Railway signals in Belgium

The railway signals in Belgium regulate rail traffic on Infrabel's standard-gauge Belgian national route network .

Light signals

Light signal that signals slow travel at 50 km / h and a change from the opposite track to the regular track.

The light signals in Belgium are designed as multi-section signals and combine the main signal and distant signal function in one signal screen. The permissible speed is indicated by an additional display. The signals can be found on all Belgian railway lines with the exception of the high-speed lines, on which cab signaling is used.

The Belgian railways distinguish between two types of vehicle movements , the large movements (French: grand movement ), which correspond to the concept of train journeys in German-speaking countries, and the small movements (French: petit movement ), which are more like shunting movements in German-speaking countries. The latter are limited to a maximum of 40 km / h and are carried out on sight. On double-track lines, if there are large movements between the ride on the regular track (French: régime de voie normal ), i.e. H. on the left track and on the opposite track (French: régime de contre-voie ).

The signal patterns of the light signals are as follows:

Signal image control track	meaning	Signal image opposite track
or	Green : Allows driving past the signal as a large movement, a signal that may follow also shows a travel concept for large movements (green, green-yellow-horizontal, green-yellow-vertical) and a reduction in speed is therefore not necessary.	or
	Double yellow : Allows passing the signal as a large movement, but the following signal either shows the stopping aspect (red), continuing travel as a small movement (red-white) or the signal aspect of the following signal is unknown.
or	Red : Stop in front of the signal for large and small movements.	or
	Green-yellow-horizontal : Allows passing the signal as a large movement, but the following signal may only be passed at reduced speed.
	Green-yellow-vertical : Allows passing the signal as a large movement, the following signal shows either yellow-yellow or green-yellow-horizontal and the signal distance between the following and the next but one signal is less than the braking distance, so that the train must brake before the following signal.
or	Red-white : Allows the signal to pass as a small movement.	or

The light signals can be equipped with the following additional indicators:

Winkel (French: chevron ), a white triangle that is open at the top and is located above the signal screen: Indicates a change from the control track to the opposite track or from the opposite track to the control track.
U (French: voie en impasse ), a white rectangle that is open at the top and is located above the signal screen: indicates the entrance to a dead end siding.
a white number displayed below the signal screen: Indicates a reduced maximum speed that applies from the signal. The number, multiplied by 10, results in the maximum permitted speed in km / h.
a yellow number that is displayed above the signal screen: Indicates a reduced maximum speed that applies from the following signal (for the signal images green-yellow-horizontal and green-yellow-vertical). The number, multiplied by 10, results in the maximum permitted speed in km / h.
a black number on a white triangular sign attached to the signal mast: Indicates the lowest reduced maximum speed that can apply from the following signal (for the signal images green-yellow-horizontal and green-yellow-vertical). The number, multiplied by 10, results in the maximum permitted speed in km / h. In the absence of such a sign and the display of the expected maximum speed with a yellow number, a maximum speed of 40 km / h can be expected

In addition to these light signals, there are also dwarf signals that are only relevant for small movements:

Black triangular signal screen with two white lights arranged horizontally next to each other: support for small movements.
Black triangular signal screen with two white lights arranged diagonally one above the other: small movements allowed.

Speed boards

The following signs indicate the maximum speed on the route. The respective number multiplied by 10 results in the currently valid maximum speed in km / h.

Permanent	description	Temporarily
	Reference speed table (French: panneau de vitesse de référence ): shows the reference speed of the route. From the sign, this speed is considered the maximum permitted speed.
	Announcement board (French: panneau d'annonce ): announces a speed reduction. The reduced speed applies from the following starting table.
	The top panel (Fr .: panneau d'origine ) marks the beginning of a section with reduced speed. The number can also be missing, in which case the maximum speed announced on the notice board applies.
	Section end board (French: panneau de fin de zone ): marks the end of a section at reduced speed. From this table onwards, the speed indicated can be continued. the top version of the panel is used when the speed displayed is less than the line speed the lower version is placed between an announcement board and a start board at places where a branch track with low maximum speed joins.

Other panels (selection)

image	meaning
	Route marking (French: panneau repère de ligne ): shows the route number of the route traveled.
	Contact wire end (French: panneau repère de fin de ligne de contact ): indicates the end of the track section spanned by contact wire.
	Strap-off-expect (French: panneau d'annonce d'abaissement des pantographes ): announces a strap-off signal.
	Stirrup -off (French: panneau d'exécution d'abaissement des pantographes ): indicates the beginning of a track section that can only be used with the pantograph lowered .
	Bracket -on (French: panneau de relèvement des pantographes ): indicates the end of a track section that can only be used with the pantograph lowered.