Meaning of colours on signal box diagrams

[Nick_Burman]

Hello all,

 

 

I'm designing my putative layout and began wondering, what did the different colours in the signal box diagrams mean? I've seen red, green, blue, yellow...what are their meaning? Please understand that I'm asking about the diagram and not the levers in a signal box, these I know their functions.

 

Cheers NB

[bikkuri bahn]

Perhaps it signifies a track circuit- I see diagrams with a lamp indicator (or where one would be if hung in a signalbox) along with the color coding.

[Nick_Burman]

Perhaps it signifies a track circuit- I see diagrams with a lamp indicator (or where one would be if hung in a signalbox) along with the color coding.

 

Thanks BB, I saw one in Argentina and indeed the colours refer to track circuits.

 

BTW, do you know any sites where there would be a picture of a Japanese mechanical signal box diagram (preferably in colour)?

 

Cheers NB

[E6系]

Sanaki signal station, March 1986.

 

http://www.hi-ho.ne.jp/yosansen/bk/jpg_mi/miaki-1.jpg

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Did you find out what the signal aspects (colors) indicate?

 

As with automobile traffic signals, you normally see these 4 colors:

 

Green= Clear. Proceed, clear track ahead

Flashing Yellow= Advanced Approach.

Yellow= Approach, be prepared to stop at next signal.

Red= Stop before the signal mast

 

When you treat every yellow traffic light as if it were a red, then you will live to see another day.

 

I won't get into the speeds of each signal because they indicate an action that is different for freight and passenger trains fior each railroad and for different countries.

 

There is no standard for signals. You can bet red, yellow, and green are used the same worldwide.

 

The blue may mean men working.

 

Then theres signals for switches and flashing signals to go faster or slower.

 

It's actually quite fun to introduce some basic railroad rules when running trains with friends.

[katoftw]

The red, yellow and red colours are well known.  The other colours like purple and blue are localized colours for various other tacks.

 

For example an old Australian railway used to use purple so a stop colour in shunting yards.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_railway_signals

Edited December 9, 2014 by katoftw