French Railways Signalling Pack

Pack of signals based on those present on the french classical (non high-speed) railway network.

There are eight types of signals with six of them (identified by letters) divided in several subgroups.

These subgroups are organized by block system (automatic, restricted and manual), permissivity (labelled F or Nf in the graphics), if they are erasable or not (the erasable state presents a St-Andrew cross that lits if the train is in the block) and if there is a yellow bar (present only for signals that don’t present theshunting states).

The signal states in the mod files are presented from the most restrictive to the least one with the state 0 being for inactive/unlit (present for flashing animations) and state 1 being for the closed state (carré if it’s an non-permissive signal, semaphore if it’s a permissive one). On non-permissive signals the carré should always be the default state while on the permissive ones it should be the clear (or caution if the signal after it has a Nf marking).

The different types are :

The type A is the signal used for train spacing it’s most restrictive state is the semaphore

The type C is the main protection signal it’s most restrictive state is the carré or carré violet if there is shunting

The type F is the signal used to announce a slow down to 30 or 60 km/h (if flashing), if permissive or not it’s most restrictive state can show either the semaphore or the carré or carré violet (if shunting)

The type H is the signal used to enforce the slow down to 30 or 60 km/h (if flashing) or announcing one, it’s most restrictive state can show the carré or carré violet (if shunting)

The type I is the main signal used for shunting and shows only the white light and the carré violet

The type R is used in restrictad automatic and manual blocks as a warning signal, in automatic blocks it is used on tracks equipped for running in the opposite direction

The stop bar is used in sidings to indicate the end of the maneuver zone instead of a hand signal

The TLC (Tableau Lumineux de Correspondance) is used in depots and sidings to protect any converging track

Each type of signal has also a cancelled variant that can be used as a marker purely for decoration

The different states are :

– Carré – square (red) : not permissive, protects a dangerous point (switches, neutral zone…)
– Carré Violet – purple square (purple) : same as the red one but only for shunting maneuvers, it replaces the carré as the most restrictive signal
– Semaphore (red) : permissive in automatic block, after stopping before it, the train can wait or continue on sight if nothing opposes it. In restriced and manual block this signal is also non-permissive
-Disk (red and yellow) : used with type R signals it imposes to drive on sight until stopping at the dangerous point or clearing the zone (with a clear signal)
– Caution (yellow) : warns the next signal is closed (either semaphore or carré)
– Yellow bar : used with caution, it warns that the track is partially occupied (for coupling or to have two trains per track going on opposite directions)
– Slow and slow reminder : warns that the switch(es) will be passed at 30 or 60 km/h (if flashing)
– Clear (green) : the next block is clear
– White : same as clear but for shunting maneuvers

On the TLC the states are :

– Red and white square : the track is closed
– T : the track is cleared for shunting (if flashing : the track is opened to exit but the exit signal is closed)
– SLD (Signal Lumineux de Départ -+ Departure signal) : same as flashing T if the exit signal is opened

The restricted automatic block signals have a "PR" marking on them (PR from BAPR : Block Automatique à Permissivité Restreinte), the manual block signals have a "BM" marking (BM for Block Manuel).

If the signal has an F marking on it it means that it is permissive for automatic block and is only used for spacing while the Nf marking stands for the non-permissive signals and is placed for protection.

There are also for each automatic block signal type, a version with the yellow bar and a erasable version (partial cancelling) for cab-signalling and 2TMV (basically two trains that can occupy the same track and leave in different directions)

Icon picture from Florian Pépellin[commons.wikimedia.org]