Some important signs & symbols and their meaning is as follows;

1. Trackside pole markers

Telegraph or telephone poles, catenary masts, and other repeatedly occurring vertical structures
usually have a distance indication painted on, of the form '32/4'; this example indicates the 4th
pole after the 32nd kilometer mark. The number of poles or structures within a kilometer's
stretch is variable, but usually 16 or 15.

2. Caution Indicator Board

Arrow-shaped boards points to the left or right. This sign indicates special restrictions on the track
due to temporary or permanent engineering work. The direction of the arrow indicates that on
which track the restriction applies to. These boards are usually painted in black and yellow colour.

3. Signal Sighting Board

This signal sighting board is a rectangular reflective board with a circle and two horizontal lines,
yellow on black. The meaning of this signal for the driver is that, this sign warns the driver of a
signal ahead and the driver needs to pay the attention of this signal. The next signal will instruct
him that whether he need to slow or stop the train.

In lower quadrant territory, there are often two sighting boards used for signals. One, as
described, is the goods signal sighting board and is placed 1400m before the signal. The other is
the passenger signal sighting board intended for use by drivers of passenger trains and is usually
placed about 1000m before the signal.

4. Whistle Indicator Board

Often, while traveling in the train, we see Yellow Square colored on the side of the tracks. The
boards have W, W / L, W / B or C / F words. These boards are just signal to the drivers for
blowing the whistle.
5. The 'W' is a general whistle indicator while the 'W/L' stands for Whistle for Level Crossing
because there is unmanned crossing ahead. The letter is also seen in Hindi with the
characters also.
 Normally W / L or C / F board is placed before the 250 meters of unmanned gate. Similarly, the
W / B board informs the driver of the train that the bridge is ahead so he need to blown the
horn while crossing the bridge.

6. Caution Indicator Arrow-shaped boards pointing to the left or right. These indicate special
restrictions on the track (temporary or permanent engineering restrictions) and caution orders in
effect; the direction of the arrow indicates which track the restriction applies to. These boards are
usually reflective yellow with black markings. The post on which it is mounted has alternating
black and white bands. At night, sometimes two yellow lamps illuminate this indicator, although
such lighting is not common and perhaps used more for caution indicators that are installed
permanently. More often, the reflective paint on the indicator suffices for visibility at night. The
caution indicator is usually placed 700m before a Speed Indicator board (see below) and 800m
before the actual point of permanent way work or other cause of restriction. Drivers have to slow
down to the speed indicated on the speed restriction board by the time they reach it.
 Other indicators include 'CP', or 'CG' on small white circular boards. These are caution
indicators for passenger and goods trains, respectively. A 'C/T' indicator has been spotted in a
few cases just before the entrance to a tunnel.

7. Stop Indicator: A rectangular board with red and white bands. It is mounted on a post with
alternating red and white bands. At night the sign is illuminated by two red lamps. This is used for
temporary or permanent engineering restrictions which call for trains to come to a dead stop
before proceeding.

Some stop indicators are used to mark the spot beyond which a locomotive must not proceed
when a signal ahead is at danger. These include vertical poles with 'STOP' spelled out in black on
yellow, or rectangular yellow boards with 'STOP' on them in black. The poles usually have
horizontal yellow and black stripes. A single white lamp may appear within the sign. These signs
may appear on the right or on both sides of the track. At stations these stop signs are used to
position the train correctly along the platform. (Sometimes, an indication board (see below) is
used instead, with a message (black on yellow) such as 'Stop here when main signal is at danger',
or 'Engine stop here'.)

8. Sighting Boards: The most common kind of signal sighting board is a rectangular reflective board
with a circle and two horizontal lines, yellow on black. This warns the driver of a signal ahead. The
next signal should be visible from this point onwards, although in practice experienced drivers
spot the signals well before the sighting boards are crossed. In lower quadrant territory, there are
often two sighting boards used for signals. One, as described, is the goods signal sighting
board and is placed 1400m before the signal. The other is the passenger signal sighting
board intended for use by drivers of passenger trains and is usually placed about 1000m before
the signal. The latter consists of a rectangular reflective board with alternate black and yellow
diagonal stripes.
.

9. Kilometer Number:-

 The very first and most common sign available on railway track is Kilometer number
Stone.
 A series of these white or yellow colored stones is fixed along side of track and figures
of distance from headquarter are carved and painted in black letters on it, somewhat
similar to milestone.
  Between two full kilometer stones nine other stones are erected which shows
distance in hectometer, such as 25/1 to 25/9 and then 26/0. They are fixed and
maintained on permanent basis by engineering department, in both electrified and
non-electrified sections.

10. OHE Mast/ Structure Number:-

 Second sign is also provided to indicate kilometer numbers but instead of erecting
stones they are painted on OHE structures or printed fluorescent boards are fixed on
these structures.
 Black letters on yellow background are painted. These sign are provided in electrified
sections only.
 These are more useful because their visibility is more clear due to their height and
fluorescence.
 These signs are provided to identify the OHE structures (masts) in a particular
kilometer and hence kilometer number is written as numerator and mast number is
written as denominator, e.g. 120/25.
 These are fixed and maintained by OHE department.
 Fig: OHE Structure number which also shows kilometer number

11. Gradient Board:-

 It is a white colored square stone or board, and a number is carved or written on it

with an upward or downward arrow mark.

 This sign is used to indicate the level of track, if track is in level then simply “L” is
carved on this board.
 But if track there is some gradient then value of gradient is carved with suitable arrow
mark.
 As shown in picture above, 200 and downwards arrow means there is a falling
gradient of 1:200.

12. Passenger and Goods warning warning boards:-

 Warning boards of distinctive design are provided at a distance of 1000 meters and
1400 meters in rear of the first Stop signal (Outer or Home signals) for passenger and
goods trains respectively to warn the Driver that he is approaching the first Stop
signal.
 If no signal indication is available, the Driver should control the speed of the train as if
the stop signal ahead is at ‘On’ (red/ danger). If, however, subsequently after passing
the warning board, the Driver gets the indication, either by the Stop signal itself or
through the Distant or Warner signal that the Stop signal ahead is not in the ‘On’
position, he shall suitably increase the speed depending upon the signal indications.
Fig: Passenger and Goods warning board

 The Passenger Warning board located at 1000 meters is painted with yellow stripes
diagonally on a black board and the Goods Warning board located at 1400 meters will have a
circle between two parallel lines and painted Yellow on a black board.

13. Lower Pantograph and Raise Pantograph Boards:-

 If due to any defect or damage to the overhead equipment it is necessary to lower

pantographs over any particular section of the running lines, the traction official
concerned communicates with the Traction Power Controller, who, in turn, will advise
the Section Controller for arranging the issue of necessary Caution Orders by the Station
Masters to the Drivers.
 The Caution Order shall specify the exact kilometers and structure numbers between
which the Driver shall lower the pantographs and trail through.

 In addition, the traction official, asking for the Caution Order to be issued, arranges with the
Assistant Traction Foreman (Overhead Equipment) for the exhibition of suitable indication
boards marking the beginning and end of the affected section in which Drivers shall trail
through with lowered pantographs.
 14. DJ Open and Close Boards:-

 Tripping of circuit breakers of locomotives and electrical multiple units at neutral

sections - Unless otherwise allowed by special instructions, the Driver of the
locomotive or electrical multiple unit coasts through the neutral section, duly
switching off power.
 Necessary indication boards to this effect are provided to guide the Driver to switch
off and switch on power.

15. STOP Electric Engine board:-

 This board indicates the end of electrified area, and hence an electric engine should
not pass the board, otherwise pantograph will damage.

16. CAUTION UN WIRED TURN OUTS Board:-

 This board indicates that there is diversion which does not provided with over head wires,
therefore electric engines should not be taken over to that line.

17. Curve Information signs are small white boards close to the ground, with black text indicating the
identifying number, turning radius, superelevation, and other such details of a curve in the track.
One such board appears at either end of a curve.
18. Catenary Termination boards are rectangular boards with white or black text on red (or red on
white, or sometimes black on yellow) that says 'Electric engines STOP here'. These appear high on
the catenary mast, and indicate the absence of the OHE beyond that point, with obvious unhappy
consequences for an electric loco that strays beyond. Sometimes only a branch line is
 unelectrified, in which case the board may say something like 'Caution Unwired Turnouts' (black
on red or yellow).

19. Catenary Signs Boards placed high on catenary masts with (usually black on white) symbols such
as a diamond outline, a cross, and a vertical line with two breaks in it. These indicate the neutral
sections.

The diamond outline often has a distance ('500m') marking in it indicating the distance to the
neutral section. (Sometimes a warning sign such as 'Dead Zone Ahead' (black on white) is also
seen.) Usually one such sign is provided 500m before the neutral section and another 250m
before the neutral section. At the sign 500m before the neutral section, the loco is powered
down by bringing the notch lever down to 0. The driver is also supposed to start switching off
the blowers and other auxiliary equipment. By the time the sign 250m before the neutral section
is reached (just 10-15 seconds later at typical speeds), all the auxiliary equipment should be
switched off, although this is not always true. The older signs are black on white. Newer signs
with reflective paint are now in use [1/05] in some places. The 500m sign in the newer scheme
is blue with white letters and a white diamond symbol; the 250m sign is white with red letters
and diamond.

A cross figure (with the vertical bar broken and not touching the horizontal bar) is the sign just
before the neutral section advising the driver to open the DJ (main circuit breaker) for the loco.
This is mandatory if the sign is on a post with a white or yellow base. Older signs of this type
black on white; newer ones with reflective paint are white on blue.

Immediately after the neutral section a sign with a vertical bar broken at two points is displayed.
This advises the driver to close the DJ (BLDJ closed while depressing BLDJR switch simultaneously
to close the main circuit breaker) and turn on the auxiliary equipment. Again, the older ones are
black on white while the newer ones are white on blue.

Sometimes instead of explicit graphics depicting the pantograph being raised or lowered, three
vertical bars one above the other with the middle one displaced sideways from the other two
are shown as instructions to raise or lower pantographs before the neutral section. These are
mandatory if posted on yellow or white bases.

All these figures are black on white. Any of these may appear more than once near a neutral
section, once in plain (unannotated) form for normal trains, and additional signs annotated with
the word 'EMU' or 'MEMU' specifically for multiple-unit trains.
In the sections where the traction power switches from AC to DC , a large 'A' on the OHE mast
indicates the AC catenary section, whereas a large 'D' indicates a DC catenary section.
Additionally, graphic symbols showing a pantograph and an upward or downward arrow warn
the driver to raise or lower the pantograph.