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Signal descriptions  Signals on private railways

Appendix

Appendix: Mechanical main and distant signals

• Night aspects
• Distant signals
• Signal aspects

On some secondary lines mechanical signals survived until today.

Night aspects

A peculiarity of (contemporary) austrian mechanical signals is that they show the same aspects by day and by night! The lanterns for the night aspects had been removed and the signal arms and discs were equipped with retro-reflecting material. The night aspects for main signals were the same as for the light signals. Distant signals showed one yellow light for warning and one green light for ''Main signal shows clear''.

Distant signals

Mechanical distant signals cannot distinguish between ''clear'' and ''clear with speed restriction''. If the regular entry speed for a certain train in a particular station is 40 km/h this is noted in the service timetable. If the entry speed has to be set exceptionally to 40 km/h the driver is notified by a written order. If this isn't possible, the distant signal will be left in the »warning« position.

Signal aspects

Distant signal (Vorsignal)		Main signal (Hauptsignal)
	Warning (Vorsicht) § 6 (1) (main signal shows stop)			Stop (Halt) § 4 (1)
	Main signal shows clear (Hauptsignal frei) § 6 (3), § 6 (5) The main signal shows either ''clear'' or ''clear with 40 km/h''.			Clear (Frei) § 4 (3) (clear with maximum local speed)
				Clear with speed restriction to 40 km/h (Frei mit 40 km/h) § 4 (7)

(Last Update: 17.11.2002)

Signal descriptions  Signals on private railways

Appendix