Norwegian railway signalling
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The signalling system used on the rail transport in Norway is regulated by the Regulations of December 4, 2001 no. 1336 about signals and signs on the state's railway network and connected private tracks.
The first signalling system on the Norwegian railway system was a mechanically operated semaphore system introduced at Drammen station in 1893. The first electrically operated light signal system was delivered by AEG in 1924. Today, only electrically operated light signals are used.
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[edit] Signalling remedies
The following signalling remedies are used:
- Signal flags
- Hand-held signal lamps
- Signal whistle
- The signal giver's arms
- Fixed light signals
- Fixed sound signals
- Signal signs
- Orientation poles
- Locomotive whistle
- Locomotive and train signal lamps
[edit] The fundamental meaning of the signal colors
- Red always indicates "stop".
- Violet indicates that the associated level crossing signal shows "Stop short of the level crossing".
- Yellow indicates "caution".
- Green indicates "permission to run".
- White indicates "clear line".
[edit] Light signals
The regular light signals show one of these signals:
[edit] Main signals
| Image | Signal | Meaning | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Signal 20A - Stop - flashes | The train must stop short of the signal. | Home signals, block signals. |
  |
Signal 20B - Stop | The train must stop short of the signal. | Departure signals, inner signals. |
  |
Signal 21 - Proceed (to diverging route) | The train can proceed, usually via one or more diverging switches. | Home signals, departure signals, inner signals, block signals. |
 |
Signal 22 - Proceed | The train can proceed, not via diverging switches. | Home signals, departure signals, inner signals, block signals. |
[edit] Fail Safe
If one of the green lights in signal 22 fails, the indication becomes the lower speed signal 21 - this is fail-safe. Other nearby countries reverse the role of the single green aspect and double green aspect.
[edit] Distant signals
| Image | Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 |
Signal 23 - Expect stop - flashes | The associated main signal shows signal 20A or 20B. |
 |
Signal 24 - Expect to proceed (to diverging route) - flashes | The associated main signal shows signal 21. |
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Signal 25 - Expect to proceed - flashes | The associated main signal shows signal 22. |
[edit] Wrong side failure
If the yellow light in signal 24 fails, the signal displays a higher speed indication, which would be a wrong side failure. To prevent this, the yellow light would be proved to be operating before the green light is displayed (that is, the yellow is shown before the green, if the yellow fails, the green isn't shown and the signal stays totally dark).
[edit] Warning systems
Norway uses the Ericsson ATP warning system, also used on Perth's suburban railway network.
