A fixed signal positioned at the exit of a station platform, siding, or yard that governs a train's entry into the next block section. It provides the engineer with the authority to accelerate and proceed onto the main line.
Heard on the job
Dispatcher, we're loaded and waiting on the starting signal at track three.
Also heard as
- starter
Related terms
Home signal
An absolute signal that governs a train's entry into a specific interlocking or block.
Block signal
A fixed trackside light or semaphore that tells an engineer whether the track segment ahead is clear.
Signal aspect
The visual appearance of a railway signal that conveys a specific rule to the crew.