Many Ways to Say Stop

As said in the main page, French railways have invented the signalling system with the largest number of different ways of indicating stop...

At first, let me repeat that the main signals are equipped with a post plate which determines whether the stop aspect is permissive or absolute.

A permissive stop aspect is indicated by the post plates [F] and [PR], while the post plates [Nf] and [BM] indicate that the stop aspect is absolute. Signals with the [Nf] post plate (Non Franchissable - non passable) are called Carré signals, the others are called Sémaphores.

There is no difference in the action required by a carré and a carré violet - both show an absolute stop. Both are also valid for train and shtunting movements (with the exception that a dwarf signal showing carré violet can be ignored by trains that have been given a procees indication by a main signal. But as all carré violets are cleared anyway this is only theory). The difference is that a carré violet is placed on service and shunting tracks, never on main tracks, and that a carré will probably show clear (vioe libre) when cleared, while a carré violet will usually clear to shunting allowed (marche en manoeuvre), i.e. drive on sight.

Carré signals
C - Carré Stop and stay	CV - Carré violet Stop and stay (used on shunting and service tracks)
Sémaphore signals
S - Sémaphore Stop and proceed	S - Sémaphore Stop and proceed
S - Sémaphore A red light with an [Nf] post plate would be an absolute stop (Carré). The addional white light changes the aspect into Sémaphore: Stop and proceed	(S) Stop, then proceed on sight

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