Miscellaneous Signals

Signale für das Zugpersonal Signal for the train staff
Fahrleitungssignale Catenary signals
Signale an Zügen Signals at trains
Signale an einzelnen Fahrzeugen Signals at single vehicles
Rottenwarnsignale Gang Warning Signals

Signale für das Zugpersonal / Signals for the Train Staff

aspect

description

Zp 1

===

Achtungssignal/Attention signal: a long tone:
Call attention, acknowledge a signal, warn before level crossings etc.

Zp 2

Fasten hand brakes lightly. A short tone.

Zp 3

o o o

Fasten hand brakes strongly. Three short tones.

Zp 4

=== ===

Loosen hand brakes. Two long tones.

Zp 5

o o o o o o o o o

Notsignal/Emergency signal: Three tones quickly repeated multiple times:
Something extraordinary has happened. Stop and help.

Zp 6

Apply brake. Left light signal. Right night hand signal.
At daylight: raise both hands and slap them together above the head.
At night: raise light in a semi-circle and move down quickly

Zp 7

Release brake. Hand signal is: Move hand (at night a white light) in a semi-circle above the head multiple times.

Zp 8

Brake ok

.
At daylight: hold both hands raised,
at night, move white light in the manner of a tilted '8' multiple times.

Zp 9

Abfahren / Starting Order Signal.
May be given also by hand, verbal order, or lantern. The signal with the green vertical bar is obsolete.

Zp 10

Zp 8

Türen schließen

Türen schließen / Close doors

The "T" symbol is only used at S-Bahn urban railways

Zp 11

=== o ===

Kommen / Come! Used to call in trains into stations without entry signal or to call personnel. A long tone a short and a long tone.

Zp 12

o o === o

Grenzzeichenfrei / Train stands clear of points. See also signal Ra 12.

Fahrleitungssignale / Catenary Signals

El 1v

Signal El 1 erwarten (Expect an El 1):
This signal is shown only where necessary. It is then usually mounted at half braking distance before an El 1.

El 1

Ausschaltsignal (Switch-off signal): Main switch must be off when passing this signal.

El 1/2

An El 1 mounted above an El 2:
Schaltsignal für verkürzte Schutzstrecken (Switch signal for short protection tracks): Main switch must be off when passing this signal. It may be turned on after passing the signal when catenary voltage has returned

El 2

Einschaltsignal (Switch-on signal): Main switch may be turned on after this signal

El 3

"Bügel Ab"-Ankündesignal (Lower pantograph announcement signal): Expect El 4.
Placed at least 250 m before El 4.

El 4

"Bügel ab"-Signal (Lower pantograph signal): Panto must be completely down when passing this signal

El 5

"Bügel an"-Signal (Raise pantograph signal): Panto may be raised after this signal

El 6

Halt für Fahrzeuge mit gehobenen Stromabnehmern (Stop for vehicles with raised pantographs): Usually announces end of catenary.

El 6

At system changes, i.e. at borders where the type of catenary changes (e.g. from German zigzag to the Swiss zigzag), the El 6 may be combined with a board indicating the change.

[El 7]

El 7

[obsolete]
(Berlin urban railway only) Interrupt Power by releasing the drive switch.

El-Zuordnungstafel

Zuordnungstafel (assignment board)
At points used above an El signal to indicate which line the El signal is intended for.
If the El signals is valid either for both ways, or there are more points in short distance after another, two arrows may be used.

15 kV 16,7 Hz Gleichstrom

Supplemental boards that may be placed below an El 2 or El 5 at boundary between power systems (at border crossings):
Power must not be turned on / panto must not be raised unless loco has been adjusted to posted power system. (15kV AC or DC in these examples)

ICE-Zusatztafel

Used at ICE high speed lines after an El 5 to indicate that the rear engine has now passed the El 5, so that both front and rear pantos may be raised.

Elektrische Streckentrennung - Anfang / Ende
Electric Line Section - begin / end
Marks the section area where trains must not stop with pantos raised.

Signale an Zügen / Signals at Trains

Zg 1/
Zg 1a

Spitzensignal / Headlights
If first vehicle is neither loco nor control car the signal Zg 1b is used.
Locos assisting in rear also use the Zg 1 if they are not coupled to the train.

Zg 1b

Spitzensignal / Headlights for leading vehicles which are neither loco nor control car, or where the upper light cannot be mounted.

Zg 2

Schlußsignal / Tail signal. The two red lights may be flashing, although this is uncommon.

On some instances, especially goods trains, red-and-white boards may be used instead of rear lights. If train is equipped with lights, then these must be used and no other signals (i.e. the boards) are permitted.

[Obsolete] To permit French or Danish boards, yellow-and-red boards were once listed in the signal book. As European regulations have been harmonized on using the German design, this exception has been dropped

[Zg 102]

Zg 102

[obsolete, deleted from the Signal Book]
Vereinfachtes Schlußsignal / Simplified Tail Signal. A red disc with white border, usually hung at the rear coupling.

Signale an einzelnen Fahrzeugen / Signals at Single Vehicles

Fz 1

Rangierlokomotivsignal / Signal for shunting loco
One light front and rear. If unsecured level crossings are travelled, signal Zg 1a has to be used instead.

Fz 2

Gelbe Fahne / Yellow Flag
Marks occupied staff cars that are not part of a train. At night the cars must be visibly illuminated from inside.

Rottenwarnsignale / Gang Warning Signals

Ro 1

Caution! Vehicles approaching in the track next to the working track.
A long two-frequency tone

Ro 2

Clear working track.
Two long tones with different frequency

Ro 3

Clear working track immediately!
Two short tones with different frequency, repeated at least five times.

Ro 4

Flag Board.
Marks the side of the track where to leave to in case of signals Ro 2 or Ro 3.