dark tracks. They are springing up all over the old South in places where dwarf signals were used and had the same meaning. Ironically a fixed red on a dwarf signal had a completely different meaning altogether. It meant the track / switch is for faster traffic so pick em up and put em down! That's why in the signal books a single green on a dwarf indicates SLOW CLEAR while a fixed red over a green indicates MEDIUM CLEAR. Several of the old dwarves on the A line had just three lights but the top red stayed on constant while the green in the middle or the yellow on the bottom illuminated simultaneously when given a permissive aspect. Now this is just what I was told, but I only worked there. 😊
You've got it! The multiple-lights-in-use-on-a-dwarf-signal thing is very common on speed-signaled railroads, but it's rare on route-signaled roads in the western US. It's also nearly unheard of on high signals-but not _completely_ unheard of-one of the Canadian railroads operating in the US (I forget which one) likes having signals like that, in spots. One of the oddest quirks to me about CSX's standard signal schema is that, on dwarf signals, Red-over-Green is _Medium Clear_ but Green-over-Red is _Slow Clear._ In the grand scheme of things, that just seems very un-intuitive. It also amuses me that a lone Green dwarf is _Slow Clear_ but a lone flashing Green dwarf is _Clear._
Additionally, dwarf signals usually indicated that you were entering a signaled track from an unsignaled track. Even if you weren't staying on CTC territory, maybe you are just crossing it. I've not seen a dwarf at a diamond but at several crossovers where you couldn't get out on the mainline, the dwarf had only two colors; Red and Lunar. The red was always on the bottom lens and extinguished when the lunar was lit. Nowadays with new PTC-friendly signals they have that fixed red over a red and lunar only signal to indicate the same thing. Personally it seems like way too much hardware to achieve the same thing, but I'm an old school railroader and I've been told it's not the way we railroad anymore.
Omg I was just there! I’m a truck driver and had a load to pick up at the Tropicana yard in Bradenton. What absolutely amazes me is the sheer size of that plant/yard! I always enjoy that route!
11:38 Yes and no. It is CSX policy to have at least two red lights on each absolute signal-that's that safety factor you spoke of, should a Red light go out. So, the signal could be ⚪🔴L/R over 🔴R, *_or_* 🔴R and ⚪🔴L/R. As the signal is for a leg of the wye that ends just ahead at a turnout, and train movements past the signal will _converge_ onto the other track, and such movements are usually made at Slow, Medium, or Limited speeds (with a Red-over-____ signal), it's more consistent for this signal to also be a Red-over- signal. Even though it doesn't actually matter which position the Lunar White light is in, it's more consistent for it to be shown below a Red.
Thank you again for another interesting and informative video Danny. We really like the drone footage in your videos which gives us a birdseye view and the food segments are delish! 😋
We only have one mainline in our area UP Sunset Route Lordsburg Sub. Last time we went, they were fleeting westbounds and we saw four westbound double-stack trains within 20 minutes. Best railfanning we've done in awhile.
That top comment reminds me of the old commercial:”When E F Hutton talks people listen.” Yup that’s Danny’s reputation as well. I’ve been in Florida 1.5 years and Danny’s videos have led me to all these spots. That US 41/old 41 is interesting to head up there - it will eventually take you back to 41. The CSX rules that allow the conductor to mount/dismount on moving trains is certainly a time saver. BNSF rules require full stop. Danny’s restaurant reviews are always great as well. Sooooo blessed to have another one of his videos to watch!
I pick up from the Tropicana facility in Bradenton all of the time in my truck, it’s always cool seeing or hearing about areas I’ve been around in your videos!
I was in Florida a month ago. (Lakeland) I always look for you at the train crossings. I go through several of the places you spot trains. Maybe one day our paths will cross.
It's always a great day when Danny has a new video to watch! The man has great content and his tutorials make his videos that more interesting! Thanks again Danny for all you do to keep us railfans tuned in as subscriber's of your channel. Cheers from Laurel, Delaware. KABOOM
In my part of the country (UP and BNSF), it's much more common for the bells to be continuous even with gates. Having them turn off when the gates are down is much less common.
Isn't that ironic: Your sentiments of Grady are *exactly* what I have very frequently put into the comments on his channel: "The WORLD ought to see these videos". As Paul says below, "Two class acts" ... and I couldn't agree more.
I was in Folkston a couple of Sunday's ago when you were across the street at Ms. Chessie cooking burgers during the SAL/ACL Reunion Weekend. Wanted to step across the street to say hello, but it appeared with few trains that morning that you were the center of attention. Hope to catch you somewhere else in the future!
Mr Danny when my signal goes off I am right to your chaNNEL. i LOVE YOUR VIDEOS. I was in La Plata VRF channel and we were all chatting about your channel. So many love your channel. I have been with you about 2 years now and I enjoy it God Bless Sir and be safe.
I went (almost) GEVOless on CSX Friday, besides the 3 ES40DCs I saw in the yard. A LOT of CW44ACs, A MAC Leader, A Slug-Mother set, 2 YN2s (One is A solo leader, I have yet to see A duo of YN2s), and SD40-2s in the Yard. I NEVER see SD40s that aren't SpongeBob Cabs Nowadays, It's A nice breath of fresh air in general. Here are some things on NS: An NS SD70ACC, leading A CP AC44, and A KCSM Grey ghost, SD70ACC trailers, SD70ACes, A Thoroughbred, LOTS of AC44C6Ms, D9-44CWs, and A few GEVOs as well, there was also an ex-N&W SD40-2 trailing 2nd on A Road Train (Could be A long local tho), So yeah. Plus, I caught A UP C45ACCTE with an SD70AH just sitting by themselves. The Slug was CSX 2370 (ex-B&O built from GP40, Stayed in Chessie Paint before becoming A road slug in 2008), and the Mother was CSX 6970 (ex-Conrail). Thursday was also cool, 3 high hood ex-N&W SD40-2s in their natural habitat, A Conrail Caboose #21300, A Bay Window Caboose likely used in CSAO operations in Michigan like where I saw it. There was also an Abundance of CN GEVOs like usual with them, but an SD60 leading A Coal Local, Also an ACe leader that day with C6M DPU, can't forget that H1 #1059 I also caught! 😄
I think you’re right about the single lights on the signals Danny. Here in Melbourne, Australia we also use US speed signalling on our railways and it is pretty common to see a single colour light top signal aspect that can show red, yellow and green, with a small second aspect that always shows red. These signals will always be automatic and have no turnouts between it and the next signal. “Taitset” on RUclips has a great video about Melbourne’s signalling system for anyone interested in the seeing the differences.
Good morning Danny! Great vid, especially seeing that long train being assembled at Winston! 🛤️ Strawberry Festival 🍓🍓starts this week in Plant City; great concerts too! Yup, gotta check out LoveBird real soon! 🍗🍗Thanks so much!!
I was in Folkston when I got the notification for the new video today. I couldn’t wait to get home and watch it. As always, a great video. Hope to meet up soon.
Enjoyed your video, planning on enjoying some chicken next month (might see you there) and I did learn some things , - as usual. Thanks for sharing Danny.
I like to learn the little details of kitchen stool railroading, and Danny you do provide. This video is a good example. Around Wash DC there is very little to catch, thus I'm the kitchen stool railfaner.
When Danny uploads, you stop what you are doing and watch the video.
I know right, I literally stopped playing Fallout 4 to watch this 🤣
I stopped cleaning my house to watch
So true
Agreed!
Amen
Thanks for the shoutout Danny. Just so you know, my two boys like your channel better than mine ;)
I really enjoy your Channel I just watched the one where they tunnel board the water line under the railroad tracks
The legend himself!
You both have supremely respectable talent and content! If I were rich....
I've been enjoying your channel for a long time, and what Danny said is true, your channel is great !
Knew you'd be a Distant Signal fan - You and Danny are always a must-watch :)
babe, wake up, new Danny Harmon video just dropped
Go back to sleep.
I can't really say I am a "railfan" but for some reason I really enjoy your videos. They are so well done, especially the drone shots.
Ha! You don't have to be a railfan.We're glad to have you.
I have loved trains since I was a very young lad. Danny's videos let me railfan from my living room. I'm not burning gas nor am I out there sweating in the Florida heat and humidity. A cup of coffee, a Distant Signal video, and I'm good to go!
Big Sunday morning breakfast and a new Distant Signal video from Danny
can't ask for much more
Thanks Danny !!!
Tim in Toronto....
100% agree. Thanks Danny. Tim in Denver
Agreed. Marques in Oregon
I trust you had some poutine this morning my train loving Canadian friend? 🏒
Grady is one of those special civil engineers, he can do as well as explain how the REAL world works, and his train series takes you through the whys and hows (and sometimes 'whens') of railroading.
Danny, you are both class acts and every video opens my eyes a bit more about stuff I've lived with from the beginning. For example, grew up in the 60's listening (and sometimes riding) the Edaville trains in Carver, Massachusetts. I'd be working the garden or the cranberry bogs and you could hear the whistle throughout the day. Thank you for the glimpse of scanner traffic, although it might be nice to breakdown what they are saying by each phrase/code word. Take Care Sir!!!
Anyone ever Notice how Smooth Danny is with his Railroad Knowledge ? This is NO Accident and it comes with Decades of Consistent, Strong 💪 Efforts. 👍🙏
What a lovely Sunday when Danny uploads!
-Cameron in Lebanon, PA
$11 dollars for that chicken dinner? Ya shoulda bought a few of them and stocked up for dinners through the week !!!!
Grady !!! Yes, I watch Practical Engineering all the time. Awesome shoutout for him - he deserves it.
Another great post !!! A lot of hard work goes into these things, we love every one of them.
Man, oh MAN Danny!! You have developed some SERIOUS drone skills!! The overhead video is top-notch. Great production, keep it up!
Many thanks! I prefer to stay low and close. I think it gives the viewer a better look at the train, rather that flying really high.
@@distantsignal Absolutely! You are doing it perfectly! Don't change a thing...
You are the Bill Dance of railfanning! Hours of boredom and waiting for a few good bites and a catch or two, then edit it into an exciting show! Thanks for doing what we don't have the time or patience to do (yet!).
I love practical engineering, been watching him for three quarters of a decade now. The detail of the information, interesting content matter, clear explanations, all of it is great.
Much like your channel, Danny. But I will still give the edge to you in terms of style. The cinematography, the lunch discussions, the before and after back yard discussion, all of it is wonderful.
Seeing Practical Engineering on this channel is world's colliding Danny! Another great video explaining what all that radio chatter means!
Cannot wait to see the next video!!
Great day when Danny uploads!
Thanks Danny it’s always a pleasure waking up to one of your videos.
I live 30 miles from Altoona, PA so I don't really have a problem finding trains. There's always something to see. A lot of the places I go have dedicated viewing platforms that I always meet other railfans. Part of the fun for me is meeting different people from literally around the world and sharing stories. Some of the best afternoons I've spent I may have only seen a train or two but did get to hear some very interesting tails.
It was so good seeing you again with a new Distant Signal video Danny. We really enjoyed this and will watch it again. Lots of new stuff and information. Thank you so much. Take care and God bless!❤😊
Danny, best channel for train enthusiasts out there. Hands down. Just, thank you.
A few years ago you released a video talking about your scanner. Now for the longest time I felt that i didn’t need a scanner, well your video convinced me to buy one. Within the second time we went out I heard a nearby defect detector go off when we were about to leave. We stayed an saw the train. I have my eye on a timetable and thinking of getting it soon. Thanks Danny for all you do! Much Love!
How, where, what, when .... and new place to eat. What more can you ask for. Tnx Dan the Man. :-)
Great to see you again Danny! Its like an old friend dropping by for a coffee and a chat about all things railway.
I am one of your fans from across the pond in the UK and I am a retired railway signal engineer (41 years from 1977 - 2018).
Really enjoy your content. Wish we had such unrestricted access to train-watching in the country. Everywhere is fenced off here.
Love your drone footage too - really adds to the story.
Take care, Mr Harmon, and we’ll see you again next time.
Best wishes from the UK! 🇬🇧
Being very familiar with the territory helps too and just knowing from experience that the railroad don't always cooperate.
Amtrak Empire Builder runs up to 8 hrs late, heading for Seattle. I got into Chicago 8 hrs late last time. Often about 6-7 hours late in Sand Point Idaho when I sat by the closed station in the night.
Here in Atlanta, we have a pretty good network of railfans that have become friends who have set base radios with remote access and MANY Facebook chats for the different subdivisions and districts. From points north, south, east and west, we share a lot of information with each other via the chats. For example, we had the CSX OCS run down the Abbeville subdivision recently and eyes were on it from SC, through and out of Atlanta. I was able to time my lunch break just right to catch it in a local city.
Great content as always, Danny!
Gradys channel is excellent. I've watched much of his content but when I get a notification from Danny I stop what I'm doing. Two absolutely great gentlemen 👍🏻
Hey Dan. Back to your channel after a long hiatus. Introduced a lady who rails(but not against the night😅)to your channel. This episode was very pleasant. You always bring calm and easy viewing. Best to you. Thank you for your work.
The scanner is the KEY to the railroad universe. You nailed it! Interesting zoom shot of #92 at the end - it looks like the train is in danger of tipping over. Great work as always, Danny!
Danny,i’m relearning what I loved.Was doing music & now retired and back to railfanning. Thank you! 🚂
At 11:55, hearing the slack run in is amazing! You can hear it travel down the whole train. Great shot and great editing too.
I use the BC125AT and an RH77CA Diamond antenna as per one of your video suggestions from a while back. Thanks DH 👍 It's been invaluable
That Diamond antenna is the key, You could strap it to a Mattel Barbie walkie talkie and get the reception you desire! About the only thing better than that antenna for portable us is a portable Yagi, but then you have to contend with directional signal strength.
Can you do a compilation of all the places you've ate at over the years? They are always my favorite part of your trainspotting video series
Oh snaaaaappp. We are here with a new video!!!! The lone red light keeps the signals at limited aspects. Seen it on the FEC once before
Or diverging on the NS, lol. But yeah, basically it prevents a full clear or approach from being given.
On NS's absolute signals, they also use a single fixed red light underneath the head(s), to indicate that the signal is an absolute.
@@freebrickproductions NS sure does like its three-head absolute signals... They used to do lots of third-head Yellows for (I presume) call-ons, but maybe they don't do that as much anymore? CSX likes Lunar White on most all of its absolute signals for that reason.
@@jovetj Restricting is still a low yellow on their absolute signals, IIRC.
@@freebrickproductions NS? Yes, definitely. The only exceptions to that may perhaps be found in old Conrail territory.
The FEC is the same, but there is some flashing Red in spots, it seems.
I must commend you on your choice of lunch establishment; that looked delicious! And you can't go wrong with baked beans and mac n cheese for sides...all for $11! Oh yeah, and the rest of the video was great as well...lol.
It's always a good day to see a Danny Harmon upload!!!
Danny Harmon alright! What a way to start the week, another great video from Distant Signal!! Please keep’em coming Danny!
Hello Danny! Good to see you again! I never miss a video that either you or Grady puts out. Y'all have the very best of railroad and railfan info on the net! Thanks for all you do and God bless you! 🚂
Super video Danny. Great to have the US rail system explained by the best expert 🤓
Hearing that slack rumble in from the distance during the reverse into the yard 12:05 was great
Danny that was an exceptional video. It whetted my appetite to do more research. Just got home to Ohio from a ride on the Amtrak Autotrain. What a great experience.
The reason for those signal that only display red on the high head is to keep train speed down at switches ahead. For example in my territory we have a few sidings and spurs with pot signals or signals that can only show slow clear as their best indication because you can’t exceed slow speed through the switch. This just allows you to pull out of the turnout, siding, spur, ect. At the speed for that track and then immediately blast off after the rear clears the switch.
Distant Signal is a must watch every time a new video is posted!!! Thank you Danny for the always expanding knowledge base you pass on!
Best railfan channel on the internet HANDS DOWN!
4:40 Here in Hialeah, we had the iconic Hialeah Speedway that opened in 1954 and closed in 2005 after 51 years of racing. it was home to the famous Allison brothers, Bobbie and Donnie. A Target and Lowes stand on the property today which is about 30 acres (6 city blocks). Complaints from residents who moved in after the speedway was there knowing full well what was there, lack of interest on the part of Hispanics, and rising property taxes to the tune of $90,000 a year finally killed it. It was very sad to see it go.
10:05 Exactly correct, Mr. Harmon! The track ends, so it can't give any non-diverging, track speed indication at all. It has to be Limited or Medium or Slow.
Love your detailed informative videos. I always loved to watch trains but had no clue what-so-ever what all the jargon meant. You're voice also makes this very easy to digest!
Well done Danny! Anytime I her your opening segment it reminds me of simpler times ... thanks for all you do! Also, your railroad radio content is the best on RUclips, so please keep sharing that, it is the best!!
Awesome coverage, as always Danny!
You and Grady are prime youtubers; you both get an instant watch from me on every new drop!
Man oh man, i can’t tell ya how much i love watching these. Super informative, and absolutely spot on narration. Keep up this amazing work Danny! Take it easy and have a great rest of your week! 👍
Great educational video Danny and $11 for that lunch is a STEAL!
A really good video for those of us who love trains but don't know the details. Thanks for explaining and hope you make more videos like this.
You come for the trains, I come for Danny's lunch review (and the trains) 😆
Good Sunday morning Danny! As always your input is most valuable to any level of railfan.
I was told long ol time ago that the fixed red means you've reached the end of your track and a divergence onto another track is inevitable. These signals are typical for ends of sidings and at junctions where CTC is used even on dark tracks. They are springing up all over the old South in places where dwarf signals were used and had the same meaning. Ironically a fixed red on a dwarf signal had a completely different meaning altogether. It meant the track / switch is for faster traffic so pick em up and put em down! That's why in the signal books a single green on a dwarf indicates SLOW CLEAR while a fixed red over a green indicates MEDIUM CLEAR. Several of the old dwarves on the A line had just three lights but the top red stayed on constant while the green in the middle or the yellow on the bottom illuminated simultaneously when given a permissive aspect. Now this is just what I was told, but I only worked there. 😊
You've got it! The multiple-lights-in-use-on-a-dwarf-signal thing is very common on speed-signaled railroads, but it's rare on route-signaled roads in the western US. It's also nearly unheard of on high signals-but not _completely_ unheard of-one of the Canadian railroads operating in the US (I forget which one) likes having signals like that, in spots.
One of the oddest quirks to me about CSX's standard signal schema is that, on dwarf signals, Red-over-Green is _Medium Clear_ but Green-over-Red is _Slow Clear._ In the grand scheme of things, that just seems very un-intuitive. It also amuses me that a lone Green dwarf is _Slow Clear_ but a lone flashing Green dwarf is _Clear._
Additionally, dwarf signals usually indicated that you were entering a signaled track from an unsignaled track. Even if you weren't staying on CTC territory, maybe you are just crossing it. I've not seen a dwarf at a diamond but at several crossovers where you couldn't get out on the mainline, the dwarf had only two colors; Red and Lunar. The red was always on the bottom lens and extinguished when the lunar was lit. Nowadays with new PTC-friendly signals they have that fixed red over a red and lunar only signal to indicate the same thing. Personally it seems like way too much hardware to achieve the same thing, but I'm an old school railroader and I've been told it's not the way we railroad anymore.
Jeeze that Amtrak train at 16:20 looks like its about to tip over
10:35 There's one of those aforementioned STOP -DISMOUNT signs, facing the other direction, off to the right! 😁
Omg I was just there! I’m a truck driver and had a load to pick up at the Tropicana yard in Bradenton. What absolutely amazes me is the sheer size of that plant/yard! I always enjoy that route!
Danny you are one of the best rail content creators that exist
_THE_ best on YT! He sets the bar for everyone else! There are some excellent railfan channels on YT, too.
11:38 Yes and no. It is CSX policy to have at least two red lights on each absolute signal-that's that safety factor you spoke of, should a Red light go out. So, the signal could be ⚪🔴L/R over 🔴R, *_or_* 🔴R and ⚪🔴L/R. As the signal is for a leg of the wye that ends just ahead at a turnout, and train movements past the signal will _converge_ onto the other track, and such movements are usually made at Slow, Medium, or Limited speeds (with a Red-over-____ signal), it's more consistent for this signal to also be a Red-over- signal. Even though it doesn't actually matter which position the Lunar White light is in, it's more consistent for it to be shown below a Red.
Glad to see you again, Danny.
Practical Engineering is awesome. Been sub'ed to him it well over a year. John
Im glad he posted. I thought he was finished.
Been looking forward to your video for what seemed like an eternity! Thanks for making my Sunday morning better!
You always know you’re getting something great when Danny uploads!
Thank you Danny for another amazing outing from Florida.
Earnest Excellent Enterprising Extraordinary Emerging Evolving Endeavor 💐 Hearty Greetings from Hyderabad, India 🇮🇳
Thank you for a wonderful video, now that the NFL season has finished I will have more time for railroad videos on RUclips 😊
If this man uploads, I will watch
Thank you again for another interesting and informative video Danny.
We really like the drone footage in your videos which gives us a birdseye view and the food segments are delish! 😋
Great stuff as always Mr Harmon! Thanks for the tip on the Practical Engineering channel, I will check it out…cheers from Melbourne Australia
Another great video! I live in the Tampa area and your videos have helped me immensely when looking for places to watch trains. Thank you!!
We only have one mainline in our area UP Sunset Route Lordsburg Sub. Last time we went, they were fleeting westbounds and we saw four westbound double-stack trains within 20 minutes. Best railfanning we've done in awhile.
It's like the old E.F. Hutton commercials...... When Danny posts people listen !!
That top comment reminds me of the old commercial:”When E F Hutton talks people listen.” Yup that’s Danny’s reputation as well. I’ve been in Florida 1.5 years and Danny’s videos have led me to all these spots. That US 41/old 41 is interesting to head up there - it will eventually take you back to 41.
The CSX rules that allow the conductor to mount/dismount on moving trains is certainly a time saver. BNSF rules require full stop. Danny’s restaurant reviews are always great as well. Sooooo blessed to have another one of his videos to watch!
I pick up from the Tropicana facility in Bradenton all of the time in my truck, it’s always cool seeing or hearing about areas I’ve been around in your videos!
Awesome video Mr Danny Harmon. It was also a pleasure seeing you in Folkston
I was in Florida a month ago. (Lakeland) I always look for you at the train crossings. I go through several of the places you spot trains. Maybe one day our paths will cross.
Thanks Danny from the son of NS conductor retired 82 Atl to Chatt wish I could talk to him now good show
Another fantastic video, Danny. Always look foward to your videos.
It's always a great day when Danny has a new video to watch! The man has great content and his tutorials make his videos that more interesting! Thanks again Danny for all you do to keep us railfans tuned in as subscriber's of your channel. Cheers from Laurel, Delaware. KABOOM
No better way to conclude a day of railfanning than to watch Danny’s latest video!
I love listening to the railroad crossing bells at the gateless crossing one signal has a NEG ebell and the other has a MI or FS mechanical bell
In my part of the country (UP and BNSF), it's much more common for the bells to be continuous even with gates. Having them turn off when the gates are down is much less common.
I am a fan of your videos and keep up the good work your videos are so informal
Isn't that ironic: Your sentiments of Grady are *exactly* what I have very frequently put into the comments on his channel: "The WORLD ought to see these videos". As Paul says below, "Two class acts" ... and I couldn't agree more.
I was in Folkston a couple of Sunday's ago when you were across the street at Ms. Chessie cooking burgers during the SAL/ACL Reunion Weekend. Wanted to step across the street to say hello, but it appeared with few trains that morning that you were the center of attention. Hope to catch you somewhere else in the future!
+1 for Practical Engineering! It's a great channel!
This a Great Video you can really learn from this video It's a great videos I always know you have great videos when you produce them
So many times have I been "caught" at that crossing in Lakeland, purposely, of course. Lol
Mr Danny when my signal goes off I am right to your chaNNEL. i LOVE YOUR VIDEOS. I was in La Plata VRF channel and we were all chatting about your channel. So many love your channel. I have been with you about 2 years now and I enjoy it God Bless Sir and be safe.
Professor Danny with another lesson ❤
Practical engineering is one of my favorite RUclips channels
I went (almost) GEVOless on CSX Friday, besides the 3 ES40DCs I saw in the yard. A LOT of CW44ACs, A MAC Leader, A Slug-Mother set, 2 YN2s (One is A solo leader, I have yet to see A duo of YN2s), and SD40-2s in the Yard. I NEVER see SD40s that aren't SpongeBob Cabs Nowadays, It's A nice breath of fresh air in general. Here are some things on NS: An NS SD70ACC, leading A CP AC44, and A KCSM Grey ghost, SD70ACC trailers, SD70ACes, A Thoroughbred, LOTS of AC44C6Ms, D9-44CWs, and A few GEVOs as well, there was also an ex-N&W SD40-2 trailing 2nd on A Road Train (Could be A long local tho), So yeah. Plus, I caught A UP C45ACCTE with an SD70AH just sitting by themselves. The Slug was CSX 2370 (ex-B&O built from GP40, Stayed in Chessie Paint before becoming A road slug in 2008), and the Mother was CSX 6970 (ex-Conrail). Thursday was also cool, 3 high hood ex-N&W SD40-2s in their natural habitat, A Conrail Caboose #21300, A Bay Window Caboose likely used in CSAO operations in Michigan like where I saw it. There was also an Abundance of CN GEVOs like usual with them, but an SD60 leading A Coal Local, Also an ACe leader that day with C6M DPU, can't forget that H1 #1059 I also caught! 😄
What a great surprise to see a shout-out for Grady at the end! His Practical Engineering content is awesome!
And his interest in trains (and subsequent railroading series) is just icing on the cake!!
I think you’re right about the single lights on the signals Danny. Here in Melbourne, Australia we also use US speed signalling on our railways and it is pretty common to see a single colour light top signal aspect that can show red, yellow and green, with a small second aspect that always shows red. These signals will always be automatic and have no turnouts between it and the next signal.
“Taitset” on RUclips has a great video about Melbourne’s signalling system for anyone interested in the seeing the differences.
Good morning Danny! Great vid, especially seeing that long train being assembled at Winston! 🛤️ Strawberry Festival 🍓🍓starts this week in Plant City; great concerts too! Yup, gotta check out LoveBird real soon! 🍗🍗Thanks so much!!
An upload on my birthday from my favorite creator on RUclips!?!?!!??? Heck yeah!!
Amtrak isn’t always punctual…there’s an understatement! 🤣
I was in Folkston when I got the notification for the new video today. I couldn’t wait to get home and watch it. As always, a great video. Hope to meet up soon.
I’m honestly now watching just as much for Danny’s lunch stops!
Enjoyed your video, planning on enjoying some chicken next month (might see you there) and I did learn some things , - as usual. Thanks for sharing Danny.
As always, educational & enjoyable. Thanks for sharing. Take care.
I like to learn the little details of kitchen stool railroading, and Danny you do provide. This video is a good example. Around Wash DC there is very little to catch, thus I'm the kitchen stool railfaner.
Excellent tips for railfanning Danny...Thanks for sharing