The principle of signals used to control railway traffic
This article is about the principle of railway signalling. For the physical signals themselves, see railway signal.
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A Class 66 locomotive (right) is waiting at a red signal while a First Great Western passenger train (left) crosses its path at a junction.
Railway signalling (BE), or railroad signaling (AE), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enormous weight and inertia of a train, which makes it difficult to quickly stop when encountering an obstacle. In the UK, the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 introduced a series of requirements on matters such as the implementation of interlocked block signalling and other safety measures as a direct result of the Armagh rail disaster in that year.
Most forms of train control involve movement authority being passed from those responsible for each section of a rail network (e.g. a signalman or stationmaster) to the train crew. The set of rules and the physical equipment used to accomplish this determine what is known as the method of working (UK), method of operation (US) or safe-working (Aus.). Not all these methods require the use of physical signals, and some systems are specific to single-track railways.
The earliest rail cars were hauled by horses or mules. A mounted flagman on a horse preceded some early trains. Hand and arm signals were used to direct the "train drivers". Foggy and poor-visibility conditions later gave rise to flags and lanterns. Wayside signalling dates back as far as 1832, and used elevated flags or balls that could be seen from afar.
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Railwaysignalling (BE), or railroad signaling (AE), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them...
colour-light signals using track circuit – or axle counter – block signalling. It is a development of the original absolute block signalling that is still...
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The Polish (PKP) railwaysignalling system provides a complex outlook of traffic situations, yet is quite easy to understand. Signals can be divided into...
The current French railwaysignalling system is in force on the Réseau Ferré de France (now SNCF Réseau) since 1930, when the code Verlant was applied...
Technology Assessment. May 1976. RailwaySignalling – A guide to modern signalling technology, Institution of RailwaySignal Engineers. Published 1980. "Automatic...
An axle counter is a system used in railwaysignalling to detect the clear or occupied status of a section of track between two points. The system generally...
and signs on the state's railway network and connected private tracks. The first signalling system on the Norwegian railway system was a mechanically...
Signalling block systems enable the safe and efficient operation of railways by preventing collisions between trains. The basic principle is that a track...
The current Dutch railwaysignalling system operated by ProRail has been in effect since 1954 on the Dutch Railways network It was designed to be one...
widely for railwaysignalling, Cooke was rejected several times in favour of the more familiar, but shorter range, steam-powered pneumatic signalling. Even...
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companies. There are two main types of signal, used up to 160 km/h, above which speed cab signalling is required. Signalling is governed by strict rules, released...
signalling. Signalling in the UK uses route signalling. Most railway systems around the world, however, use speed signalling. Under route signalling,...
for railway staff driving trains. Japanese signalling was initially based on British railwaysignalling practice, and Japanese railwaysignalling continues...
The signalling system used on the standard-gauge railway network in Sweden is based on that of the traditional mechanical semaphore signals. Currently...
The Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) is a central engineering services group A cadre of the Indian railways. The officers of this service...
Modern railwaysignalling in Thailand on the mainline employs color light signals and computer-based interlocking. The State Railway of Thailand is currently...
Hitachi, Ltd. Railway Systems Business Unit, trading as Hitachi Rail, is the rolling stock and railwaysignalling manufacturing division of Hitachi. Hitachi...
Thales Rail Signalling Solutions is a division of Thales Group that supplies transportation-based automation solutions[buzzword] for railways. Its operations...
Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Alstom Signalling Inc.(2010). "Rochester Signalling and Control Systems." Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback...
Belgian railwaysignalling is the signalling in effect on the Belgian rail network currently operated by Infrabel. There are in Belgium two types of train...
block signalling methods with communication on track clearance based on physical exchange of tokens. In a few sections, intermediate block signalling is...
intersection where a railway line crosses a road, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over...
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