Technical Information Resources Directory

Along with simply watching a train go by, many people are also interested in knowing how a train works (I've always been). To that end I've written pieces on how modern locomotives work, how air brakes work, how railroad signalling work, and other subject areas, most of which I've reproduced here, along with links to other like resources (some of the links put my work to shame!).

Follows some material that should help the curious.

• Diesel-Electric & Electric Locomotives

  There seems to be far more technical information that is far more readilly available on steam locomotives than on historical and contemporary non-steam locomotives: Here are my attempts to remedy those oversights.
  • Information on Diesel-Electric & Electric Locomotives
  • Detailed electrical principals and formulas for AC & DC
    

• Signalling

  There is now a wealth of information on signals and signalling technology available. This is not surprising, as a great deal of information concerning train movements may be gargered from watching trackside signals. Using Pennsy-style Position-Light Signals (what do you want -- I grew up on L.I.), here are my pages on representative signals, including sequences of signals approaching an interlocking or occupied block, with some alternative aspects, such as Amtrak color-position light, B&O color-position light, and NYC searchlights.
  • Manual
  • Automatic
  • Interlocking
  
  
• Additional information at off-site links
  
  

More Information -- Links Off-Site:

• General Railroad Technical Information

  • Railway Technical Pages
    • RTP "Glossary of Modern Railway Terminology"
    Also find here information on steam, diesel, and electric locomotives, on-train auxillary power systems, electric power distribution systems, brakes, signals, and MU operations: just tons of information.

• Links to Really Good Signal Information

  • NORAC Signal Card
  • The entire NORAC rulebook
  • Signal Route and Aspect Demonstrator (CSX Color-Light Style)
  • Signal Demonstrator (PRR Position-Light Style)
  • U.S. Rail Signal Page of Railway Technical Pages
  • Rail Signal Pages of Dr. Mark D. Bej
    1. Signal FAQ
    2. Signal Aspects
  • Canadian Railway Telegraph History (lots on signalling & code)
  • Fallen Flag Railroads of New Jersey (but burried on this page is a very rare table of lower quadrant semaphore signals!)

• Information on Air Brakes and related information

  • The San Diago Railroad Museum's Air Brake FAQ
  • Breakthrough in Breaking, from Trains archives. (by way of The Internet Archive
  • Railway Technical Pages' North American Freight Train Brakes:
    1. Brake Glossary
    2. North American Freight Train Brakes
    3. Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) Brakes

• Turbine Powered Locomotives/Trainsets

  • Steam Locomotive dot Com's "Steam Turbine Locomotives"
  • From North East Rails,
    1. Union Pacific's GE Turbines
    2. Turbine Prototype FAQ
  • United Aircraft's TurboTrain

• Reporting Marks

  Who owns those locomotives? Those cars? Reporting Marks are those two to four letter prefixes to car and locomotive numbers: try looking them up at Railinc's look-up utility for "Marks."
  
  
• Additional information may be found at the many sites listed on my links page, especially under
  • Individuals' & Others' Information Sites and
  • Other Organizatons, Photo Servers, and Link Resources.