OpenRailwayMap/Tagging in Belgium
Tracks
General
General tags in Belgium are:
- operator=* in general operator is Infrabel
- ref=* name of the railway line, i.e. ref=L162
- usage=* for example usage=main
Milestones
The following tags might be sufficient:
- railway=milestone
- railway:position=* VALUE in km, decimals separated with "."
- railway:milestone:catenary_mast=(yes/no)
Gauge
The Belgian railways use the standard track gauge.
Electrification systems
The following electrification systems are used in Belgium:
Non-electrified
DC-Tracks
AC-Tracks
Train protection
Domestic systems
- railway:tbl=yes TBL train protection
- railway:tbl=1+ TBL1+ train protection (remark: railway:tbl=2 is possible, but TBL2 is discontinued and line 2 is now equipped with ETCS)
- railway:etcs=yes European Train Control System
- railway:etcs=1 lineside signals with Eurobalises - ETCS Level 1
- railway:etcs=2 cab signalling through the combination of Eurobalises and a GSM-R link - ETCS Level 2
Signalling
Main signal
Signalling in Belgium is relatively simple, because signals and distant signals can show the same aspects and their shape is the same. Signals on lines with 2 tracks are standing on the outside, while driving on double track lines is reguarly on the left side, those signals have a fixed light, those on the opposite right track have a flashing light.
Signals should be tagged with the following scheme:
- railway:signal:main=BE:GSA where GSA is "grand signal d'arrêt"
- railway:signal:direction=forward this signal is standing on the left side of the track "Voie normale"
- railway:signal:position=left
- railway:signal:main:form=light since this signal not a semaphore. Due to the fact that nearly all signals are lights, I would skip this tag for data minimisation reason.
- ref=* Name of the signal, i.e. ref=SX-L.74
With distant speed limit indicator
additional informations above TBD: chrevron (changement de régime); répere de voie en impasse
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant=BE:ARV advance speed limit, displayed with a yellow number (annonce de reduction de vitesse, nombre jaune)
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:form=light applies, if a speed limit is added to the signal
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:speed=* value of the indicated speed limit in km/h, can be multiple values as well: 40; 60; 100
With speed limit indicator
additional information below TBD: lettre rebroussement
- railway:signal:speed_limit=BE:ARV applies, if a speed limit is added to the signal (vitesse imposé par le signal)
- railway:signal:speed_limit:form=light
- railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=* value of the indicated speed limit in km/h, can be multiple values as well: i.e. 40; 60; 100
Counter-direction
In Belgium it's very common to have signals at the same place in the counter-direction.
Those should be tagged as follows:
- railway:signal:direction=backward this signal is standing on the right side of the track "contre-voie"
- railway:signal:position=left tag is left because of the direction of the track itself. From the point of view from the train-driver it's on the right side.
- ref=* Name of the signal, mostly similar to the main driving direction, i.e. ref=SX-L.74
Dwarf signals
Smaller signals:
- railway:signal:minor=BE:PSA where PSA means "petit signal d'arrêt"
Shunting
Small signals within marshalling yards:
- railway:signal:shunting=BE:SAS where SAS means "signal d'arrêt simplifié"
Speed limits
The speed of a track is tagged with:
- maxspeed=*
Those speeds are indicated on the line side with speed limit sign, a distant sign or a marker for the beginning / end of a restriction. As common in the railway sector, those speeds are displayed in a value*10 km/h
Sometimes, mostly on a single track line, it's necessary to add the direction of these signs:
- railway:signal:direction=(forward/backward), depending on the direction of the line.
General reference speed sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit=BE:PVR panneau vitesse réference
- railway:signal:speed_limit:form=sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=* VALUE = speed indicated by the sign (10* km/h)
Announcement of a speed limit
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant=BE:PVA panneau d'annonce
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:form=sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit_distant:speed=*
Beginning of a speed limit
- railway:signal:speed_limit=BE:PVO panneau d'origine
- railway:signal:speed_limit:form=sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=*
End of a speed limit
(or new higher limit below the reference speed possible)
- railway:signal:speed_limit=BE:PVJ panneau "Fin de zone jaune à bord vert"
- railway:signal:speed_limit:form=sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=none
- railway:signal:speed_limit=BE:PVJ panneau "Fin de zone vert à bord jaune"
- railway:signal:speed_limit:form=sign
- railway:signal:speed_limit:speed=none
ETCS signalling
ETCS stop marker
The ETCS stop marker can be tagged similar to the Netherlands:
- railway:signal:train_protection=BE:PRA panneau repère d'arret (LGV = TVM & ETCS)
- railway:signal:train protection:type=block_marker
- railway:signal:train protection:form=sign
- railway:signal:train protection:shape=triangle
Traction
Panto distant
- railway:signal:electricity=BE:PBA Panto baisser annonce
- railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_down_advance
- railway:signal:electricity:form=sign
Panto down
- railway:signal:electricity=BE:PBE Panto baisser execution
- railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_down
- railway:signal:electricity:form=sign
Panto up
- railway:signal:electricity=BE:PRL Panto relever
- railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_up
- railway:signal:electricity:form=sign