signals...

[NCMRailroad]

Hi Everyone,
Guess it has come time to start figuring out where to put the signals on my layout. I just have really no idea where to put them.
Perhaps there is a rule of thumb as to where they should be placed. I would appreciate any suggestions offered on this matter.
Thanks in advance,
NCMRailroader.:thumb:

 

[alexander]

near Turnouts, sidings and Spurs. thats all i know

 

[60103]

There will be 2 types of signals -- block and interlocking.
Block signals are for separating trains.They're usually one or two heads and have 2 indications -- red yellow and green. The second head is an advance waning on the next signal if train speeds get really high. (Note that the two heads are on opposite sides of the post). Block signals are separated by a distance determined by track speed and traffic density.
Interlocking signals govern switches and crossings. They're located clear of the fouling point and usually a distance farther than that. In my area, there is a signal post for each track; if a track divides in two there is only one post on the single track, but two on the pair of tracks that combine into one.
There should also be a signal positioned at the maximum stopping distance before the interlocking signal. (Britain used to specify 500 yards; I worked this out to about 20 feet in OO scale). Interlocking signals have 2 or more heads on the same side of the post. They can give some pretty complex indications as they give sped limits through the interlocking and then up to the next (block) signal.
I posted a thread somewhere showing the Canadian signal indications from the 1966 rule book.