German Railway Signalling - Schutzsignale

Schutzsignale

Schutzsignale = guard signals. These signals guard shunting movements. Shunting movements do not leave a station whereas train movements do. These signals are sometimes combined with main signals, which is the reason why main signals sometimes have one red light and sometimes two. Historically, shunting movements were allowed to ignore main signals. They had to stop only at main signals with two red lights, because a double red light means Hp0 (stop for train movements) and additionally Sh0 (stop for shunting movements). When they were allowed to pass this signal, it showed a red and two white lights, still forbidding train movements (Hp0 + Sh1). After a change, a red always means stop for all movements. Therefore only one red light is needed. A double red has the same meaning and Sh0 is now nearly equal to Hp0 and will be replaced in most cases.

Sh0:

A white circle with a black line horizontally across it, mounted on a black box; or, two horizontally-mounted red lights. It means Fahrverbot (literally "movement forbidden"), and all train and shunting movements must stop short of it. 'Black box' indicators fixed at aspect Sh0 are commonly found mounted on buffer stops.

Sh1:

A white circle with a black diagonal line across it, mounted on a black box; or, two white lights aligned diagonally (sometimes with a red light as well). It means "shunting movements allowed but train movements forbidden".

Sh2:

A rectangular red plate used at the end of the track or where the line is blocked, for example by engineering works. It displays a single red light by night.