Swiss Railway Signalling - Explained!

In this video, I attempt to explain the two main types of signalling used on railways in Switzerland. L types signals are widespread across the main standard gauge SBB and BLS networks, as well as several private metre gauge systems. The N type signals are a new digital system, and at the time of writing are (to my knowledge) found only on the standard gauge network. These signalling systems are very interesting, and in the case of L type, very complicated, and are quite a contrast to what viewers may be used to in Australia, the UK and US.
Please note that I have made this video as a hobby only, and while every attempt has been made to provide correct information, I am not an expert and do not work for the railways. I also live on the other side of the world and only speak English, so there is a slight risk of some information lost in translation. Any corrections will be noted at the bottom of this description.
I have made several other videos on signalling systems from around the world, you can see the full list here: • Railway Signalling Exp...
Railways in Austria use an interesting system that is very similar to the Swiss L type, you can learn about them here: • Austrian Railway Signa...
For more general Swiss railway and tramway videos have a look at this list: • Swiss Rail Transport
If you want to learn more on this topic, there's a very detailed wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_r...
Corrections:
In the video I say when a main 'L type' signal shows stop, the attached distant always turns off. Apparently this is not always correct, and the distant remains lit on some signals.
#railways #switzerland #trains

[@jslonisch]

Wow. This makes the French signalling system look like a model of clarity and intuitive obviousness.

[@Isochest]

Is there a video somewhere about French signalling?

[@markvogel5872]

Ah the French...where there is what 5 ways of showing stop? Guidon d'arret/ semaphore/carré/carré violet/ disque...did I get them all!?

[@shroomzed2947]

Am I the only one who doesn’t find this that confusing? There are a number of combinations to remember but it’s not difficult. If you want an obtuse system, look at the Canadian system. Now THAT’S a head scratcher.

[@zoqaeski]

Swiss signalling isn't as complicated as you think, it's just based around completely different principles to what is common in the Anglosphere. German-style semaphore signals have three aspects: Stop (horizontal arm), Proceed (one raised semaphore arm), and Proceed at reduced speed (two raised semaphore arms). Every home signal requires a distant signal, and the two types of signal are generally distinct (semaphore arms for Home signals, and rotating discs for Distant signals). The Distant aspects indicate Expect Stop, Expect Proceed, and Expect Reduced Speed. Swiss Type L signals simply take the night aspects of the semaphore signals and add extra lights to indicate speeds other than 40 km/h. Austrian signals (and German Hp signals) use illuminated numerical displays instead. The Type N signals also have Home and Distant signals; Home signals have a circular border (and can display Stop), and Distant signals have a square border (and cannot display Stop). Places with German-derived signalling practices (which is basically all of Europe outside of the UK and France) have far fewer signals than in England because a core part of their signalling ideology is that routes need to be protected and locked. German interlocking does not lock points levers together; instead, there is a separate bank of "route levers" that lock the points levers and release the signal lever for the given route. Larger interlockings are often divided into districts where smaller signalboxes oversee the routes running past them, and the boxes are coordinated by a central signalbox. In order for a train to be signalled into a station, the central signalbox would issue a command to release a route, and then the subordinate signalboxes would set the points, lock the route, and clear the signal. Track circuits prevent the route from being released until the train has passed. There's more details to it than that, of course, but once you understand the logic behind it, the entire system makes a lot more sense than the British signalling system.

[@osasunaitor]

From what I understand, most of Western Europe uses the British system of combined signals. At least I know for sure that France (as you said), Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Netherlands do too. On the other hand, most of Eastern Europe uses a system inspired by the German model of distinct home and distant signals. While the former is simpler and more intuitive, the latter conveys more specific information to the drivers

[@zoqaeski]

@@osasunaitor This is incorrect. Modern colour light signals in all these places have tended to converge on simplified aspects, but they are not the same as the British system. French signals might look like they have similar aspects to British signals, but the historical development of them is completely different. French mechanical lever frames were an evolution of the Saxby design. French mechanical signals were unlike anywhere else in the world, as they favoured boards that rotated around a vertical axis (though semaphores were also used). French signalling is not simple-they have several ways of indicating Stop, each with subtle variations in the rulebook. They use speed signalling rather than route signalling, but speed restrictions apply from the first turnout, not the signal. The Iberian countries were heavily influenced by France and other European countries. Belgium and the Netherlands used a mix of German, Austrian, and British influences with local additions. The lever frames were based on the Siemens & Halske design, very similar to the Austrian standard pattern. Turnouts and signals were exclusively worked by double wires. Signals were typically route signals, similar to Britain, with separate arms for each route. Belgium adapted the double-wire method of working for three-position signals using combination mechanisms that functioned similarly in principle to British "slotted" signals. Block instruments were the standard German type, though were set up so that the line defaulted to blocked and signallers had to request permission to send a train. Modern Belgian and Dutch signals are speed signalling systems, with illuminated numbers that indicate the speed that applies from either the current or the next signal.

[@osasunaitor]

@@zoqaeski okay it's obvious that your knowledge is vastly superior to mine. When I mentioned British and German signal types I thought we were talking about the differences between the most prominent signalling methods that other countries have used as inspiration, but I admit that my knowledge here is incomplete.

[@elia_berti]

There's an European country you didn't mention which is a big exception: Italy! Italian signalling is very different from all the other European ones, and derived from the American system (so similar to the one used in Victoria too). A clear sign of that is that there are red+something aspects, while other European systems, be it french, German or British derived, never mix red with anything else afaik

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

One should watch the Sydney train videos, their signalling is the easiest of all!

[@jamesbayer3610]

Cette information en Français serait la bienvenue. Merci à vous pour le travail effectué.

[@tm4609]

Excellent video! Clear and concise.

[@officialmcdeath]

Thank you, finally made sense of the Swiss system after numerous attempts - will come back to this as an occasional refresher \m/

[@Luigi-uj5ml]

I really like French signaling for two essential reasons: 1st reason, each signal has only one aspect (for example, there is no more than one aspect of distant, called "Avertissement", as is the case in Italy); 2nd reason, the denomination of the light signals for which there was already a mechanical signal remains identical. Therefore there are no clear or open signals: the distant is only yellow, the Carrè is only two reds vertically or horizontally, the Sémaphore is only a red light and so on. Only when there is no signal to show does the green light appear, which in itself is not an aspect of the Avertissement, the Carrè, the Disque rouge etc. The green light indicates that there is no restrictive information to provide and that's it. With mechanical signaling, during the day the driver would only see the thin side, i.e. the thickness, of the rosette.

[@Taitset]

You can check out all my other signal explainer videos here: kzbin.info/aero/PLXmkoPHEvd7plwYBLpBWJEoMmcpy2dwYW

[@Luigi-uj5ml]

Good evening, not always "When the Home signal shows 'STOP', the attached Distant signal turns off" as is the case for all similar signals of the German railways (former West German railways). In Switzerland there are still many Home signals whose attached Distant signal never switches off, even when the main signal shows the most restrictive aspect (red light).

[@KristvanBesien]

The SBB has btw pretty much stopped upgrading L-type to N-type signals. In stead they are now upgrading lines entirely to ETCS L2 whenever a sector's signalling has reached EOL. On of the first places this has happened is around Montreux, where now on the main line all signals have disappeared.

[@osasunaitor]

Well that's sad, signalling is one of the most interesting aspects of railways in my opinion... In my country (Spain) the lines equipped with ETCS keep trackside signals. In fact, there are certain signal aspects that are used exclusively in those lines to filter trains with ETCS from those without: -Red + blue = trains not equipped with ETCS L2 must stop -Red + flashing blue = trains not equipped with ETCS L1 or L2 must stop

[@lorirocks777]

1:15 Switzerland is actually the only country I know where the statement you made doesn't hold true. It's only the case with modern L signals. About half of signals showing STOP still include a lit distance signal with two orange lights. In Germany and Austria however, the distance signal is always off.

[@Taitset]

Thanks for the correction! In my two trips to Switzerland I never saw a red signal with the distant lit, and there aren't any in any of my photos. I will make a note in the video description.

[@Taitset]

Of course now that you've pointed it out to me I've started noticing it in other people's photos! :)

[@Andrei1396]

Very interesting! Appreciate your efforts! Keep up the great work! Would love to see more signalling systems from all over the world.

[@Taitset]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I do have a few more in the pipeline.

[@paulw.woodring7304]

If you are interested in U. S. signalling, there are a couple of people putting those out on YT, including "Distant Signal" from Florida, who has done stuff with CSX and maybe some other signal systems. As a former U. S. locomotive engineer I can tell you he does a fairly good job of explaining them.

[@Luigi-uj5ml]

At the time when the color or light green meant danger, slowdown etc., in Switzerland the main mechanical signal showed a green light at night to indicate "clear". The mechanical distant signal instead showed two green lights placed horizontally at night to signal a "no way warning". The disk was green with the usual slanted white band. When it then changed from green to yellow to indicate slowdown etc., the disk had turned orange and showed two yellow lights horizontally. When turned to indicate green light warning, it originally showed two white lights horizontally and later two green lights. It is therefore curious that in the past the green light was used both to provide an indication of the green light and to announce a signal intended to indicate that the way is blocked!

[@kevinmottram9491]

Very informative video, thank you. I had always wanted to know what the numbers underneath some signals meant, now I know!

[@Jensiswelt]

Danke dafür wollte ich unbedingt wissen war vor 4 Wochen in der Schweiz im Urlaub erst in Davos dann in Frutigen war mega cool 😊 ich denke es gibt auch Unterschiede bei den SBB Signalen und den RHB richtig 😊

[@sidney001]

Thank you for the explanation, But what an overly complex way of signalling a railway

[@tramlink8544]

its an overly complex railway

[@emeraldzebra9360]

I find swiss one of the simplest to follow right after our UK ones. German are quite hard though.

[@DanCojocaru2000]

It depends which German system, they have many.

[@brianmills6720]

A very comprehensive outline of colour light signalling but having just watched various excellent in-cab videos of Swiss Railway journeys made in the last three years, there are many variants seen on the trackside which although constructed to the same shapes as those on this particular video, leave some questions on how they are interpreted. The aspects are not very large and certainly are not searchight- type and don't appear to be very brilliant from approach at varying angles. It is very evident that in-cab audible signals are activated by the state of the displayed signal, particularly when a Yellow aspect is included. The author has used the word ORANGE. Do the Swiss translations for their staff translate the colour as ORANGE or do they use GELB? Certainly UK signalling has always use the word YELLOW for distant signal aspects, and deprecates the use of AMBER so am I to assume that although the actual illuminated aspect is nearer orange, its signalling term should be yellow. Orange is never used in UK signalling systems.

[@RTSRafnex2]

The swiss translation (at least in german) is GELB. I think the pictures in official documents also show it as yellow, but I'm not 100% sure. Wikipedia calls it "Brandgelb" (that's a RAL color, "fire yellow" in english), but I don't know if that's official.

[@likornnoir]

@@RTSRafnex2 Gelb (yellow) in german speaking part, but in the french speaking part the official documents say "orange". :)

[@smhorse]

In the British context, "amber" is used for road traffic, not rail traffic which uses "yellow" instead.

[@cainabel2553]

On video very often I don't see anything, and on old French videos the colors look very wrong.

[@rayposo1104]

In broader terms, in Switzerland things that have to do with signalling are color coded by regulations depending on their function. In this case there is a distinction between ORANGE and YELLOW: - Orange is for anything that has to do with "slowing down" and calling attention (signal lights etc.) - Yellow is for everything related to electrical current

[@paulhargreaves1497]

Now I need to make some (with LEDs) in N Gauge!

[@EwanMarshall]

with all the multilight aspects that are lower speed restrictions, this has some issues. Like what if it should be showing two greens but only one is lit. It seems to be this is setup to the wrong side of the failiure mode in most cases.

[@paulbislin8471]

Every bulb‘s electrical current draw is measured, if it dosen‘t draw an electrical current the signal falls back to stop.

[@tramlink8544]

theres failsafes, if theres a fault with a light the signal automatically shows stop

[@EwanMarshall]

@@tramlink8544 Yes, and assuming the world works perfectly every time that is fine.

[@EwanMarshall]

@@paulbislin8471 Still assumes not-lit is purely electrical, what if it is not-lit as there is so much grim on it one might have just used an opaque black lens, and that your current monitoring is working reliably (though the way I would do that, it would be, still an possibility someone screws that up). Ultimately there are still failiure modes that having more lights for lower speed can cause an issue. Less lights for the more restrictive aspect is safer as that naturally gives us the more restrictive state as normal. It is another failsafe, another place to catch an issue so we aren't relying on a specific set of failsafes for failiure modes that might not apply.

[@osasunaitor]

​@@EwanMarshall look, I understand what you mean, but instead of making such an arrogant statement you should think that the Swiss Railways (which have the reputation of being one of the best in the world) should know what they are doing better than you.

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

Any more like this, I've watched Sydney & Melbourne videos? Like France, Norway etc.? Also the Lettering on the catenary's like H, Nf etc.

[@Taitset]

The only other one I've made so far is Austria: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWW6fJ6Har-LfpI

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

@@Taitset Thank you, I've got Melbourne, Sydney and Austria! I download them because of connection issues... May be later, Other European countries? When you have time of course, again, thank you!

[@Taitset]

@@jonathonshanecrawford1840 No worries, I might do France at some point! I'm also making an updated Melbourne one with narration.

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

@@Taitset has anyone made a video about the safety devices "Train Stop" ATP & ATC, the Australian/New Zealand train brakes like using air pressure to release the brakes on all of the trains?

[@TeimonKauppa739]

2:40 and 0:47 MY FAV PLACE WHERE I LIVE!!!!!!

[@aqibexplorer529]

And you forget about white flashing aspect in narrow gauge lines means good to go

[@tramlink8544]

not always, theres also white flashing for push to stop stations in narrow gaurge, and flashing yellow ''control lights'' to indicate that a rail crossings barriers are down

[@osasunaitor]

I have a problem with the N type. Imagine that a signal must display a speed restriction and the next one is at Stop. The signal would show an orange number (because of the restriction, 6:19 ) and an orange light (because of the next stop aspect, 6:00 ). But... according to 6:35 an orange light with an orange number means "proceed at line speed, next has a restriction" How is this situation handled by N signals?? I have a feeling that you left out some important aspects of this signal type

[@Taitset]

Great question, I'm not sure of the answer, and haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. My best guess would be that you would get an orange/40 followed by an orange/flashing bar then the red. Hopefully a Swiss driver will come through the comments and have the answer!

[@DanCojocaru2000]

The N type of signal is based on the Dutch signals, and it does not display the current restriction if a more restrictive aspect is coming, and instead it assumes you remember what the last signal showed. As an example, let's say there are 6 blocks, with these limits: line speed, line speed, 80, 80, 60, occupied. In this case, the signals for entering those blocks would show green, orange+80, green+80, orange+60, orange, red. When passing the orange signal that warns of the upcoming red, the system assumed you remember the previous signal showed orange+60 and therefore you have slowed down to 60 already.

[@osasunaitor]

@@DanCojocaru2000 okay, that's very informative, thank you! So it's a very simplified system compared to the L type, I wonder if Swiss drivers had any confusions at first when this system was adopted

[@DanCojocaru2000]

@@osasunaitor Well, they likely had to train for it enough to not feel confusdd, but the system feels decently intuitive. Essentially, yellow says that you need to go slower than you currently are by the next signal, while green confirms the speed you are allowed to go. Green+60 = you are allowed to go 60 km/h. Green alone = you are allowed to go at line speed. Yellow+60 = you must slow down to 60 km/h. Yellow alone = you must slow down to 0 km/h. Thinking of it in terms of two different commands as opposed to the meaning of the blocks ahead probably helps with understanding the system.

[@osasunaitor]

@DanCojocaru2000 yes, it sounds intuitive enough, however I assume that being used to the more complex L type of home+distant informations it would require an effort for drivers to get used to these and to the lack of "home" information

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

It is nice _(not France)_ that the trains drive on the left like Australia, UK, NZ and Japan! And the railway gauge is 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in). Interesting they drive on the right-hand side of the road, opposite of the trains! My question is, what is the *_H_* mean on the catenary mean?

[@philippjorda4671]

The H means there is a train stop (not Station) in braking distance. This is important because train stops ,opposed to Stations, do not have an entry signal.

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

@@philippjorda4671 Ah! Like the French "S" doesn't indicate station ahead, it means whistle, even though modern trains don't have whistles _(some sound like they have)_ as modern trains have air horns!

[@philippjorda4671]

@@jonathonshanecrawford1840 We also have whisle Signs, even though we don't really use trains anymore that actually can whistle

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

@@philippjorda4671 Just like some humans, they can't whistle either! 😃What would the whistle signs look like? I just thought the driver knew when to blow the horn!

[@philippjorda4671]

@@jonathonshanecrawford1840 they are rectangular with triangle black/white from one corner to the opposing corner. You can find them called "Pfeiftafel SBB"

[@heartsfordays6336]

in USA we call the orange light yellow because in USA they are more yellow then orange

[@Taitset]

Yes I think pretty much all English speaking countries call it yellow.

[@johnmcmillan59]

0:36 background picture shows a green signal with an approaching train occupying the track, doesn't look right!

[@Taitset]

It's hard to tell with the tight cropping, but that signal applies to the next track on the right.

[@helilebon2383]

Ich habe gedacht, es sei auf Deutsch.

[@Bhartiya_Railworld]

Thank God Indian Railway Signalling system has quite Simple

[@MrSvenovitch]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Belgian signals are the simplest, what a bunch of headache inducing chumps these Swiss who came up with this...

[@Thomas_TdK]

Belgian simplest? The dutch signals and signal system is the best. Even belgium traindrivers say so.

[@Slithermotion]

Most of swiss railway system is already ETCS 2, only a time to get rid of signaling completly.

[@lorirocks777]

@@Slithermotion Not most, hardly anything

[@paulbislin8471]

@@Slithermotion only Gotthard base tunnel, Lötschberg base tunnel and the high-speed part of the line between Zurich and Bern is equipped with ETCS Level 2, the rest of the country is ETCS Level 1LS, and SBB has decided against further use of Level 2.

[@jurgenjrgensenkragjarvis2878]

@@paulbislin8471 so it will stay level 1?

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

SPEED OR GEOGRAPHICAL SIGNALLING. (The two major methods used Worldwide). Swiss signalling is effectively the old semaphore signal system simply using coloured lights. And as with nearly all European signalling systems, gets its "knickers" in a real twist when it comes to Junctions. It is of course like most European systems described as a "Speed" signalling method, which does NOT mean it helps trains go faster. Quite the contrary, when compared to the alternative (Geographical Signalling) it slows everything down. The British 4 Aspect Geographical signalling methods, typical on virtually all BUSY mainline routes. Allows for trains at 2 minute intervals, and gives stupidly simple indications for the next THREE signals ahead !! As train drivers must be told EXACTLY which track they will change to at any Junction, or complex Station, a Geographical display method is fitted to the signal before the optional routes. Clearly indicating EXACTLY which track the train is routed too ! Speed of ANY route is NOT displayed or necessary on signals. As British train Drivers have to memorise every tiny detail of EVERY route they need to drive trains on. Which includes EVERY speed limit of the whole route, even if that means memorising hundreds of speed limits for curves, crossovers, or Junctions !!! Indeed this system also means that even at complex stations British trains can race through any station at up to 125mph (200km/h), only restricted by possible curvature, as the Driver has memorised the speed of EVERY track, before he ever drives a train.