Here is the explanation of some signals you will find useful when
visiting China Railways.
Last update February 2011
This web page is not complete. It shows you the most often occurring signals in China, based on their Guidelines. You may buy the book explaining the signals in Chinese at China Railways Publishing Office in Beijing.
There are basically three kinds of signals:
China differentiates strictly between driving trains and shunting. I.e. shunting signals are not set into a "free" aspect for train driving. Trains drive only according to train signals. For shunting, however, the locomotive drivers must follow shunting signals, but they must also stop for red lights of train signals! "Shunting forbidden" is a blue light signal, "shunting allowed" is a white light signal, whereas train signals have the internationally known aspects of red, yellow and green and combinations thereof.
China Railways put very much reliance on the locomotive drivers. They HAVE TO stop in front of signals. Normally there is no safety distance after the signal in case a train cannot stop. However, there is sometimes a defelcting switch. If a signal does not show light, it automatically indicates STOP.
A black and white plate on the left hand side of the line, put up about 500 to 1000 meters before the place of work. For locomotive personnel: whistle, be careful, await possible signaling from line workers.
(still incomplete)
| 1 long tone | Attention | To warn people at places they must be warned when the train comes (bridges, tunnels, level crossings, line workers, entrance to stations, general people near the line, etc. |
| 2 long tones | Back! | To tell a train or locomotive to go backwards |
| 3 long tones | Collect! | To tell people working in or under a train to get out (because the train may be ready to leave) |
| long- short | Open steam | More power! (from one engine to the other) |
| long - short - short | Close steam | Close steam, from one locomotive to the other. |
| short - long | I have trouble | From electric locomotive if there is any trouble. |
| short - short - long | please give a signal! | From locomotive: I am ready to go, waiting for signal |
| Long - short - short - short | Accident, trouble, need help | From locomotive when there is serious trouble. Driver needs help. |
| 1 short tone | response to signaling start brake inspection |
In response to any hand signal received. (And in
response to many other signals received, to show attention
of the driver). Brake! (at start of brake test) |
| 2 short tones | Brake inspection: Release brake! For use of hand brake: Release! Uncouple! |
Release brakes! |
| 3 short tones | Hand brake: Put hand brake on! | Hand brake! |
| 6 short tones | Emergency stop! | Stop! |
Conductor or station master to locomotive: Start the train!
Daytime - Move the green flag in a circle (upper part towards the
train), several times round
Nighttime - Move the green light in a circle (upper part
inwards towards the train), several times round
Station personnel to train: Pass the station!
Daytime - Hold a green flag on a straight arm
Nighttime - Hold a green light on a straight arm
Station personnel to train: Unplanned stop at station
Daytime - Wave a red flag in a half circle above the head, back
and forth
Nighttime - Wave a red lamp in a half circle above the head, back
and forth
Station personnel to train: Permission to enter the yard or
station. yindao shou xinhao: zhun xu lieche jinru che chang huo
che zhan.
Daytime - Wave a yellow flag in a half circle above the head,
left-right.
Nighttime - Wave a yellow lamp in a half circle above the head,
let-right
Signals for electrified lines, for crossing special sections:
A section like this must be crossed with main switch «off» and only one pantograph up.
«Duan» ? «Cut off main switch» (white rhombus with black edge)
«he» ? «Switch on main switch» (white rhombus with black edge)
Signal = Jin zhi shuang gong ?? «Forbidden to use both pantographs»
(white rectangular plate with writing downwards, black edge)
First you may see a rectangular plate reading «Jin zhi shuang
gong» togehter with a «K» sign, on lines with fast traffic. The
the «duan» sign together with a «K».
If it is on a normal-speed line (up to 120 km/h), the «Jin zhi shuang gong» sign is 75 meters before, the «duan» plate 30 meters before the isolated section. The isolated section is 30 meters long, and after further 30 meters follows the «he» sign
Signals are:
Zhun bei jiang gong = «Prepare to lower pantograph» (white rectangular plate with writing downwards, black edge)
Jiang = «Lower!» (white rhombus with black edge)
Sheng = «Rise!» (white rhombus with black edge)
First you may see a rectangular plate reading «zhun bei jiang gong» together with a «K» sign, on lines with fast traffic. The the «jiang» sign together with a «K».
If it is on a normal-speed line, the «zhun bei jiang gong» sign is 150 meters before, the «duan» plate 50 meters before the problem section. The problem section can be of any length. After its end follows the «sheng» sign.
For lines with trains faster than 120 km/h signals are displayed once more before the section, with an addition plate showing the character "K".
Here is an example of some of the signal plates. The distances in the map are from an older version of the railway signal standard.
If parking trains, locomotives or cars, you must keep clear of this point, in order not to block the neighboring track.
Signal if the line is not passable, for example if a train cannot
move further.
Daytime: Conductor holds a red flag horizontally, and 20, 40 and
60 m in front of him towards oncoming train he puts three
explosive devices on the rails (left, right, left rail)
Nighttime: A burning flame in the middle of the rails (night)
Train must stop as fast as possible. Check line. If nothing
dangerous found, train can proceed at maximum speed 20 km/h. If no
dangerous thing found after one kilometer, train can proceed at
normal speed.
The actual speed in kilometers per hour is indicated by a black
number on yellow (sometimes white) ground, the digits about 25
centimeters high. The signal is a round plate, about 45
centimeters in diameter, with a black edge and yellow (in
nonstandard cases white) ground.
A water column is equipped with a signals displaying the Chinese
charater for water, "shui". If a locomotive has to take water, it
must stop with the driver about at this signal. The water column
itself is equipped with a red lamp, visible from the rail if the
water column is positioned over the rails.
When coming near a level crossing with guard, the locomotive driver shall call the guard by radio. The guard shall report if the gate is working (i.e. if the street can be closed). The guard identifies himself by the kilometer position of the level crossing.
When calling, the locomotive driver shall identify himself with the train number.
When passing the crossing, the driver shall blow the horn and greet the guard with the hand.
If the guard has any problem with the level crossing, this shall first be reported to the locomotive driver.
Locomotive drivers shall report incorrect answering from level crossing guards.
Guarded level crossing for small roads (they have this from 2001) have no radio and are not called up. Their gates shall always be closed.
This procedure was emphasized in the internal timetable of 2000 by the safety manager.
1.) (High priority): Check that the box in front of the fire door does not contain coal dust! Check that no glowing coal can fall out of the firebox! (Grate must be in order, and the mesh at the outside sides of the ash box must be closed). Check that the fire can be dumped fast, if necessary.
2.) When starting the fire (in a cold engine), all three people working at the locomotive must check the whole checklist for this (for example that the grate is in order), and sign the checklist.
I have not seen this checklist, but checklists at other railways contain the following:
3.) The cloth material for starting the fire must be kept in a safe place. When starting the fire, do not use dry coal, as it can overheat the grate!
4.) The area in front of the fire door must be kept clean (no coal dust). This may be done using water.
5.) If a fire starts, stop the train and try to extinguish the
fire. Radio the controllers for reporting stop on the line.
