OpenRailwayMap/ETCS Markers

This page is a work in progress! The content is likely incomplete, inaccurate or empty.

This page explains how to tag ETCS markers as approved by the unification proposal. All the markers are taken from the harmonised marker boards specifications.

General tags

As all the other railway signals, ETCS markers follow the general tags of all the other signals.

Here a quick overview:

Key	Value	Property	Description
railway	signal	signal
ref	signal designation	signal reference/designator	The name, number or designation of a signal.
railway:position	distance value, such as 40.6	distance	The rounded distance position of a signal. If using miles, prefix the number with mi:.
railway:position:exact	distance value, such as 40.625	exact distance	The exact (three-place) distance position of a signal. If using miles, prefix the number with mi:.
railway:signal:direction	forward/backward/both	direction of displaying	Determines how you have to drive to have a view on the signal. Values are in reference to way direction in OpenStreetMap.
railway:signal:position	left/right/bridge/overhead/in_track	location	Indicates the location of the signal in references to the track. bridge means the signal is located on a signal gantry overhead the track. left or right determines on which side of the track the signal is located, in reference to the way direction in OpenStreetMap. overhead means a signal is attached to the catenary and in_track is intended for signals in the middle of the track - such as one attached to a buffer stop.
railway:signal:*	*	other national signals	Other national signals can be added in the same node, plese refer to country-specific tagging for those. The only incompatibility is with other railway:signal:train_protection=*

Main marker boards

ETCS Markers

The "main" marker boards are the ones used to indicate transition points to and from ECTS and places of EoA (End of Authority) so where the MA (Movement Authorization) might end, indicating a safe limit for the train where it should stop if it doesn't have an authorization to proceed. For more info check the Wikipedia page.

• 
  ETCS transition marker
• 
  Stop marker
• 
  Location Marker

ETCS transition marker

Point where the transition to ETCS is possible or must be done.

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=ETCS:level_transition
• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign

ETCS stop marker

Marker to unambiguously identify a location that must not be passed without a MA (Movement Authority) or other equivalent instructions.

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:stop_marker
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:caption=* optional field, might be the name of the locality for main marker boards, reference goes into ref=*
• railway:signal:position=* is used to correctly identify the arrow direction (with railway:signal:direction).
  • leftarrow faces right if the direction of the way is forward, otherwise faces left.
  • right arrow faces left if the direction of the way is forward, otherwise faces right.
  • overhead/bridge arrow faces down.
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:function=entry/block/exit optional field, indicates the function of the marker.

ETCS location marker

Marker to unambiguously identify a location that is not safety critical, might represent the EOA location (End of Authority).

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:location_marker
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:caption=* optional field, might be the name of the locality for main marker boards, reference goes into ref=*
• railway:signal:position=* is used to correctly identify the arrow direction (with railway:signal:direction).
  • left arrow faces right if the direction of the way is forward, otherwise faces left.
  • right arrow faces left if the direction of the way is forward, otherwise faces right.
  • overhead/bridge arrow faces down.
• railway:signal:train_protection:main:function=block optional field, indicates the function of the marker. For location markers is unlikely to be anything but block.

National Level Transition markers

TODO: Please insert national Level Transition markers to/from ETCS divided by country, to have all of them here. Please check the discussion page for a concern regarding the tagging of said signals.

Belgium

Start of ETCS Level 1 Limited Supervision zone

• railway:signal:train_protection=BE:ETCS-1LS
• railway:signal:train_protection:type=start
• railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign

Start of ETCS Level 1 Full Supervision zone

• railway:signal:train_protection=BE:ETCS-1FS
• railway:signal:train_protection:type=start
• railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign

Start of ETCS Level 2 Full Supervision zone

• railway:signal:train_protection=BE:ETCS-2
• railway:signal:train_protection:type=start
• railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign

End of ETCS zone

• railway:signal:train_protection=BE:ETCS-end
• railway:signal:train_protection:type=end
• railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign

Italy:

ETCS L2 Distant entry

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=IT:Distant_Start_ETCS
• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign

ETCS L2 Entry

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=IT:Start_ETCS
• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign

ETCS L2 Distant exit

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=IT:Distant_End_ETCS
• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign

ETCS L2 Exit

• railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker

• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=IT:End_ETCS
• railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign

Poland: W ETCS 1-9

The below tags are the ones currently implemented in ORM.

System level	Announcement	Entry	Exit
ETCS L1 "Limited Supervision"
	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs1 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_annoucement	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs2 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs3 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition
ETCS L1
	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs4 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_annoucement	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs5 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs6 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition
ETCS L2
	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs7 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_annoucement	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs8 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition	railway:signal:train_protection=PL-PKP:wetcs9 railway:signal:train_protection:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:type=level_transition

Electrical Markers boards

Here follow the ECTS electrical marker boards, as per harmonisation schemes.

Neutral section related

• 
  Distant Begin of neutral section
• 
  Begin of neutral section
• 
  End of neutral section

Distant begin of neutral section

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:power_off_advance
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=power_off_advance

Begin of neutral section

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:power_off
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=power_off

End of Neutral section

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:power_on
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=power_on

Pantograph related

• 
  Distant lower pantograph
• 
  Lower pantograph
• 
  Raise pantograph

Distant Lower pantograph

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:pantograph_down_advance
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_down_advance

Lower pantograph

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:pantograph_down
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_down

Raise pantograph

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:pantograph_up
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=pantograph_up

End of catenary related

• 
  Distant end of catenary
• 
  End of catenary

Distant end of catenary

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:end_of_catenary_advance
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=end_of_catenary_advance

End of catenary

• railway:signal:electricity=ETCS:end_of_catenary
• railway:signal:electricity:form=sign

additionally:

• railway:signal:electricity:type=end_of_catenary

Rendering

The markers are not rendered yet on https://openrailwaymap.app/, but the process to add them is underway.

Examples

Picture	Tags
Stop marker followed by level transition with other italian signals	Stop marker alone (in front): railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped) ref=20 railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:stop_marker railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:main:caption=Castelfranco
	Level Transition with the other signals (on the back): railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped)
Level transition and stop marker with other italian signals	Level transition and stop marker on the same pole with other signals: railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped) ... [all other signals on the pole] ... railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker railway:signal:train_protection:system_change=ETCS:level_transition railway:signal:train_protection:system_change:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:stop_marker railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign railway:signal:train_protection:main:caption=Castelfranco ref=20
Stop marker in Austria	Stop marker in a standalone installation: railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:stop_marker railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign ref=SMR201R
German signals and stop marker	Level transition andother conventional signals on the same pole: railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped) ... [all other signals on the pole] ... railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:stop_marker railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign
Location markers in Switzerland	Location markers in standalone application (valid for both): railway=signal railway:signal:direction=forward/backward (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:position=left/right (depending on how the way is mapped) railway:signal:train_protection=ETCS:marker railway:signal:train_protection:main=ETCS:location_marker railway:signal:train_protection:main:form=sign ref=VIL536S(left one)/ref=VIL536S(right one)