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Railway Block Code
The railway block signalling bell code is a system of bell sounds used in Great Britain to communicate between manually operated Signal Boxes in implementing the railway block system. (The bell system is not used in modern power signal boxes, other than to any older adjacent signalboxes.) Each such signal box has a bell circuit to the boxes on either side of it along the line. The equipment consists of a plunger or tapper (rather like a Morse key) which when pressed, rings a single-stroke bell in a neighbouring box. That box similarly has a tapper for communicating back, so boxes have keys each of which rings the bell in a neighbouring box. The bells sound different tones, so that the signalman can tell them apart by ear. Examples Although codes varied from region to region, the following shows a few selected standard UK bell codes: "BR Regulations for Train Signalling 1st Oct 1960" Typical use These would be used as follows (assuming a simple exchange between two si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is dominated by a maritime climate with narrow temperature differences between seasons. The 60% smaller island of Ireland is to the west—these islands, along with over 1,000 smaller surrounding islands and named substantial rocks, form the British Isles archipelago. Connected to mainland Europe until 9,000 years ago by a landbridge now known as Doggerland, Great Britain has been inhabited by modern humans for around 30,000 years. In 2011, it had a population of about , making it the world's third-most-populous island after Java in Indonesia and Honshu in Japan. The term "Great Britain" is often used to refer to England, Scotland and Wales, including their component adjoining islands. Great Britain and Northern Ireland now constitute the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signal Box
In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. Any quantity that can vary over space or time can be used as a signal to share messages between observers. The ''IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing'' includes audio, video, speech, image, sonar, and radar as examples of signal. A signal may also be defined as observable change in a quantity over space or time (a time series), even if it does not carry information. In nature, signals can be actions done by an organism to alert other organisms, ranging from the release of plant chemicals to warn nearby plants of a predator, to sounds or motions made by animals to alert other animals of food. Signaling occurs in all organisms even at cellular levels, with cell signaling. Signaling theory, in evolutionary biology, proposes that a substantial driver for evolution is the ability of animals to communicate with each other by developing ways of signaling. In human engineering, signals are typi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signalling Block System
Signalling block systems enable the safe and efficient operation of railways by preventing collisions between trains. The basic principle is that a track is broken up into a series of sections or "blocks". Only one train may occupy a block at a time, and the blocks are sized to allow a train to stop within them. That ensures that a train always has time to stop before getting dangerously close to another train on the same line. The block system is referred to in the UK as the ''method of working'', in the US as the ''method of operation'', and in Australia as ''safeworking''. In most situations, a system of signals is used to control the passage of trains between the blocks. When a train enters a block, signals at both ends change to indicate that the block is occupied, typically using red lamps or indicator flags. When a train first enters a block, the rear of the same train has not yet left the previous block, so both blocks are marked as occupied. That ensures there is slight ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morse Key
A telegraph key is a specialized electrical switch used by a trained operator to transmit text messages in Morse code in a telegraphy system. Keys are used in all forms of electrical telegraph systems, including landline (also called wire) telegraphy and radio (also called wireless) telegraphy. An operator uses the telegraph key to send electrical pulses (or in the case of modern CW, unmodulated radio waves) of two different lengths: short pulses, called ''dots'' or ''dits'', and longer pulses, called ''dashes'' or ''dahs''. These pulses encode the letters and other characters that spell out the message. Types Since its original inception, the telegraph key's design has developed such that there are now multiple types of keys. Straight keys A ''straight key'' is the common telegraph key as seen in various movies. It is a simple bar with a knob on top and an electrical contact underneath. When the bar is pressed down against spring tension, it makes a closed electric cir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Electric Bell
An electric bell is a mechanical or electronic bell that functions by means of an electromagnet. When an electric current is applied, it produces a repetitive buzzing, clanging or ringing sound. Electromechanical bells have been widely used at railroad crossings, in telephones, fire and burglar alarms, as school bells, doorbells, and alarms in industrial plants, since the late 1800s, but they are now being widely replaced with electronic sounders. An electric bell consists of one or more electromagnets, made of a coil of insulated wire around an iron bar, which attract an iron strip armature with a clapper. Types Interrupter bells How they work The most widely used form is the interrupter bell, which is a mechanical bell that produces a continuous sound when current is applied. See animation, above. The bell or gong ''(B)'', which is often in the shape of a cup or half-sphere, is struck by a spring-loaded arm ''(A)'' with a metal ball on the end called a clapper, act ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signalman (rail)
:''This article deals with rail traffic controllers in Great Britain and Ireland; for similar functions in other jurisdictions, see Train dispatcher.'' A signalman or signaller is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals from a signal box in order to control the movement of trains. History The first signalmen, originally called Railway Policemen (leading to the nickname of 'Bobby'), were employed in the early 19th century and used flags to communicate with each other and train drivers, and hourglasses for the purpose of Time Interval Working between stations. In South Africa, a local rail signaller named Jack (baboon) achieved some fame for the unique distinction of being a chacma baboon. Additional duties It was a signalman's duty to check each train that passed their signal box, looking for the red tail lamp exhibited on the trailing vehicle, the sighting of which confirmed that the train was still complete, and thus the section was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bell Code
Bell codes, buzzer codes or Communication Signal Appliance codes entail a series of bells or buzzers used on passenger trains for communication between the driver and guard. Great Britain and India All codes, except 3—2—1, must be acknowledged by repeating the code received. United States In the United States, these are known as Communication Signal Appliance codes. {, class=wikitable !Signal !Meaning{{cite web , url=http://www.amtrakengineer.net/NORAC90408.pdf , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723013320/http://www.amtrakengineer.net/NORAC90408.pdf , url-status=dead , archive-date=23 July 2011 , format=PDF , title=Communicating Signal Appliance , year=2008 , publisher=Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee , page=29 , accessdate=9 April 2011 , - , _, , When running, stop at once. , - , _, , When standing, apply or release brakes. , - , o o, , When standing, start. , - , o o o, , When standing or running backward, back up two car lengths. , - , o o o, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whistle Code
A train whistle or air whistle (originally referred to as a steam trumpet) is an audible signaling device on a steam locomotive, used to warn that the train is approaching, and to communicate with rail workers. Modern diesel and electric locomotives primarily use a powerful air horn instead of a whistle as an audible warning device. However, the word ''whistle'' continues to be used by railroaders in referring to such signaling practices as "whistling off" (sounding the horn when a train gets underway). The need for a whistle on a locomotive exists because trains move on fixed rails and thus are uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by a train's enormous weight and inertia, which make it difficult to quickly stop when encountering an obstacle. Hence a means of warning others of the approach of a train from a distance is necessary. As train whistles are inexpensive compared to other warning devices, the use of loud and distinct whistles became the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
