Effective signalling

Various lights and signals are deployed to provide road users with information at a level crossing, depending on the applicable regulations. Road users may be informed that a train is approaching by an amber/red traffic light, for example. The SSB200 and SSB300 signalling systems have been developed for this purpose, equipped with ultra low-phantom wide-angle optical systems.

These signalling systems are produced in modular design and are available as one- and two-sign variants. In addition to colour signalling, colour disks with symbols (e.g. direction arrows) or acoustic warning devices can also be used, according to requirements.

It is important that the lit signal be clearly recognisable under all conditions, including strong sunshine. A diffusing screen in combination with an anti-phantom filter results in a drastic reduction of phantom light. Both specular phantom and reflex phantom are reduced substantially. The special design of the optical system results in a marked increase in luminous efficiency, enabling clear recognition over considerable distances.

Rail vehicles can also be informed of the status of the level crossing via appropriate signalling. Monitoring signals which incorporate a V136 mm lens system are employed for this purpose. Examples of such monitoring signals are BÜ0/1 or So16a/b.

The use of the BUES 2000 as a modern, fully electronic safety system for level crossings has made it possible to transfer control tasks directly to the field element. This possibility has been put to use in developing an LED signalling unit, which operates as an intelligent system element and communicates with the BUES 2000 via the CAN (controller area network) bus, by means of data messages.

The constructional design of the LED signalling unit provides for the operation of several LED chains without a reflector, whereby the LEDs of each chain are distributed over the entire surface of the display unit. As a result of this configuration, the failure of a chain will have only a negligible effect on illumination of the signal. The advantages of such LED signalling as compared to conventional signalling with lamps are a substantially longer service life, a reduced scope of maintenance work, simplified design, an increase in the radiating angle and light efficiency, and elimination of the problems relating to phantom light.