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Multiple aspect signalling systems are used on Indian Railways (IR) to allow trains sufficient braking time at higher speeds and to run slower trains closer together. IR uses several types of signals including semaphore, color-light, position-light, disc, and target signals. Signalling systems on IR can generally be classified as two-aspect power quadrant semaphore, modified power quadrant semaphore, multiple aspect upper quadrant semaphore, two-aspect color-light, three-aspect color-light, and four-aspect color-light signalling systems.

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43 views2 pages

Signal Upload

Multiple aspect signalling systems are used on Indian Railways (IR) to allow trains sufficient braking time at higher speeds and to run slower trains closer together. IR uses several types of signals including semaphore, color-light, position-light, disc, and target signals. Signalling systems on IR can generally be classified as two-aspect power quadrant semaphore, modified power quadrant semaphore, multiple aspect upper quadrant semaphore, two-aspect color-light, three-aspect color-light, and four-aspect color-light signalling systems.

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mideepak007
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Signalli

Signalling systems
Q. Why are multiple aspect signalling systems used? What was
wrong with the older systems which had two aspects?
Multiple aspect signals, by providing several intermediate speed stages between 'clear' and 'on',
allow high-speed trains sufficient time to brake safely if required. This becomes very important
as train speeds rise. Without multiple-aspect signals, the stop signals have to be placed very far
apart to allow sufficient braking distance, and this reduces track utiliation. !t the same time,
slower trains can also be run closer together on track with multiple aspect signals.
Q. What kinds of signals (semaphores, lamps, etc.) does IR use?
"# uses several kinds of signals. $emaphore signals have generally given way to colour-light
signals although there are still many places with semaphore signalling in use. %&'()*
Semaphore signals are the older style signals seen widely throughout the country, where each
signal has an assembly with an arm mounted on a mast, where the arm can move through two
or three different positions at different angles, each position providing a distinct signalling
aspect. +ery early in "ndia's railway history, two-position lower-quadrant semaphore signals were
the most prevalent. !round the &,-(s, however, the introduction of !merican style power
signalling equipment in some areas resulted in three-position upper-quadrant signalling being
introduced as well, although both systems continued in use for many decades afterwards. "t is
not clear when distant signals were introduced.
Colour-light signals are assemblies of lamps that indicate different aspects by means of
different colours of lamps that are lit. .olour-light signals were introduced in &,)/ but were slow
to take off. "n recent years many older semaphore signals have been replaced by colour-light
signals.
Position-lightsignals are assemblies of lamps where the signal aspect is indicated not by colour
but rather by the combination of the lamps that are lit.
Disc signals are in the form of a vertical disc with a pattern such as a bar painted on it, which
rotates about its centre to different positions to indicate different signal aspects. These are
usually mounted on poles but may be close to ground level.
Target signals have a vertical disc 0or two parallel vertical discs1 which can rotate about a
vertical a2is so as to present the disc either face-on or edge-on to an observer along the track.
3sually a lamp is provided behind the disc 0or between the parallel discs1 which is visible only
when the discs are oriented edge-on. The centres of the discs usually also have lamps. The two
aspects of this type of signal are indicated by the two orientations of the discs. This type of signal
is almost always at ground level.
In the following, 'on' refers to that position of a signal which shows its most restrictive indication
(in accordance with IR's terminology). However, we use 'clear' for the position that shows the
least restrictive indication instead of the word 'off' because the latter is used by IR to refer to
any signal position other than the on position.
Q. What types of signalling systems are used on IR?
# uses several forms of signalling. "n "# manuals reference is made usually only to 4 main types
of systems, 5ower 6uadrant semaphore, Modified 5ower 6uadrant semaphore, Multiple !spect
3pper 6uadrant semaphore, and multiple-aspect colour-light signalling. 7ut in practice there are
some variations in the kinds of colour-light signalling seen, so for ease of analysis, the following
classification is used here. 0!bbreviations in parentheses given for ease of reference in the te2t
that follows.1
Two-aspect 5ower 6uadrant semaphore signalling 0)561
Modified 5ower 6uadrant semaphore signalling 0M561
Multiple !spect 3pper 6uadrant semaphore signalling 0M!361
Two-aspect .olour-5ight signalling 0).51
Three-aspect .olour-5ight signalling 0-.51
8our-aspect .olour-5ight signalling, normally known 9ust as Multiple !spect .olour-5ight
signalling 0M!.51

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