Chinese railway signalling

Railway signals in China are based on OSShD signals[1] used by 25 countries of the former USSR, eastern Europe and adjacent countries. There are four observer countries.[2][3]

Overview

Railway signals in China:[4]

Semaphore

Semaphore signals based somewhat on British practice. Use Red and White home signals, and Yellow and Black distant signals.[5]

Apart from Red=Halt and single G=Clear, the lights of a semaphore signal at night do not match their colour light equivalents. There also more colour light aspects than semaphore aspects.

Colourlight

Colour lights: single green means full speed on straight, red means stop, with remainder meaning something in between.[6]

In China, double green is a more restrictive aspect than single green. If one of the green lamps fails, a less restrictive aspect is displayed which is potentially dangerous. Because of that lamp proving is necessary.

Standards exported

China is building or has built new standard gauge railways in Africa, and these are being built to Chinese standards, which in turn apply the standards of OSShD and other companies and businesses.

  • Ethiopia & Djibouti
  • Kenya
  • Tanzania (influencing)
  • Nigeria

Other countries

References
  1. Organisation for the Combined Operations of Railways
  2. OSShD
  3. China signal aspects
  4. Semaphore and Colourlight
  5. Semaphore signals
  6. Red Yellows and Greens
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