Maybe the best way to illustrate the special meaning of the station Entry Signal to Danish Signaling is to look at a station only equipped with the absolutely necessary signals and boards. The station is a simple station on a single track line, with a siding for meets. This type of signal arrangement was very widespread in the past but today only a few remain. Typical line speeds where this signal arrangement is/was used is 75km/h (app. 45 mph) or 100 km/h (app. 60 mph).
The only main signals on the station are the Entry Signals. The Entry Signals in this example are shown as the simplest possible type to further bring forward a few oddities. If Distant Signals are installed, they are often the 2-lamp type, as illustrated here. Stopping Markers (Danish: Standsningsmærker) mark where a train entering the station should stop. The most straight track is the Through Track (Danish Gennemkørselsspor).
Entry Signals display the "Stop" (Danish: "Stop") aspect while the Distant Signals display "Caution" (Danish: "Kør Forsigtigt") when the station is in its normal state (i.e. no route set).
Trains stopped at the station may only depart after receiving the departure (hand) signal from the Station Master.
"Proceed" allows a train to enter the station and proceed to its appropriate stopping place. The simple entry signal shown here does not indicate at what speed or through which route the train is to enter the station. This information is defined in the employee timetable and may not be changed without the train being informed. "Proceed" is shown a one steady green.
"Proceed Through" indicates that a specific route is set, the so called Through Route (Danish: Gennemkørselstogvej). If a train scheduled to pass through the station must be stopped at the station instead, the train must be stopped at the Entry Signal and informed that it has to stop at the station. Only then can the train be signaled into the station by "Proceed".
The Distant Signal will show "Main Signal shows Proceed" (Danish: "Hovedsignalet viser kør"), regardless of the permitted speed in the Through Route.
The unmanned station is marked to the train crews by a signal of 3 white lights in a triangle, being displayed from a special signal located next to the Through Track. The 3 white lights indicate to the train crew that the train may depart without permission from the Station master. The signal is sometimes referred to as a Xmas Tree (Danish: Juletræ), and is unlit when the station is manned. When unmanned, a special key permits both though routes to be set at the same time:
Signals remain cleared regardless of any train occupying the station, and routes does not release while being traversed by trains.
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