OpenRailwayMap/Signals in Italy

Signal with 3 lights and other indicators

This is a proposal for a tagging scheme for Italian railway signals, mainly for RFI network, might also apply to FN network.

Signalling

All italian railway signals should have the following generic tags:

railway=signal
railway:signal:direction=(forward/backward/both) according to the direction of the way.
railway:signal:position=(left/right/in_track)

Additionally, signals can also have:

railway:position:exact=123.456 where 123.456 is an example. This is the point where the signal is located compared to the kilometric progressive of the railway.
railway:position=123.5 where 123.5 is an example. This is the approximate position of the signal.

Signal Types

Main Signals (1ª categoria)

Main signal with 3 lights and in state "R-G-V"

1st category signals with one to three lights, additionally can have startup (avvio), advancement (avanzamento), direction indicators, letters, left arrow, rappel or speed triangle.

The main signals should be tagged as follow:

Necessary:

railway:signal:main=(IT_1V/IT_2V/IT_3V)according to the number of lights. Do not confuse this with the possible states, each light can show different colors.

Optional:

Main signal with 3 lights and in state "GX-VX"
railway:signal:main:states=* please indicate all the possible states of the signals using the "-" to separate different lights and ";" to separate the states. Use the "R" for red, "G" for yellow anf "V" for green starting from the upper light. Use "x" for blinking and "X" for blinking alternating near the letter of the color. (Example: "V; R-V; R-G; R-Gx")

railway:signal:main:shape=(round/square/no)
ref=*: signal identifier. For PBA the "PBA" can be omitted(?)

railway:signal:main:triangle=(yes,60,no if the signal has a white triangle with black border please insert "yes" if it has no number in it, if it has a number please insert "60" (only possible value in the triangle) else leave without the tag or use "no".

Speed Triangles, empty and 60

railway:signal:main:avvio=(no/yes) if the signal has startup (avvio) indicators, two horizontal blue lights. (default no)

railway:signal:main:ava=(no/yes) if the signal has advancement (avanzamento) indicators, two horizontal white lights. (default no)

railway:signal:main:direction=* if the signal has the direction indicator the list of directions allowed should be entered. (Ex: "1;2;3")

railway:signal:main:lit_letter=* if the signal has luminous letters indicator, insert the list of possible letters should be added, use "x" for blinking. (Example: "A;Ax")

railway:signal:main:pan_letter=* if the signal has a panel with a letter on it, insert the letter indicated. (Not for INT or EST, for those please use ref)

railway:signal:main:arrow=(no/yes) if the signal has an arrow on top indicate yes, usually lit when on green state and are used only on right side signals. (default no)

railway:signal:main:rappel=(no/yes) if the signal has the rappel indicators indicate yes, rappels help to remember the max speed allowed in a switch. (default no)

railway:signal:main:LC=(yes,no) indicates if the signal is only protecting a level crossing.

Distant Signals (Avviso)

Distant signal with 2 lights and state "GX-VX"

These signals are on poles painted with alternating white and black horizontal stripes, they can only have maximum 2 lights and only of green or yellow lights. They announce the state of the following 1st category signal.

Necessary:

railway:signal:distant=(IT_1V/IT_2V)according to the number of lights. Do not confuse this with the possible states, each light can show different colors.

Optional:

railway:signal:distant:states=* please indicate all the possible states of the signals using the "-" to separate different lights and ";" to separate the states. Use the "G" for yellow anf "V" for green starting from the upper light. Use "x" for blinking and "X" for blinking alternating near the letter of the color. (Example: "V; G-V; Gx-Vx; GX-VX")

railway:signal:distant:shape=(round/square/no)

ref=*: signal identifier. For PBA the "PBA" can be omitted(?)

Combined Signals

Combined signals (Accoppiati) should be tagged as main signals as only the possible states might differ from main signals.

Level Crossing Signals

Main level crossing protection
Distant level crossing protection

On single track lines some level crossings (PLA) are protected with special signals, commonly referred as "Christmas tree" (Albero di Natale) that are composed by two signals, one distant and a main one.

Level Crossing Main

railway:signal:main=IT_CT

Level Crossing Distant

railway:signal:distant=IT_CT

Departure indicators (Indicatori di partenza)

Railway departure indicator
Italian railway departure indicator lit with main signal on background

In some stations where the main signal is difficoult to see, it's possible to also have a departure indicators, composed of 2 vertical white lights that turn on when the main signal state allows the train to pass it. The train can pass this signal even if not lit.

railway:signal:minor=IT_PAR

This signal can be paired with itinerary indicators or startup signals

railway:signal:minor:avvio=(no/yes) if the signal has startup (avvio) indicators, two horizontal blue lights. (default no)
railway:signal:minor:direction=* if the signal has the direction indicator the list of directions allowed should be entered. (Ex: "1;2;3;...")

Speed Limits

Speed limit with three ranks, left, and 2 ranks, right.

Speed limit signals should be tagged as follows:

railway:signal:speed_limit=(IT_1R/IT_2R/IT_3R) with the number indicating the number of speed ranks represented.

railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=* enter the speed limit in a list separed by ";" beginning with rank A. (Example: "140;160;180")

railway:signal:speed_limit:arrow=(left/right) if the signal has an arrow pointing to the track that is signalling, add the direction of the arrow.

Speed Limits Distant

railway:signal:speed_limit_distant=(IT_1R/IT_2R/IT_3R) with the number indicating the number of speed ranks represented.

railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:speed=* enter the speed limit in a list separed by ";" beginning with rank A. (Example: "140;160;180")

railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:distance=(1/2) if the signal is a distant signal enter the number of stripes that indicate the distance, if it is not a distant signal do not use this tag.

railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:arrow=(left/right) if the signal has an arrow pointing to the track that is signalling, add the direction of the arrow.

Remember that speed reduction is only effective after an adequate distance, check FL. Increase of speed is immediatly effective.

Halt Signal

Halt signal is used to indicate the stopping position of a railway halt that does not have light signalling.

railway:signal:stop=IT_HALT

Distant Halt Signal

Before the halt signal there is always at least one distant halt signal

railway:signal:stop_distant=IT_HALT
railway:signal:stop_distant:distance=(1/2) add according to the number of stripes, 1 stripe is usually at braking distance from the halt, 2 stripes is usually at least 200m from the 1 stripe signal.

Low shunting signal (Marmotta)

Shunting Signals

Shunting signals should be tagged as follows:

Low Shunting Signals (Marmotte)

Low shunting signals (Segnali bassi di manovra, also called marmotte) are signals used in shunting operations and movements to areas where standard signaling is not available. They are ususally placed near the tracks, they have 3 lights in an L to form two aspects "|" for allowing to move forward and "-" to interdict movements.

railway:signal:shunting=IT_MAR
ref=* signal identifier.

High Shunting signals (the hexagonal ones)

High Shunting Signals (Segnali alti di manovra)

Signal for shunting, placed near the main signals, hexagonal.

railway:signal:shunting=IT_MAN
ref=* signal identifier.

Shunting Limit (Picchetto limite di manovra)

This signal is used to indicate the furthest point that can be reached while shunting, this limit should not be exceeded while shunting.

It's a pole, about 1.5m high with alternating white and black stipes.

railway:signal:shunting=IT_PLIM

Block sections and block type

On almost all the italian railway line there are block sections of different types, this should be tagged on the railway line. While doing so it's possible to also tag the block system.

To tag the block section it's possible to indicate the general type, being axle counters, track ciruits or no block section, so manual.

railway:block_section=(axle_counter,track_circuit,manual)

It's then possible to add the block system of the line. In Italy it's rare to find a block system that is not automatic, usually the type is BAcc or BAcf in main lines and BCA for minor lines, before adding make sure you know the type, please don't guess.