Approaching Stolberg westbound. The posted line speed is 110km/h. There are no further speed boards nor PzB speed indicators (until you get into the switchyard). There is no HUD warning for any upcoming speed reductions. BUT- there is an "invisible" 60 and then an "invisible" 40, which result in red speeding HUD displays (but no emergency braking- this isn't a PzB issue, provided one acknowledges the green/yellows). Is this a bug? Are there simply missing speed boards? Or is there some obscure DB regulation I haven't memorized yet?
Not sure if I'm misunderstanding, but if I remember correctly the speeds are in fact displayed on the signals. It starts with a blinking green light along with a speed reduction to I believe 100km/h or 110km/h. Then shortly after there's a similar signal reducing the speed down to 70km/h. And finally a reduction down to 40km/h. I've never seen a missing signal regarding speed on this route, but I've seen incorrect speed boards. For example there's a speed board telling you the max speed is 110km/h but according to the HUD the max speed after passing that board is 140km/h. Edit: I should add, if you do in fact have PZB active and you passed those signals without acknowledging them, then you will be stopped by the emergency brake application.
If there is a green/yellow aspect without the speed, if my understanding is correct, it means that is like a "default" speed restriction of 40 km/h, if different from 40 km/h it will be shown with the relative yellow and white number below and above the signal. So if you encounter a yellow and green aspect without any numbers shown it's a speed restriction of 40 km/h, as usual enforced after the main signal. HUD speed limits, from my experience, are only applied to a specific piece of track, I have never seen the same stretch of track with two speed limits, so for example the 80 km/h speed restriction in the various stations in SKA starts as you actually switch track, as the 80 limit is applied to that piece of track, while in reality, it would start at the first signal with the white 8. So I would recommend to use the signals to safely driver around complicated junctions as the HUD max speed can be deceiving at times
Yes, if no speed is displayed you should default to 40km/h. The problem with the HUD is that it only displays line speed, not signal speed. So as you said, one should follow what the signals say, not the HUD.
"If there is a green/yellow aspect without the speed, if my understanding is correct, it means that is like a "default" speed restriction of 40 km/h, if different from 40 km/h it will be shown with the relative yellow and white number below and above the signal. So if you encounter a yellow and green aspect without any numbers shown it's a speed restriction of 40 km/h, as usual enforced after the main signal." One would think that would be it.... except this is NOT a PzB issue. No emergency brake, no alarm. Just suddenly the HUD speedometer turns red and the speed pipper drops to 60 (not 40 or 70)
My point was simply that if you encountered that signal you would be going at 40 anyway. Happy new year!
Ah I think I've had this issue on another route, it was either Rhein-Ruhr Osten or Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr. On a scheduled freight move, about 1km from the stopping point the speed drops without warning (no signals indicating anything, and even if there were, PZB should have kicked in just like it should have done in the scenario in this post) in a similar way (from between 80-100km/h all the way down to 20-40km/h).
I've just had a go and found your problem, which is this signal here right before the junction into Stolberg Hbf: This signal is known as Hp2 which means "line clear with slow speed (40km/h unless otherwise indicated)". Since the Zs3 lamp above the signal is not illuminated with any number to indicate a specific speed restriction, the driver must assume that the upcoming speed restriction is 40 km/h (which it is). PZB will not enforce this speed restriction but the driver absolutely must follow the signal speed advisory for safe operation. Cheers
Actually, Callum, that signal isn't the problem. The problem develops before that signal, just after the advance signal warning of it. And, again, the nominal speed limit the HUD expects is (at that point) 60, not 40, and only results in a "speeding" warning, not a PzB shutdown.
That's very interesting because when I did the run, the 60 km/h limit was only enforced at the track switchover junction (crossing mainline tracks) after the main signal, shortly thereafter reducing to 40 km/h at the junction into the side track. I recorded the run and reviewed the video just to check, and the HUD did not display a speed limit of 60 km/h until I began crossing over onto the other track. Do you think you could share a screenshot or video of the issue? When you say the problem develops just after the advance signal warning, are you referring to the distant or repeater signal? Distant: Repeater: Cheers
The repeater. And you're right, the 60 could apply just to the crossover (it doesn't last very long)-- but I swear I can't find a 60 speedboard or signal in there anywhere.
You're right, there is no 60 speed board. The reason is because the main signal is telling you the lowest speed within the entire signal block to slow to. Since 40km/h is the lowest speed between that main signal and the next one on the side track, the signal will tell you to slow down to 40 km/h as that is technically the block speed you should be slowing down to. Now presumably, if instead of going onto that side track you continued down the mainline on the wrong side, the Zs3 lamp above the Hp2 signal would have a number "6" in white to indicate that the maximum allowed speed in the signal block is 60km/h (because you are crossing the junction).
Completely agree with Callum. The green and yellow main signal indicates that you must not exceed 40km/h within the signal block you are about to enter. Even if the track speed limit at some point in the signal block is more than 40km/h, you must ignore that and just follow whatever the signal instructs.
