Signalling
Signals, line operation modes and train spacing systems
This section is dedicated to describing the general principles relating to:
- signals
- line operation modes
- different train spacing systems

The majority of the information in this section is taken from the
educational document published by the Établissement Public de Sécurité Ferroviaire (EPSF, a public institution responsible for ensuring the safety of railways in France)
published on July 5, 2017.
1 - Railway risks
Not translated: please select another language
2 - Signals
Not translated: please select another language
3 - Line operation modes
Not translated: please select another language
3.1 - Single-track lines
Not translated: please select another language.
3.2 - Double-track lines
Not translated: please select another language.
4 - Train spacing systems
Not translated: please select another language
4.1 - Automatic block systems
Not translated: please select another language.
4.2 - ETCS (ERTMS)
The European Train Control System, part of ERTMS
4.2.1 - ETCS
European Train Control System
Context
The onboard computer of ETCS-enabled trains has to compute a number of position / speed curves.
Here is how it works:
- below all the curves, the speed indicator is white
- above the indication curve, the speed indicator is yellow
- above the permitted curve, the speed indicator is orange
- above the warning curve, an alarm rings
- above the intervention curves, an emergency break intervention is triggered
In order to compute any of these curves, a number of things are needed:
- target data (the destination of the braking curve, which can be EOA and SvL or LOA and MRSP)
- train data
- infrastructure data
- infrastructure manager constants
- standardized constants
Train
- max speed
- length
- rotating mass
T_traction_cutoff
: the time it take to cut off traction- braking model, either lambda or gamma:
- lambda (braking weight/mass)
- gamma (constant deceleration at a given speed)
- correction factors (k_dry and k_wet for gamma braking) for braking curves
Infrastructure
- corrected gradients (it incorporates curvature)
- odometry balise locations
Processes
Braking coefficients:
A_brake_emergency
is the expected emergency braking capability, without safety marginsA_brake_safe
is the emergency braking coefficient, with safety marginsA_brake_service
is the expected service braking capability, without safety margins
Speed / distance targets
EOA
end of movement authority: the location until which the train is allowed to moveSvL
supervised location: the protected location
Curves
SBD
supervised braking deceleration: intermediary result computed from EOA
and A_brake_service
EBD
emergency braking deceleration: intermediary result computed from SvL
and A_brake_safe
All the curves below are cut below a given release speed:
EBI
(emergency break intervention) computed from EBD
, shifted in position and space given rolling stock metadataSBI1
computed from SBD
, shifted in time with Tbs1
SBI2
computed from SBD
, shifted in time with Tbs2
FLOI
(also called SBI
, the intervention curve) the minimum of SBI1
and SBI2
WARNING
(warning curve) computed as a shift of FLOI
by Twarning
PS
(permitted speed curve): shift of WARNING
by time Tdriver
INDICATION
is a shift of PS
by time Tindication