Scribd
Upload
858 views

Distance Between Two Consecutive Signals Will Depend On

There are two train signaling systems used in Indian Railways: absolute block system and automatic block system. Under the absolute block system, reception signals including double distant, distant, and home signals are spaced 1 km apart leading up to a station, while dispatch signals like loop line starter, main line starter, and advanced starter are spaced with 120 meters between the last trailing points and advanced starter. Signal spacing depends on the braking distance of trains, with longer distances needed at higher speeds to warn trains in advance. The automatic block system similarly spaces signals every 1-1.5 km in block sections controlled by track circuits or axle counters.

Uploaded by

Ashok Kumar Rajanavar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
858 views

Distance Between Two Consecutive Signals Will Depend On

There are two train signaling systems used in Indian Railways: absolute block system and automatic block system. Under the absolute block system, reception signals including double distant, distant, and home signals are spaced 1 km apart leading up to a station, while dispatch signals like loop line starter, main line starter, and advanced starter are spaced with 120 meters between the last trailing points and advanced starter. Signal spacing depends on the braking distance of trains, with longer distances needed at higher speeds to warn trains in advance. The automatic block system similarly spaces signals every 1-1.5 km in block sections controlled by track circuits or axle counters.

Uploaded by

Ashok Kumar Rajanavar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Distance between two consecutive signals will depend on ‘Systems of Train Working'.

There are mainly two systems are used in Indian Railways for running the train. First is
'ABSOLUTE BLOCK SYSTEM'. And Second is 'AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM'. Now I will
take one by one.

• ABSOLUTE BLOCK SYSTEM

In this system only one train is permitted to run between two consecutive stations.
Hence signals are provided in station limit only. At a road side small station, say
double line section, there will be a station yard consisting of two main lines and two
loop lines. Now how signals are provided for this yard. At train entering
end Reception Signals  will be there. And at train exit end Despatch Signals  will be
there. I am describing below the signalling at Rajdhani routes or Trunk Routes.

• RECEPTION SIGNALS

1) Double Distant Signal

2) Distant Signal

3) Home Signal

Here the distance between above signals will be 1 kilometre i.e. Home signal to
Distant signal is 1 km and Distant signal to Double Distant signal is again 1 km.

And Home signal is placed at a distance of 180 meters from outer most ‘POINTS’.
POINTS means the system of rails which diverts a train from main line to loop line.

• DESPATCH SIGNALS

1) Loop Line Starter Signal

2) Main Line Starter Signal

3) Advanced Starter Signal

Starter signal as it's name for starting the train from the station. Main Line trains can
go through and may stop also if required. Loop line trains mostly stop at station and
then start. It may pass through also but with restricted speed of not more than 30
kmph.

Advanced starter signal is the last signal of that station in that direction. It permits
the Train Driver to run with maximum permissible speed upto the next station and
observe the Reception Signals of the next station.
Now the distance between Starter signal to Advanced Starter Signal - It is 120 meters
from the last Trailing POINTS. In big yards this distance may extend upto 550 meters
or more for facilitating shunting of trains in yard.

The importance of inter signal distance is important in case of Reception Signals as


train is approaching to these signals with maximum permissible speed of 130/120
kmph.

• THE THEORY BEHIND INTER SIGNAL DISTANCE.

The theory behind inter signal distance is THE BREAKING DISTANCE  of a train. It
depends on speed of the train, load of the train, gradient and wind speed too. But
mostly we cater for speed of the train as Load of the train and gredient in station
yard is stipulated. Wind speed is taken care of and not affect much.

For 100 kmph speed the Normal Breaking Distance is 966 meters. For this speed only
one DISTANT SIGNAL in ahead of Home Signal is sufficient. This system was in force
upto 1995. But when Rajdhani Express speed was increased to 120 or 130 kmph then
Normal Breaking Distance increased to approx 1600 meters. Hence the need of a
second DISTANT SIGNAL which is also called DOUBLE DISTANT SIGNAL is felt. Thus
the train Driver is warned of the Home Signal position in rear of 2000 meters. One
thing I forgot to tell that Home Signal is a stop signal and DISTANT SIGNALS are only
warning signals of the Home Signal aspect. DISTANT SIGANALS don't have RED
aspect. It only have Single Yellow, Double Yellow and Green aspects.

• AUTOMATIC BLOCK SYSTEM

The same theory of Breaking Distance will apply here. The difference is that in this
system Signals are placed continuously in Block Sections also at a distance between 1
km. to 1.5 Kms. Here signals are controlled through Track circuits or Axle Counters.

You might also like