A fixed signal at the entrance to a route or block that strictly controls whether a train may proceed. Unlike intermediate signals, it is an absolute signal controlled directly by a dispatcher or interlocking plant. Passing it at danger without explicit permission is a severe violation.
Heard on the job
We're sitting at the home signal waiting on the dispatcher to line us through the plant.
Do not mix it up with
- Block signal: A block signal governs a stretch of track and can often be permissive, while a home signal protects a specific interlocking and is absolute.
Related terms
Interlocking
An arrangement of signals and switches interconnected to prevent conflicting train movements.
Block signal
A fixed trackside light or semaphore that tells an engineer whether the track segment ahead is clear.
Aspect
The visual appearance of a trackside signal as seen by an approaching locomotive crew.
Signal aspect
The visual appearance of a railway signal that conveys a specific rule to the crew.