Who controls train signals?

Absolute signals are sometimes also known as “interlocking plant signals,” or more commonly today, “control points.” They received the name because these signals are typically operated in a control center by members of the Centralized Train Control (CTC).



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Usually the signals are manually controlled from a remote office. Outside CTC limits, a sophisticated ABS system that can detect train direction also will use them to protect movement between sidings. Such a system is termed an Absolute Permissive Block System.

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The short answer is a train dispatcher, a railroad employee who is responsible for directing the movement of trains within a specified territory.

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The position of the train driver differs from that of the conductor in that the former is in charge of running the locomotive while the latter manages the cars, including the crew, passengers and their activities.

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Trains cannot collide with each other if they are not permitted to occupy the same section of track at the same time, so railway lines are divided into sections known as blocks. In normal circumstances, only one train is permitted in each block at a time. This principle forms the basis of most railway safety systems.

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Up until the 1980s, this system was also controlled by human operators. However, when computers started to become more commonplace, more automation was introduced. Nowadays, much of the rail signals are automated, and run thanks to a system called CBTC (Communications Based Train Control).

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Up until the 1980s, this system was also controlled by human operators. However, when computers started to become more commonplace, more automation was introduced. Nowadays, much of the rail signals are automated, and run thanks to a system called CBTC (Communications Based Train Control).

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Some are common, others are unique to a specific railroad. The most constant signals and the easiest to understand are single-head block signals. Red means stop; green means proceed, and yellow means caution or approach, usually indicating that the next signal is red.

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A low-voltage electric current is sent between the two rails via a series of relays like the ones in this photo. When a train approaches, the current runs through the train's metal wheels and axles instead of the relays. This short circuit activates the crossing signal.

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The railways use a train detection systems which can tell signallers exactly where every train is and how fast they are going. There are also systems that can automatically stop trains if the driver doesn't take the correct course of action or passes through a red signal.

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Defective or damaged track circuits and axle counters are leading causes of signal failures. Damage to these components can be caused by moisture penetration, cuts, exposure to high temperatures, or rusting. In some cases, the damage may be caused by cable thieves who have pilfered cables for their copper content.

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Driverless trains have been in operation on the Docklands Light Railway since it opened in 1987, though a train attendant is present to operate the doors and drive the train if needed.

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Automation of London Underground rolling stock has been partially implemented since the introduction of automatic train operation on the Hainault to Woodford section of the Central line in 1964. It is currently in use on six lines. Transport for London plans to extend this to remaining lines by 2023.

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They cannot pass on the same track. If in single track territory, one train must go into a siding and wait for the other train. If the trains are traveling in opposite directions, this is called a “meet if they are traveling in the same direction, is is called a “pass.

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To help the wheels stay on the track their shape is usually slightly conical. This means that the inside of the wheel has a larger circumference than the outside of the wheel. (They also have a flange, or raised edge, on the inner side to prevent the train from falling off the tracks.)

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Over-fatigued drivers and utility workers present a hazard. Waving means you're at least half awake and alert enough to notice a fellow laborer and therefore respond safely if something unexpected happens.

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At night, the air near the ground can have a different temperature than air only a few hundred feet above1. This affects the transmission of sound waves. There is usually less ambient noise after dark, so the distant train sounds louder. As pointed out elsewhere, maybe the trains don't use the horn in daytime.

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