Australian railway signalling varies between the States of Australia, because the individual States are responsible for the railway systems within their own borders, with, historically, no need to co-ordinate between states except at the boundaries.
Mechanical signalling in all States followed British practice using route signalling with slight differences between States. The basic running signal was the Home signal, an absolute stop signal with a red arm. Route signalling was used to indicate the line to be taken at junctions. Advance warning was given by a Distant signals. Subsidiary signals for shunting moves differed between States, just as they did between the different railway companies in Britain.
Signalling practice, however, diverged with the introduction of power signalling into each State. New South Wales was first significant adopter of power signalling. It adopted the then standard international practice of displaying three aspects using home above distant signals; this developed into an integrated mechanical/power signalling practice based on route signalling. Victoria and South Australia adopted US speed signalling when they introduced power signalling in 1915; this was integrated into their route signalling based mechanical signalling. Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia used power signals as a direct replacement for mechanical signals. Queensland subsequently adopted British style power signalling in the 1960s when it began installing power signalling on a large scale; again this is a route based signalling system integrated with their mechanical signals. Western Australia adopted British style power signalling in the Perth suburban area when the suburban network was electrified. When the Adelaide suburban area was resignalled, South Australia adopted a system using British style light signals displaying US speed signalling aspects for the suburban lines. The result is that the signal aspects (patterns of lights) and indications (meanings) differ widely, both between the former State systems and even within States.
Mechanical signalling has effectively vanished from the Australian non-preserved railway scene, leaving the divergent power signalling schemes. This causes conflicts between the systems. For example, in New South Wales a green-over-red coloured light signal means "caution", indicating the next signal is at "stop". In Victoria, that same aspect means "clear normal speed", indicating the next signal is anything but at "stop". On the Main South Line from Sydney, single-light signals are now exclusively used from Spring Creek bridge (south of Galong) to Albury on the Victorian border. That forms a buffer zone between the conflicting signal indications of each state.
South Australia uses two primary forms of signalling. Nearly all signal boxes in South Australia have now been closed, and most rail traffic is coordinated through centralised traffic control (CTC) systems, either under the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) from Mile End or Adelaide Metro control from Adelaide. Where the two networks interface, such as at the Goodwood level crossing or at Torrens Junction, control is usually by the ARTC after release from Adelaide Metro.
The Western Australian system is the simplest to understand, and the complexities of leading position lights and other odd attachments to signalling apparatus have been either eradicated or were never part of it. Switchlocks are used to enter sidings from mainline CTC territory, such as the CBH Group yard terminal on the standard gauge railway. The train controller must release the switchlock, thus interlocking the signals to stop, which is similar to the system in Queensland. Perth's urban passenger network is operated by the Public Transport Authority and the rules are almost identical to those of freightlines.
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