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56-772: Bhopal Junction railway station (station code: BPL ) is a major railway junction of India and main railway station of Bhopal , the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh . This station also serves as a connecting point for various pilgrims from Asia to visit the Stupa of Sanchi , an important Buddhist stupa , which is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from this station. The station has 6 platforms in addition to enough waiting halls, refreshment centre, passenger ticket counter and ticket vending machines, vehicle parking, communication facility, sanitary facility and dedicated Government Railway Police force to ensure security. The Bhopal–Itarsi section of New Delhi–Chennai main line

112-564: A broken red lens could be taken by a driver as a false 'clear' indication. It was not until scientists at Corning Glassworks perfected a shade of yellow without any tinges of green or red that yellow became the accepted colour for 'caution'. Mechanical signals are usually remotely operated by wire from a lever in a signal box, but electrical or hydraulic operation is normally used for signals that are located too distant for manual operation. On most modern railways, colour light signals have largely replaced mechanical ones. Colour light signals have

168-419: A busy commuter line might have blocks a few hundred metres long. A train is not permitted to enter a block until a signal indicates that the train may proceed, a dispatcher or signalman instructs the driver accordingly, or the driver takes possession of the appropriate token. In most cases, a train cannot enter the block until not only the block itself is clear of trains, but there is also an empty section beyond

224-423: A centralized train dispatcher's office that controls railroad interlockings and traffic flows in portions of the rail system designated as CTC territory. Train detection refers to the presence or absence of trains on a defined section of line. The most common way to determine whether a section of line is occupied is by use of a track circuit . The rails at either end of each section are electrically isolated from

280-459: A danger signal for a specific time, although this is only permitted when the signal does not protect any conflicting moves, and also when the signalman is unable to contact the next signal box to make sure the previous train has passed, for example if the telegraph wires are down. In these cases, trains must proceed at very low speed (typically 32 km/h (20 mph) or less) so that they are able to stop short of any obstruction. In most cases, this

336-411: A driver is informed which route the train will take beyond each signal (unless only one route is possible). This is achieved by a route indicator attached to the signal. The driver uses their route knowledge, reinforced by speed restriction signs fixed at the lineside, to drive the train at the correct speed for the route to be taken. This method has the disadvantage that the driver may be unfamiliar with

392-399: A driver of an upcoming change of route. Under speed signalling , the signal aspect informs the driver at what speed they may proceed over a junction, but not necessarily the route the train will take. Speed signalling requires a far greater range of signal aspects than route signalling, but less dependence is placed on drivers' route knowledge, although the need for drivers to learn the route

448-449: A green light with a safe condition, this was not historically the case. In the very early days of railway signalling, the first coloured lights (associated with the turned signals above) presented a white light for 'clear' and a red light for 'danger'. Green was originally used to indicate 'caution' but fell out of use when the time interval system was discontinued. A green light subsequently replaced white for 'clear', to address concerns that

504-455: A junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to allow trains to transfer from one route to the other. More complicated junctions are needed to permit trains to travel in either direction after joining the new route – for example by providing a triangular track layout. Rail transport operations refer to stations that lie on or near a railway junction as a junction station . In the UK it

560-541: A number of accidents, most notably the Armagh rail disaster . This required block signalling for all passenger railways, together with interlocking , both of which form the basis of modern signalling practice today. Similar legislation was passed by the United States around the same time. Not all blocks are controlled using fixed signals. On some single track railways in the UK, particularly those with low usage, it

616-458: A passing place. Neither train is permitted to move before the other has arrived. In the US, the display of two green flags (green lights at night) is an indication that another train is following the first and the waiting train must wait for the next train to pass. In addition, the train carrying the flags gives eight blasts on the whistle as it approaches. The waiting train must return eight blasts before

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672-558: A safe manner taking this information into account. Generally, the signal remains at danger, and the driver is given verbal authority, usually by a yellow flag, to pass a signal at danger, and the presence of the train in front is explained. Where trains regularly enter occupied blocks, such as stations where coupling takes place, a subsidiary signal, sometimes known as a "calling on" signal, is provided for these movements, otherwise they are accomplished through train orders. The invention of train detection systems such as track circuits allowed

728-470: A signal box. When a train passed into a block, a signalman would protect that block by setting its signal to 'danger'. When an 'all clear' message was received, the signalman would move the signal into the 'clear' position. The absolute block system came into use gradually during the 1850s and 1860s and became mandatory in the United Kingdom after Parliament passed legislation in 1889 following

784-665: A similar purpose. The capacity of the junctions limits the capacity of a railway network more than the capacity of individual railway lines . This applies more as the network density increases. Measures to improve junctions are often more useful than building new railway lines. The capacity of a railway junction can be increased with improved signaling measures, by building points suitable for higher speeds, or by turning level junctions into flying junctions , where tracks are grade-separated , and so one track passes over or under another. With more complicated junctions such construction can rapidly become very expensive, especially if space

840-456: A speed that they can stop safely should an obstacle come into view. This allows improved efficiency in some situations and is mostly used in the USA. In most countries it is restricted to freight trains only, and it may be restricted depending on the level of visibility. Permissive block working may also be used in an emergency, either when a driver is unable to contact a signalman after being held at

896-439: A station or signal box to send a message (usually a specific number of rings on a bell ) to confirm that a train had passed and that a specific block was clear. This was called the " absolute block system ". Fixed mechanical signals began to replace hand signals from the 1830s. These were originally worked locally, but it later became normal practice to operate all the signals on a particular block with levers grouped together in

952-573: A stationary train, the Gorakhpur to Mumbai Express, leave immediately ahead of departure time to save the people on board. Bhopal Junction railway station is located on the main Delhi – Chennai route which halts more than 200 daily trains, with a total of more than 380 trains within a week. To the north of the Bhopal Junction lies Bina Junction , to the south lies Itarsi Junction . There

1008-409: A track circuited one. The low ballast resistance of very long track circuits reduces their sensitivity. Track circuits can automatically detect some types of track defect such as a broken rail. In the event of power restoration after a power failure, an axle counted section is left in an undetermined state until a train has passed through the affected section. A track circuited section immediately detects

1064-588: A train to wait in a siding for a priority train to pass, and to maintain at least one block spacing between trains going the same direction. Timetable and train order operation was commonly used on American railroads until the 1960s, including some quite large operations such as the Wabash Railroad and the Nickel Plate Road . Train order traffic control was used in Canada until the late 1980s on

1120-466: A vast scale, with no requirements for any kind of communication that travels faster than a train. Timetable operation was the normal mode of operation in North America in the early days of the railroad. With the advent of the telegraph in 1841, a more sophisticated system became possible because this provided a means whereby messages could be transmitted ahead of the trains. The telegraph allows

1176-506: Is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails , making them uniquely susceptible to collision . This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enormous weight and inertia of a train, which makes it difficult to quickly stop when encountering an obstacle. In the UK , the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 introduced a series of requirements on matters such as

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1232-414: Is common to use token systems that rely on the train driver's physical possession of a unique token as authority to occupy the line, normally in addition to fixed signals. Before allowing a train to enter a block, a signalman must be certain that it is not already occupied. When a train leaves a block, they must inform the signalman controlling entry to the block. Even if the signalman receives advice that

1288-482: Is customary for the junction (and the related station) to be named after the next station on the branch, e.g. Yeovil Junction is on the mainline railway south of Yeovil , and the next destination on the branch is Yeovil Pen Mill . Frequently, trains are built up and taken apart (separated) at such stations so that the same train can be divided and proceed to multiple destinations. For goods trains (US: freight trains), marshalling yards (US: Classification yards ) serve

1344-640: Is known as the method of working (UK), method of operation (US) or safe-working (Aus.). Not all these methods require the use of physical signals , and some systems are specific to single-track railways. The earliest rail cars were hauled by horses or mules. A mounted flagman on a horse preceded some early trains. Hand and arm signals were used to direct the "train drivers". Foggy and poor-visibility conditions later gave rise to flags and lanterns. Wayside signalling dates back as far as 1832, and used elevated flags or balls that could be seen from afar. The simplest form of operation, at least in terms of equipment,

1400-403: Is not allowed during times of poor visibility (e.g., fog or falling snow). Even with an absolute block system, multiple trains may enter a block with authorization. This may be necessary in order to split or join trains together, or to rescue failed trains. In giving authorization, the signalman also ensures that the driver knows precisely what to expect ahead. The driver must operate the train in

1456-513: Is one track which connects Bhopal to the west with Ujjain Junction , Sehore, Shujalpur , Ratlam Junction and Ahmedabad Junction . Also to some portion of Indore Junction , Sehore, Shujalpur and Dewas Junction . The Bhopal railway station has become the India's first railway station to have a sanitary napkin vending machine named as ‘Happy Nari’. The machine dispenses two sanitary napkins at

1512-473: Is restricted by tunnels , bridges or inner-city tracks. The installation of junctions into a rail system poses many challenges, including increased maintenance costs, and problems in on-time performance. Metro rail systems have a rail network design where the number of junctions is minimized. Passengers, and not trains, move from one train station to another. Railway signaling Railway signalling ( BE ), or railroad signaling ( AE ),

1568-426: Is the origin of UK signalmen being referred to as "bob", "bobby" or "officer", when train-crew are speaking to them via a signal telephone) were employed to stand at intervals ("blocks") along the line with a stopwatch and use hand signals to inform train drivers that a train had passed more or less than a certain number of minutes previously. This was called "time interval working". If a train had passed very recently,

1624-419: Is the system's inflexibility. Trains cannot be added, delayed, or rescheduled without advance notice. A third problem is a corollary of the second: the system is inefficient. To provide flexibility, the timetable must give trains a broad allocation of time to allow for delays, so the line is not in the possession of each train for longer than is otherwise necessary. Nonetheless, this system permits operation on

1680-407: Is to run the system according to a timetable. Every train crew understands and adheres to a fixed schedule. Trains may only run on each track section at a scheduled time, during which they have 'possession' and no other train may use the same section. When trains run in opposite directions on a single-track railway, meeting points ("meets") are scheduled, at which each train must wait for the other at

1736-424: Is very difficult to completely prevent conflicting orders being given, it is relatively simple to prevent conflicting tokens being handed out. Trains cannot collide with each other if they are not permitted to occupy the same section of track at the same time, so railway lines are divided into sections known as blocks . In normal circumstances, only one train is permitted in each block at a time. This principle forms

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1792-587: The Algoma Central Railway and some spurs of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Timetable and train order was not used widely outside North America, and has been phased out in favour of radio dispatch on many light-traffic lines and electronic signals on high-traffic lines. More details of North American operating methods is given below. A similar method, known as 'Telegraph and Crossing Order' was used on some busy single lines in

1848-511: The UK during the 19th century. However, a series of head-on collisions resulted from authority to proceed being wrongly given or misunderstood by the train crew - the worst of which was the collision between Norwich and Brundall, Norfolk, in 1874. As a result, the system was phased out in favour of token systems. This eliminated the danger of ambiguous or conflicting instructions being given because token systems rely on objects to give authority, rather than verbal or written instructions; whereas it

1904-523: The advantage of displaying the same aspects by night as by day, and require less maintenance than mechanical signals. Although signals vary widely between countries, and even between railways within a given country, a typical system of aspects would be: On some railways, colour light signals display the same set of aspects as shown by the lights on mechanical signals during darkness. Route signalling and speed signalling are two different ways of notifying trains about junctions. Under route signalling ,

1960-453: The appropriate position before the signal protecting that route can be cleared. UK trains and staff working in track circuit block areas carry track circuit operating clips (TCOC) so that, in the event of something fouling an adjacent running-line, the track circuit can be short-circuited. This places the signal protecting that line to 'danger' to stop an approaching train before the signaller can be alerted. An alternate method of determining

2016-443: The basis of most railway safety systems. Blocks can either be fixed (block limits are fixed along the line) or moving blocks (ends of blocks defined relative to moving trains). On double tracked railway lines, which enabled trains to travel in one direction on each track, it was necessary to space trains far enough apart to ensure that they could not collide. In the very early days of railways, men (originally called 'policemen', which

2072-436: The block is clear. Most blocks are "fixed", i.e. they include the section of track between two fixed points. On timetable, train order, and token -based systems, blocks usually start and end at selected stations. On signalling-based systems, blocks start and end at signals. The lengths of blocks are designed to allow trains to operate as frequently as necessary. A lightly used line might have blocks many kilometres long, but

2128-527: The cost of ₹5 only and accepts ₹5 coins. The sanitary pads vending machine has been installed at platform No.1 by the Railway Women Welfare Association of Bhopal. The machine has the capacity of holding 75 sanitary pads. A specially trained female staff will refill the machine. Other railway stations serving Bhopal metropolitan area Railway junction In a simple case where two routes with one or two tracks each meet at

2184-413: The dissemination of any timetable changes, known as train orders . These allow the cancellation, rescheduling and addition of train services. North American practice meant that train crews generally received their orders at the next station at which they stopped, or were sometimes handed up to a locomotive 'on the run' via a long staff. Train orders allowed dispatchers to set up meets at sidings, force

2240-440: The driver, or rotated so as to be practically invisible. While this type of signal is still in use in some countries (e.g., France and Germany), by far the most common form of mechanical signal worldwide is the semaphore signal . This comprises a pivoted arm or blade that can be inclined at different angles. A horizontal arm is the most restrictive indication (for 'danger', 'caution', 'stop and proceed' or 'stop and stay' depending on

2296-545: The end of the block for at least the distance required to stop the train. In signalling-based systems with closely spaced signals, this overlap could be as far as the signal following the one at the end of the section, effectively enforcing a space between trains of two blocks. When calculating the size of the blocks, and therefore the spacing between the signals, the following have to be taken into account: Historically, some lines operated so that certain large or high speed trains were signalled under different rules and only given

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2352-404: The entire train has left the section. If part of the train remains in the section, the track circuit detects that part. This type of circuit detects the absence of trains, both for setting the signal indication and for providing various interlocking functions—for example, preventing points from being moved while a train is approaching them. Electrical circuits also prove that points are locked in

2408-564: The flag carrying train may proceed. The timetable system has several disadvantages. First, there is no positive confirmation that the track ahead is clear, only that it is scheduled to be clear. The system does not allow for engine failures and other such problems, but the timetable is set up so that there should be sufficient time between trains for the crew of a failed or delayed train to walk far enough to set warning flags, flares, and detonators or torpedoes (UK and US terminology, respectively) to alert any other train crew. A second problem

2464-444: The following train was expected to slow down to allow more space to develop. The watchmen had no way of knowing whether a train had cleared the line ahead, so if a preceding train stopped for any reason, the crew of a following train would have no way of knowing unless it was clearly visible. As a result, accidents were common in the early days of railways. With the invention of the electrical telegraph , it became possible for staff at

2520-411: The implementation of interlocked block signalling and other safety measures as a direct result of the Armagh rail disaster in that year. Most forms of train control involve movement authority being passed from those responsible for each section of a rail network (e.g. a signalman or stationmaster ) to the train crew. The set of rules and the physical equipment used to accomplish this determine what

2576-403: The next section, and an electric current is fed to both running rails at one end. A relay at the other end is connected to both rails. When the section is unoccupied, the relay coil completes an electrical circuit, and is energized. However, when a train enters the section, it short-circuits the current in the rails, and the relay is de-energized. This method does not explicitly need to check that

2632-434: The occupied status of a block uses devices located at its beginning and end that count the number of axles that enter and leave the block section. If the number of axles leaving the block section equals those that entered it, the block is assumed to be clear. Axle counters provide similar functions to track circuits, but also exhibit a few other characteristics. In a damp environment an axle counted section can be far longer than

2688-416: The presence of a train in section. On most railways, physical signals are erected at the lineside to indicate to drivers whether the line ahead is occupied and to ensure that sufficient space exists between trains to allow them to stop. Older forms of signal displayed their different aspects by their physical position. The earliest types comprised a board that was either turned face-on and fully visible to

2744-410: The previous train has left a block, they are usually required to seek permission from the next signal box to admit the next train. When a train arrives at the end of a block section, before the signalman sends the message that the train has arrived, they must be able to see the end-of-train marker on the back of the last vehicle. This ensures that no part of the train has become detached and remains within

2800-408: The replacement of manual block systems such as absolute block with automatic block signalling. Under automatic block signalling, signals indicate whether or not a train may enter a block based on automatic train detection indicating whether a block is clear. The signals may also be controlled by a signalman, so that they only provide a proceed indication if the signalman sets the signal accordingly and

2856-479: The required speed over a junction onto which they have been diverted due to some emergency condition. Several accidents have been caused by this alone. For this reason, in the UK, where all lines are route signalled, drivers are only allowed to drive on routes that they have been trained on and must regularly travel over the lesser used diversionary routes to keep their route knowledge up to date. Many route signalling systems use approach control (see below) to inform

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2912-636: The right of way if two blocks in front of the train were clear. Under a moving block system, computers calculate a safe zone around each moving train that no other train is allowed to enter. The system depends on knowledge of the precise location and speed and direction of each train, which is determined by a combination of several sensors such as radio frequency identification along the track, ultra-wideband, radar, inertial measurement units, accelerometers and trainborne speedometers ( GNSS systems cannot be relied upon because they do not work in tunnels). Moving block setups require instructions to be directly passed to

2968-424: The section. The end of train marker might be a coloured disc (usually red) by day or a coloured oil or electric lamp (again, usually red). If a train enters the next block before the signalman sees that the disc or lamp is missing, they ask the next signal box to stop the train and investigate. Under a permissive block system, trains are permitted to pass signals indicating the line ahead is occupied, but only at such

3024-441: The train instead of using lineside signals. This has the advantage of increasing track capacity by allowing trains to run closer together while maintaining the required safety margins. Centralized traffic control (CTC) is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America. CTC consolidates train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of

3080-409: The type of signal). To enable trains to run at night, one or more lights are usually provided at each signal. Typically this comprises a permanently lit oil lamp with movable coloured spectacles in front that alter the colour of the light. The driver therefore had to learn one set of indications for daytime viewing and another for nighttime viewing. Whilst it is normal to associate the presentation of

3136-632: Was opened in 1884. Jhansi–Bhopal section was opened in 1889. In 1895, the Ujjain–Bhopal section was opened. The station building was constructed in year 1910. In 1984, the station was affected by the Bhopal disaster , when toxic gas fumes from a nearby chemical plant leaked. In the station, staff, passengers, people fleeing the gases and other persons present died and were injured from inhaling these gases. Station staff still tried to alarm nearby stations not to send trains towards Bhopal. The station master made

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