German Railway Signals

home	This section was last updated 16 March 2008

This site describes most of the signals, boards and signs that are being used by German Railways (Deutsche Bahn AG). I have divided the site into the following sections:

• German Railway Signal Systems. Here you will find a short description of all contemporary and some historical signals, aspects, boards, signs etc.
• Signalling rules & practise. Contains an introduction to German signalling as well as some rules, information on uasge and placement of signals etc.
• Track map symbols: how to read track maps
• Miscellaneous. Anything that does not fit in elsewhere.
• Signal pictures: here you go
• recent changes in the Signal Book

Some shortcuts:

• Graphical search index
• Site map
• If you don't find what you were looking for: Just ask me.
• Peculiarities & Odd things
• One page on North American signals: do they make sense?
• Acknowledgements
• Links
• A note on Terminology
• A note on Copyright
• See also: OSShD and OSShD signals
• See also: Chinese railway signals
• See also: French railway signals

If you find a symbol next to an item then there is a photograph available.

Acknowledgements

This site has substantially been improved by Michael Urlaub, who is a signalman near Schweinfurt and has spent much work on proofreading these pages giving me lots of hints and firsthand information.
Herr Theobold has provided me with information about the Hamburg Subway signals.
My friend Zhang Bin from beijing has provided translation of Chinese signal aspects.
Patrick Hertel from Berlin has provided some pictures from the Berlin S-Bahn.
Also I would like to thank Chris Kondur and Michael J. Stokes for helping me with British vs. US terminology.

home

email