The Signalman
The signalman is a railway employee in charge of operating a signal box that communicates with other signal boxes along the line and directs the movements of trains. The narrator describes the signalman as having dark hair, eyebrows, and beard; his skin is sallow. Though the gloomy man performs his job with care and exactness, he is disturbed by the repeated appearance of a figure who presages violent accidents on the rail line.
Narrator
The story is narrated by an unnamed man who takes an interest in the activities of the titular signalman while out for a walk. The narrator divulges few details of his life, though he reveals he is staying at an inn, suggesting he may be on vacation in the area. The narrator prefers to view the signalman's hauntings as mere coincidences, though he admits to feeling chills as the signalman explains his story.
Train Driver
The train driver runs over the signalman when he doesn't get out of the way of the train. The driver explains to the narrator how he shouted for the signalman to move, and then covered his eyes and waved his other arm at the moment the train hit the man. The words and gesticulations match those of the specter.
The Specter (or Apparition)
Seen and heard only by the signalman, the specter is a figure who appears standing near the red danger light at the mouth of the tunnel. He shouts to clear the way while covering his face with one arm and waving the other. The specter appears to foretell three disasters on the rail line, the last of which is the signalman's own death.
