THE SIGNAL CABIN

In a Signal Cabin the following will be found. - The lever frame or a panel incases of color light signals. A diagram of the station layout displayed above the lever frame, communication system comprising of telephones, radio etc, the train working instruments. At places, depending on the size of the cabin, the communications, train working instruments etc may be in a separate room.

Lever frames vary in size and can have anything up to Sixty levers, once again depending on the size and layout of a station.

The photo shows the cabin at Bloemspruit station, which as can be seen on the diagram has only two sets of points which are operated from the cabin Twelve levers are installed to control the necessary train movements in and/or through the station.

From the above it will be noted that the levers controlling signals are always red, excepting the Outer home signal which is not an absolute stop signal , red and green. Points are always black/white/blue.

On the description plate behind each lever numbers may be found at the bottom of the description. E.g. No 3 has the numbers 5 and 8. These numbers are a guideline to help the Signalman should he be not to well acquainted with a particular station. According to the diagram no 5 and 8 are the points on either side of the station. No 3 lever controls the Home signal to the loop and the numbers 5 and 8 tell you that both these levers have to be thrown before you can get no 3. Should no 5 or 8 not be thrown no 3 stays locked and cannot be operated. All levers which are interlocked with any other lever will display the numbers at the bottom

Semaphore signals are fixed signals and comprise the following:

The posts carrying semaphore signals have arms for day signaling and distinctive color lights for night. The arms to be observed by the driver are those on the left side of the post.

The normal position of semaphore signals is at danger, excepting the Tram crossing signal, which is in the All right position. The signal arm is horisontal in the danger position and raised half way in the all right position. At night the signal displays a red light for danger and green for all right.

EXCEPTIONS. —The Distant signal has no danger position. The arm in the horisontal position indicates caution and all right when raised half way. At night a yellow light is displayed for caution and green for all right. The wrong road signal displays a purple light in the all right position.

Semaphore signals are provided to indicate on which line train or shunting movements may be made. The signal is placed 100 feet from the facing points.

All square ended arms are "absolute stop signals. The Outer home has a pointed arm and is a stop and proceed signal. The Distant signal has a fishtail arm and merely indicates caution,

All signal arms are painted red with a white stripe on the front and white with a black stripe on the back.

THE HOME SIGNAL

The home signal can consist of any number of arms, depending on the layout of the station. The arms may be mounted on one post, in which case the top arm will be standard size and the others smaller. The arms may also be mounted on separate posts in which case they are all standard, but at different heights. The highest arm always indicates the Main line, or the line with the least curvature. The lower arms are for the running lines on the left or right hand side. In the case of signals on separate arms, the lower signals can be either on the left or right hand side of the main line (top) signal, or on either side, depending on the layout of the station.

The signals and points (switches) are interlocked. It is impossible to set a signal for any line unless the points on both sides of the station are set for that specific line. The majority of the stations also have what is known as a Safety Bar. This is a length of angle iron mounted between and very close to one of the rails of the main line and crossing loops. When a train comes to a stop in a station the driver must always stop so that at least one vehicle’s wheels stand on the Safety bar. Before a signal can be set in the "all right" position, the Signalman must first operate a lever, which is coupled to the Safety bar. When the lever is operated it lifts the Safety bar and sets it down on the opposite side of the pins on which it swivels. This then releases the lever to set the signal. Should a vehicle however be standing on the Safety bar the lever cannot be operated as the wheels prevent the Safety bar from lifting and thus unlocking the levers that control the signals.

Stations with color light signals do not have Safety bars as track circuits protect the lines. This may also be the case where a station is at the entrance of a tokenless or CTC section

The home signal may not be passed at danger excepting in the following cases.

1. A calling on signal which relates to the same line as the home signal is at "all right"
2. The home signal is defective.
3. It is necessary to admit a train onto an occupied or obstructed line.
4. The home signal does not relate to the line on which the train is to be admitted.
5. Abnormal working. E.g. Derailments, wash aways etc.

In cases 2 to 5 a home signal may only be passed at danger if an all right hand signal is displayed at the facing points, and only after the train has come to a standstill at the home signal. In case of 3 the driver must also be orally informed of the circumstances.

THE INTERMEDIATE HOME SIGNAL

Only found at some stations. It was actually a way of extending the station limits. Regulations applicable to the Intermediate home signal are the same as for the Home signal. Distance between the home and intermediate home signal is 900 feet.

THE OUTER HOME SIGNAL

The distance between the Outer home and Intermediate home or home signal if no Intermediate home exists is 1200 feet.

The Outer home signal indicates to a driver in what position the Home/Intermediate home signal is as it can only be operated once the Home/Intermediate home signal is at all right.If the Home/Intermediate home signal is at danger the interlocking locks the outer home and it cannot be operated.

If a driver stops at an Outer home signal at danger, the driver may, if the line ahead is clear, proceed slowly up to the Home signal.

The Outer Home signal was very useful when permissive working was still in operation. It was quite normal to arrive at the Outer Home and find a train ahead, standing at the Home signal still at danger. In such a case a driver could either move forward and stop immediately behind the train ahead, or if the length of the train ahead did not justify it he would wait at the outer home signal. In such a case it was necessary for the guard to walk back and protect his train from following trains.

Permissive working is no longer allowed resulting in many stations having the Outer Home signal removed and replaced with a Warning board. This is done to cut out the unnecessary stopping at the Outer home signal.

The Warning board is a plain board made by attaching two sheets of corrugated iron on two posts. The front is painted white and it has a luminous paint border. The Warning board is placed 2400 feet from the Home signal, or at stations without signals it is placed 2400 from the facing points. It has the same effect that an Outer home signal has; the only difference is that a driver need not stop at a Warning board. A driver must still though pass a Warning board cautiously, as it is possible that a train may be shunting at the station ahead and may be outside the facing points.

THE DISTANT SIGNAL

The Distant signal in normally mounted on the same post as the Outer home signal, in which case it is always at the bottom. It may, if there is no Outer home signal is mounted on a post by itself in which case it will also be 1200 feet from the Home/Intermediate home signal. If mounted by itself the driver does not stop as it indicates "caution" if horisontal.

The Distant signal may only be set in the "all right" position once the necessary token or authority for the train to proceed to the next station, has been obtained, and all signals for the train to run through the station have been set to the "all right" position. In other words it indicates to the driver that he is running right through, on the mainline, as the Distant signal is only applicable to the main line.

THE STARTING AND ADVANCE STARTING SIGNALS (Only applicable to double lines)

Used to control the entrance to a block section on double line working. Where there is an Advance starting signal provided, it is situated 900 feet outside the station and as in the case of the Intermediate home signal also extends the station area.

The Route signal has a small semaphore arm painted red with a white stripe, and mounted on a white disc from which it extends. The route signal stands 50 feet from the clearance mark.

Route signals are used to control train movements at junctions. A single line branching from a single line, double lines running into a single line or single line branching from a double line.

Where there is a single line from single line junction there will be two Route signals. Where they are placed on the same post, the top signal will be for the main line (the line with the least curvature) and the bottom signal for the line branching off to either left or right.

The Route signal in the "all right" position indicates to the driver that the points have been correctly set and the necessary token obtained for his train to enter the following section.

In cases of a single line branching from a double line, the Route signal will be on the same post as the Starting signal. In this case it will be below the Starting signal.

THE GOODS OR SIDING SIGNAL

Mounted on the same post as the home signal or the Starting signal or on a post by itself. When mounted on the same post as the home signal, the same rules as for the home signal apply. An exception is however that when a Home signal is in the "all right" position a driver knows on what line his train is being admitted, either the Main line or Loop lines. The Goods or Siding signals control trains into a goods yard and when passing the signal the driver has to proceed cautiously and look out for a Hand signal, which is displayed by the Controller standing at the points to indicate to the driver on which line his train is entering. Should the driver not see the Controller he may proceed up to, and stop at a board. The board is inscribed; Stop and wait for handsignal. Should the line the train is about to enter be occupied by any vehicles that have still got to be removed, the Controller must stop and warn the driver verbally.

The Goods or Siding signal may also be used as a Starting signal, controlling train movements from a goods yard to a running line. In such cases it will be mounted on post by itself or on the same post, but below the Starting signal. The same rules applying to the Starting signal then apply to the Goods or Siding signal.

THE CALLING ON SIGNAL

The semaphore Calling on signal has a small square ended arm painted red and distinguished by a white diamond on the front. It is fixed on the same post as the home signal, but below.

In case a train must be admitted onto a line which is occupied or fouled, the Calling on signal may, after the train has come to standstill at the home signal, be set in the all right position. The driver must keep a sharp lookout and be prepared to stop in case of unsafe conditions.

THE SHUNT SIGNAL

From the beginning of the century the shunt signal had a small square ended arm, painted red and distinguished by a white letter S. In the 70’s a wise man decided most of the drivers were Afrikaans speaking and could be confused by the letter S, which stood for shunt. It was then decided to make changes so as to make it bilingual. The letter S was then removed and replaced by a white rectangle. The whistle board was also affected. It was a white oval board displaying a letter W for "whistle". The new bilingual board saw the letter W removed leaving a blank board.

The Shunt signal may be mounted on a post by itself or be on the same post as the Starting, Advance starting or Route signal, in which case it is always the lower one.

The Shunting signal is used to control shunting movements in station limits.

THE DEAD END SIGNAL

Similar in appearance but smaller than the Home or Starting signal. The Dead end signal is mounted on the same post as the Home or Starting signals and is used to control train movements into a dead end. The same rules applicable to the Home signal apply.

The Wrong road signal has a skeleton type arm and is normally mounted on the same post as the home signal. It is used to control train movements from the "up" line to the "down"line or vice versa.

The dwarf signal has a miniature square ended arm and is mounted on a short post, about 10 feet from the clearance mark. The dwarf signal is normally used to control shunting movements from a running line to a siding, siding to siding or siding to running line.

The Dwarf signal in the all right position indicates to a driver that the points are set right for the line from which he is about to move for shunting purposes or departing into the next section.

Dwarf signals may also be used to control train movements to the section entry signal where non-token working is in operation.

THE TRAM CROSSING SIGNAL

Similar in appearance to the Home signal etc.

The Tram crossing signal was used in very few places. Mostly at places where you found the narrow gauge (2 feet) sharing the station yards with the standard gauge (3 feet 6 inches) and had to cross over from one side to the other. The signal was applicable to the standard gauge.

Unlike other signals that were normal at Danger, the Tram crossing signal was normally in the "all right" position and only set to danger if it was necessary for the narrow gauge to cross over.

THE GROUND INDICATOR

The Ground Indicator consists of two discs, One painted Red with a white horizontal stripe, and the other painted Yellow with a white horizontal stripe. It is mounted on a short post and coupled directly to a set of Catch points, or a Derailer.

It’s normal position is at "danger" (Red disk facing driver of oncoming locomotive etc) which indicates that the derailer is on the rail, or in the case of catch points, that the blade is in the "Open" position.

Once the derailer is removed from the rail for a shunting movement, the Ground Indicator top turns so that the Yellow disc faces the driver.

Under no circumstances may a Ground Indicator be passed at "danger"

Catch points consist of a single blade, which is open in the normal position and up against the rail for a train to pass over. It serves the same purpose as a Derailer.

A Derailer is a device which when operated lifts and moves over, to come to rest on the rail. The top of the Derailer is flanged in such a way to, if a vehicle goes over it, the wheels are guided to the outside, where they come off the line, thus derailing the vehicle.

Derailers are never used on running lines, only in sidings where vehicles are detached and left for unloading or loading purposes. The reason for installing derailers is to prevent any vehicle left in the siding from moving on its own and fouling any running line from which the siding leads. On downgrades such a vehicle can even pick up speed and run into the section.

Although the rules clearly state that the handbrakes on detached vehicles must be applied, the handbrake cannot be relied upon, and in many cases the people loading or offloading a vehicle release the handbrake and push the vehicle to a better position. In numerous such cases have vehicles been derailed as once the vehicle starts moving the handbrake cannot be applied in time.

RERAILER

Rerailers were once supplied and all locomotives had two on the back of the tender or clamped on the running board. The Rerailer is a frog, grooved down the middle so as to fit over the rail. The top was flanged in such a way as to guide the wheels back to the rail.

In case a vehicle was derailed the Rerailers could be placed in front of the wheels and the vehicle then pulled back on the line. Of course it depended on how serious the derailment was.

The use of Rerailers were soon prohibited as many derailments were not reported and in many cases the bearings on the derailed set of wheels were damaged which resulted in hot boxes etc.

ONE WAY AND TWO WAY POINT INDCATORS.

A miniature arm mounted on a disc. Similar in appearance as the Route signal.

One way point indicators are found at an Intersiding

Two-way point indicators are found at an Interloop.

An Intersiding is a siding in a section between two stations. It may be coupled to the main line at either one end or both ends. Derailers are always installed at Intersidings. Intersidings are used for detaching freight cars for loading or unloading purposes. Crossings between trains are not allowed to take place at an Intersiding (Derailers at Intersidings have no indicators)

An Interloop is a loopline in a section between two stations. Interloops are usually installed in long sections, where crossings between two or more trains can be arranged.

One and Two-way point indicators are coupled directly to the hand tumbler used for setting the points, and change as the tumbler is thrown over from one side to the other.

A One way point indicator is in the "all right" position if the points are set for the main line and in the " danger" position if the points are set for the siding. If it is necessary to enter the siding, the Indicator is passed in the "danger" position after it has been established that the points are closed properly.

A Two way point indicator has two discs and the one appropriate for the line for which the points are set will be in the "all right" position and the other at danger.