Rail3D*

 

AU- Vic Signals

Signals from Victoria, Australia

These signals are modelled on those appearing on the Victorian Railways in Victoria, Australia. There are several categories of signals I intend to cover:

  • Semaphore
    • Two-position
    • Three-position
  • Colour light
    • Searchlight type
      • Two-position
      • Three-position (including “four-aspect”)
    • Modern multiple lens type
      • Two-position
      • Three-position (including “four-aspect”)
    • Dwarf/shunting signals
  • Point indicators
  • Level crossing components

sw.2D signal model

Unbolded categories are those I haven’t started on yet, bold categories are those with at least some signals created. Essentially everything so far has been 3/4-aspect searchlight signals and a couple of dwarf signals.

I have recently done away with version 5 of the signals (to some extent) and moved on to version 6. This involves retaining the existing models from version 5, but renaming them using a different naming convention that properly distinguishes each signal’s physical form from its function.

At the moment I am working on the lower quadrant 2-position somersault semaphore signals that used to be found everywhere on the vr system. You can see a sample of the home and distant signals here. The default semaphore signals are on 6.5 m posts; however, I have so far created 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 m post varieties as well for the basic home and distant types. There are also some versions with co-acting arms on the same post.

In time I will get around to making various junction signals, as well as those combined with discs and calling-on arms.

You can find a sample of these signals in the “Custom Signals” folder on Yahoo Groups.

New naming convention

The new naming convention I have adopted for these signals is as follows: 

 prefix_STYLE.function[.modifiers]

sw.2H signal model
  • prefix is always au-Vic.
  • style determines semaphore, dwarf, colour light, etc.
  • function determines what aspects can be displayed, so in the case of semaphore signals, it determines what arms and discs the signal has, and the routes to which they each correspond.
  • The optional modifiers portion can be used to specify physical alterations like shorter or taller variations, or when the signal has to be placed above the track or on the opposite side of the track.

So the signal to the right is au-Vic_SW.2H:

  • The sw is the style code for semaphore with wooden posts (as opposed to semaphore with a metal lattice post).
  • The 2H indicates that it is 2-position and has one home arm.
  • There are no modifiers, but the addition of a T, for example, would make the signal taller by one metre. To get the tallest signal, you would use au-Vic_SW.2H.ttt.

Some more screenshots


A home signal with a calling-on arm pulled off.

This home signal has two home arms for two separate routes. Junction signals like this were used in confined spaces. It also has a disc for a move to a siding.

Bordering on the ridiculous, this signal has eight discs. Whilst not particularly common, signals like this did exist on complex parts of the network. One disc is pulled off here for one of the eight signalled moves. (Note that a disc is off when it is turned away from the driver.)

import