Numbering of tracks, signals etc.

[Jaco3011]

Ohayou gozaimasu

 

I wonder how:

- tracks
- platforms
- signals
- switches
are numbered/marked on a station. I know that two-sided platforms have two numbers - as if each side was a separate platform.

Btw. how big is loading gauge on conventional railways? I mean the standard post-JNR one, afaik private railways don't always make enough clearance for it.

[Kiha66]

Generally, a separate numbe is given to each location where passengers can get on or off.   So one sided platforms are only one number, while island type platforms would get two.  Tracks that passengers can't use for boarding are not numbered except for internal use.  Remember the point of station numbering is to let busy travelers see at a glance what train they should get on, so each location for where this can happen should have a unique identifier.  

 

Loading gauge for both cape and standard trains can be found in this wiki article.  Pre 1987 is blue, post 1987 in grey, and shinkansen in green.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2020 by Kiha66

[railsquid]

Sometimes the platorm numbering starts from zero...

https://www.minemura.org/platform_0/

[bikkuri bahn]

There are no hard and fast rules for platform numbering, but traditionally at JNR stations (JR now) platform #1 was the platform nearest the stationmasters office, with numbering continuing in order from that (with the #0 platform reserved for a bay/stub end track). With private railways, the general but not universal practice is to designate the #1 platform as the one serving the "down" line (direction away from the main terminal), with numbering continuing after that, regardless of the location of the stationmasters office.

Edited November 29, 2020 by bikkuri bahn

[Jaco3011]

Thank y'all guys

But what about the internal track numbering, signals and switches?

[Cat]

20 hours ago, railsquid said:

Sometimes the platorm numbering starts from zero...

https://www.minemura.org/platform_0/

There are one type of people in this world.
 
Those who start indexing from zero, and those who start from one.
 
: 3

[bikkuri bahn]

8 hours ago, Jaco3011 said:

Thank y'all guys

But what about the internal track numbering, signals and switches?

You'll have to consult the track and signal layout schematics (generally not available to the public).  Here is an example from JNR days, the railway station at Shiroishi in Miyagi Prefecture, on the Tohoku main line circa 1978. This station is an example of the JNR style of intermediate-size station, typically serving a large town up to a secondary city within a prefecture. Left side is Tokyo direction, right side is Aomori direction.  Three platform faces, the track facing the station head house is the "down" mainline, the middle track ("nakasen") is a bi-directional line that serves as a passing track, and the outer track is the "up" mainline. Additional tracks are numbered as auxiliaries of the "up" mainline. These likely served mainly for freight wagon storage and perhaps for empty coaching stock.  There are also 3 stub end freight tracks adjacent to the head house for carload or LCL freight.  As far as switch and signal numbering, you can see them on the map, but as far as naming conventions, that is above my pay grade, perhaps a forum member who is a professional railwayman can provide some insight on the matter.