German Railway Signalling

[NGT6 1315]

Hi all,

 

I was just thinking that I was meaning to add a few bits of information related to German signalling. First of all perhaps, something related to the item referred to as "anschließender Weichenbereich" further up. This is a concept not easily translated as it has something of a variable meaning, but put simply, the concept can be interpreted, and at least somewhat fittingly translated, as a "Speed Keeping Area" – seen in relation to a lower speed previously signalled by any of the defined and valid means.

 

In the "Signals Directory" – previously designated "DS 301" in West Germany and "DV 301" in the GDR and now merged into "Richtlinie 301", the relevant "Instructions for Implementation" say:

 

The Speed Keeping Area is delimited as follows:

It begins with the signal permitting a train movement.

 

It ends

 

• for station entry or intermediate signals, at the next main signal or, if present, the regular platform calling location; if several such locations are present, the last of these is to be considered;
• for station exit signals, immediately beyond the last points for the route set, or at the exit signal proper if no points are present;
• for junctions, crossovers or loading sidings equipped with a main signal, immediately beyond the last points for the route set.

If an increased speed is permitted at the end location for the Speed Keeping Area, speed may be increased only as soon as the train has passed this location with its entire length. This restriction does not apply for trains stopping at the last available calling location on the set route.

 

As you can see, this concept is closely related to the German definition of a "station" ("Bahnhof") and thus the presence of points, though it is not mandatory for points to actually be present for this instruction to be applicable.

 

The National Railway Operating Law defines a station as follows:

 

A station is any railway facility characterised by the presence of at least one set of points and prepared for train movements to begin, terminate, meet or reverse.

 

That which I believe is best referred to as a stop in British terminology is called "Haltepunkt" in German terminology, and defined as follows:

 

A "Haltepunkt" is any railway facility with no points present where trains may call at, start or terminate.

 

This means that any other mode of operation permitted for stations but not Haltepunkte requires specific instruction from the signaller. There may also be "Locally Applicable Regulations" ("Örtliche Richtlinien") which are relevant to the line at hand and which specify procedures for such events.

 

"Haltepunkte" may also be co-located with loading sidings and are then referred to as "Haltestellen."

 

The Rhine-Main suburban network, for example, has Locally Applicable Regulations which specify that all Haltepunkte on the Frankfurt trunk line tunnel are to be treated like actual stations. For visualisation, have a look at this excerpt from an older working timetable:

 

 

 

As you can see, Taunusanlage, Ostendstraße and Lokalbahnhof are Haltepunkte which by the asterisked reference to the Locally Applicable Regulations are highlighted as having to be treated like stations.

 

The other item of interest I wanted to address are the "sawtooth" lines in evidence in this excerpt. These are again related to braking requirements – specifically, to the number of handbrakes or parking brakes which need to be applied on any given stretch of line in the event of train brake failure. The applicable rule here is as follows:

 

• No sawtooth line: One handbrake or parking brake per 400 tonnes or 20 axles,
• One sawtooth line: One handbrake or parking brake per 200 tonnes or 8 axles,
• Two sawtooth lines: One handbrake or parking brake per 100 tonnes or 4 axles.
• ICE formations only: All available handbrake and/or parking brakes.

 

The rule is also applicable in the absence of failed train brakes but in the event of a stop lasting more than 60 minutes.

[ForestPines]

The concept of "Bahnhof" in the rule book sense, as opposed to "Haltepunkt", is similar in some ways to the term "Station limits" in British Absolute Block signalling regulations.  One large difference is that the British term doesn't actually require there to be a station within the station limits - in Absolute Block it applies to any block post with separate Home (entry) and Section (exit) signals.

[NGT6 1315]

The concept of "Bahnhof" in the rule book sense, as opposed to "Haltepunkt", is similar in some ways to the term "Station limits" in British Absolute Block signalling regulations.  One large difference is that the British term doesn't actually require there to be a station within the station limits - in Absolute Block it applies to any block post with separate Home (entry) and Section (exit) signals.

 

 

This reminds me that German railway practice also comprises stations (in the signalling definition) which do not serve any passenger or freight loading access purpose, but as a traffic regulation spot. That would be called a "Betriebsbahnhof" and would seem to be a kind of parallel to the British definition you mentioned.

[FelixM]

True. The obvious difference I can see is that shunting movements must not start outside the Bahnhof limits whereas in Britain there are Calling on signals.

 

Felix

[The Stationmaster]

True. The obvious difference I can see is that shunting movements must not start outside the Bahnhof limits whereas in Britain there are Calling on signals.

 

Felix

I think you're not on the right track there Felix.  In Britain Calling On Signals outside Station Limits (if there are still any in existence?) have nothing to do with shunting and in practice certain shunting movements were, and are, allowed beyond Station Limits in Britain (without involving Calling On signals).

 

The critical thing about Station Limits, British style is that you are allowed to do certain which things which are not permitted (in normal working) in a block section and these things are - as I said above 'mainly related to shunting', which also means that they are not exclusively related to shunting.

[NGT6 1315]

I should also like to add that with dictated permission by the Fahrdienstleiter responsible for the following block section, shunting movements may proceed past the boundaries which are normally applicable to shunting movements (i.e., onto the open line) and which may also be marked with the Ra 10 board.

 

Furthermore, signallers must take precautions to ensure notifying any train which may be approaching on the relevant track from the other direction as shunting beyond station limits, or the Ra 10 board, means that the shunting movement ingresses the safety overlap for the relevant main signal for the opposite direction.

[FelixM]

I think you're not on the right track there Felix.  In Britain Calling On Signals outside Station Limits (if there are still any in existence?) have nothing to do with shunting and in practice certain shunting movements were, and are, allowed beyond Station Limits in Britain (without involving Calling On signals).

 

The critical thing about Station Limits, British style is that you are allowed to do certain which things which are not permitted (in normal working) in a block section and these things are - as I said above 'mainly related to shunting', which also means that they are not exclusively related to shunting.

 

Can you further explain this? If it hasn't to do sth with the Calling on signals, what does the British rule book allow for then?

 

In Germany the EBO (rule book for construction and operating of State railways) contain that stations have to be the most flat as possible to allow for shunting within the borders of a Bahnhof without having to actually couple up. It is dangerous to leave the Bahnhof with a string of non-braking wagons attached to a shunter and get on the open line which might be more steep than the station.

 

That is one of the points why the new underground mainline station in Stuttgart is so controversial, the EBO actually says "should be level" but the new Stuttgart station will be so steep seen nowhere before.

 

This rule is more of a hindrance today because it makes life complicated when two or more Multiple Units are to be coupled up in a station. There are three ways to achieve this, two involving a stop of the second Multiple Unit before coupling up to switch from a train movement to a shunting movement (which only in these circumstances are allowed with passengers on board).

 

Kind regards,

Felix

[The Stationmaster]

Can you further explain this? If it hasn't to do sth with the Calling on signals, what does the British rule book allow for then?

 

In Germany the EBO (rule book for construction and operating of State railways) contain that stations have to be the most flat as possible to allow for shunting within the borders of a Bahnhof without having to actually couple up. It is dangerous to leave the Bahnhof with a string of non-braking wagons attached to a shunter and get on the open line which might be more steep than the station.

 

That is one of the points why the new underground station in Stuttgart is so controversial, the EBO actually says "should be level" but the new Stuttgart station will be so steep seen nowhere before.

 

This rule is more of a hindrance today because it makes life complicated when two or more Multiple Units are to be coupled up in a station. There are three ways to achieve this, two involving a stop of the second Multiple Unit before coupling up to switch from a train movement to a shunting movement (which only in these circumstances are allowed with passengers on board).

 

Kind regards,

Felix

The Requirement in Britain was that stations should not be built on a gradient steeper than 1 in 260 unless it was absolutely unavoidable (and that also counts as 'a steep gradient' for operating purposes).

 

Station Limits allows a number of specific things which are not allowed in a block section, for example vehicles can be propelled, attaching and detaching movements can be made, trains can be split for shunting purposes and so on.  Now in order to make such movements different types of signals could be provided - the most common being ground shunting signals - and these were often Company specific but have been rationalised down over the years.  On signal which could be found was the Calling On Signal but this has a very specific purpose which is basically to signal a second train or movement into an occupied signal section.

 

And that takes us a bit further.  A signal section is the section of line between two successive stop signals - which could of course be found in Station Limits.  However a block section is also a signal section as it runs from the Section Signal at the signalbox in rear to the Home Signal of the signalbox in advance but in Absolute Block working only one train is permitted in the section at a time so a Calling On Signal would serve no purpose.  However if Permissive Block Working is in operation then more than one train is allowed in a block section and in some cases (but not all) a calling On Signal was used to signal teh second and any subsequent trains into a Permissive Section as it indicated to a Driver that the section was already occupied by another train.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[FelixM]

Hi Stationmaster,

 

That makes sense but when I wrote Calling on signals I thought of some miniature signal arms at the home signal. I think you wrote about Calling on signals at the starter/section signal which makes sense when e.g. with the ECML there are goods lines next to the running lines and these are permissive worked and not in absolute block. But I was thinking of the station block.

 

 

Station Limits allows a number of specific things which are not allowed in a block section, for example vehicles can be propelled, attaching and detaching movements can be made, trains can be split for shunting purposes and so on.

 

It may help to get the terms right. In German signalling a Shunting move is a non-revenue earning move within Bahnhof borders which takes place with a maximum of 25 km/h (lots of other max speeds for certain circumstances exist) and operates generally not protected by signals so must be ready to stop any moment. Shunting moves carry three white lights on the shunting locomotive only but in both directions. Train signals are not valid for them. They are allowed to continue as a train movement without stop.

 

The only exception to this is at Anschlussstellen which means a siding on the open line. While the approaching of a train to an Anschlussstelle is a train movement, the operation of the siding is a shunting movement. This is the only appearance of shunting movement on the open line in German signalling.

 

A train movement is a movement which operates on the open line. Train movements are only allowed with complete trains. It carries three white lamps at the front and two red ones at the rear. Goods trains might instead have two red discs. Train movements must follow train signals and must not be hindered at shunting signals, that means a shunting signal must not show a red aspect if a train movement passes. Train movements must stop in a station before continuing as a shunting movement.

 

While I think the majority is the same in British practice I feel that there are detail differences, joining trains is one I can imagine. If you have to couple up two trains on the same track it is the question how you get the second train in the station when it stands at the home/entry signal. It can't enter the station because it does not have a clear road (station track is partly occupied) but a shunting movement isn't possible too because the second train is outside of the station limits. I hope someone can explain how this is done in British signalling.

 

Kind regards,

Felix

[The Stationmaster]

Hi Stationmaster,

 

That makes sense but when I wrote Calling on signals I thought of some miniature signal arms at the home signal. I think you wrote about Calling on signals at the starter/section signal which makes sense when e.g. with the ECML there are goods lines next to the running lines and these are permissive worked and not in absolute block. But I was thinking of the station block.

 

 

 

While I think the majority is the same in British practice I feel that there are detail differences, joining trains is one I can imagine. If you have to couple up two trains on the same track it is the question how you get the second train in the station when it stands at the home/entry signal. It can't enter the station because it does not have a clear road (station track is partly occupied) but a shunting movement isn't possible too because the second train is outside of the station limits. I hope someone can explain how this is done in British signalling.

 

Kind regards,

Felix

It is done with what is called 'Permissive Working'.  Although that came in various forms - related to the Class of train - the principle was and still is the same - more than one train is permitted into a specified Signal Section.  as mentioned above in soem forms of Permissive working it can be by permissive Block and more than one train can be allowed into a Signal section which is also a block section.

 

Within Station Limits it usually applies to a specified Signal Section and either a Calling On Signal or a special handsignal is used to admit the second train.  Exactly the same can be done at a large station where there is a signalbox at each end and teh station is actually in the block section between the two signalboxes (a common situation at many larger and medium size British stations in the semaphore signalled era).

[roythebus]

Calling on signals at somewhere like Waterloo for instance would consist of the main aspect showing a red, train must stop. The subsidiary signal, two white diagonal lights PLUS a route indication (at Waterloo a platform number) indicates to any train to proceed to platform x as far as the line is clear; there may be another train or loco in the platform section.

 

Stopping at the same red aspect and receiving just 2 diagonal white lights without a route indication or platform number indicates a shunt move NOT into a platform, not for passenger trains! 

 

Somewhere in my collection I've got a DB Signalbuch, 1970's edition.