My dictionary of interlocking terms

For the translation of my German texts to English, I need a dictionary of special terms. There are a few reasons why I add words to this list:
  • Even though some of the terms are standard technical terms, they might have quite a few different translations → I need to select one of them consistently, which I add here.
  • Some translations I forget → here I can look them up.
  • For some parts of Austrian interlockings, there are no English terms; and for some parts of old interlockings (my 12SA!), I do not even know the German terms! → therefore I make up terms which I put in here.
In general, I want to translate to terms as used in Great Britain. Thus, I use "points", not "switch".

I hope to align my terms with those used in Jörn Pachl's German Block and Interlocking Principles - An Introduction for the Anglo-Saxon Reader in the near future.

Update Sept. 2013: At http://www.tu-cottbus.de/fakultaet2/de/verkehrswesen/publikationen/lehrunterlagen.html, there is a quite comprehensive dictionary under "0-7WortschatzDE.pdf". There are a number of typos and errors in it ("ooking"? "booking"!), but it has got many words. I'll try to use it and adhere to it in future postings; and therefore also bring my list below in line with it.

Update May 2016: Another dictionary by J.Calvert could be found here; as of 2022, it is no longer available.

Some terms are marked with *: This means that the translation is "wrong" in the sense that the Austrian part is not the same as the English part indicated by this term. However, the part is functionally close enough so that it is, in my opinion, better to use the well-known term than to invent an artificial term. When I find time, I might explain the differences between the two.

The English translations marked with # are my own invention. If anyone knows a better one, or one that is actually used elsewhere, let me please know!

For my convenience, the list is sorted by the German terms.

A
Abliegende Zunge (einer Weiche)open blade
Anfangsfeld (eines Felderstreckenblocks)entry block instrument
Anliegende Zunge (einer Weiche)closed blade
Auffahren einer Weicheto run through points
Ausfahrsignalstarting signal*
Ausfahr(fahr)straßedeparture route
Ausweichgleisloop (track)
B
Backenschiene (einer Weiche)stock rail
Bahnhofsblockstation block (apparatus), station block working
Bahnhofskopfstation throat
Bahnhofsvorstandstation master [see this discussion; see also Fahrdienstleiter]
Bahnsteigdachplatform shelter
Befehlswerkcommand frame#
Besonderer Verschlussspecial exclusion
Blockaufsatzblock shelf
Blocken (eines Blockfeldes)to block (a block instrument)
Blockfeldblock instrument*
Blocksperreblock sequence lock#
Blockwelleblock sequence lock drive#
D
Diagonalverbinder (an doppeltem Isolierstoß)transverse bond, traction return bond (gen.), traction bond (of staggered [polarity] track circuits) (gen.) [not: "cross bond"—bond between adjacent tracks]
Drahtleitung(signal) wire, wire line
Doppeldrahtzug, -leitungdouble-wire line
Drahtleitungsrollen(signal) wire pulleys
Drucktastenstellwerkentry-exit interlocking (panel)*
Durchgehendes Hauptgleismain (track)
E
Einfahrsignalhome signal*
Einfahr(fahr)straßearrival route
Einschnitt, Ausschnitt (z.B. an einer Rolle)notch, cutout
Elektromechanisches Stellwerkelectro-mechanical interlocking
electro-mechanical interlocking frame
Endfeld (eines Felderstreckenblocks)exit block instrument
Endstellwerkthroat (signal) box#
Entblocken (eines Blockfeldes)to unblock# (a block instrument)
F
Fahrdienstleiter"train director" (see German ...Principles)
Fahrdienstleitungtraffic bureau*
Fahrstraßeroute
Fahrstraßenschubstange, -schieberroute bar
Fahrstraßenauflösungroute release
Fahrstraßenfestlegung(electric) route lock
Fahrstraßenverschluss(mechanical) route lock
Fahrstraßen-Verschlusslogikroute locking
Fdl (→ Fahrdienstleitung)abbreviation for "Fahrdienstleitung"
Flankenfahrtside collision
Flankenschutzflank protection
Flügelsignalsemaphore
Flügelkupplungelectric signal arm clutch#
Formsignalsemaphore (with arms)
disc signal (with disc),
mechanical signal (general term; specific terms preferred)
Fühlschiene (-nhebel)fouling bar (lever)
G
Gestängeleitungenrodding, rods
Gegen die Spitze (Befahren einer Weiche)facing (direction)
Gleisanzeigertrack indicator
Gleissperre, Gleissperrschuhderail*
Grundstellungnormal position
H
Handfalle (eines Hebels)catch, catch handle
Hauptgleissignalled track# (not main track; this is "durchgehendes Hauptgleis")
Hauptsignalstop signal
Hebellever
Hebelbanklever frame
Hebelersatzschlossframe lock#
Hebelschildlever plate
Hebelsperre(electric) lever lock
I
Isolierstoßinsulated (rail) joint [not "isolated joint"]
K
Kaskaden-Verschlusslogik"tappet or similar locking" [actually, there is no term in English, because all locking was "cascading"]
Kettenrolle (eines Weichen- oder Signalhebels)chain wheel (of a points or signal lever [with double-wire working])
Klammerspitzenverschluss (Klammerzungenverschluss)claw locks (claw blade locks)
Klinke → Verschlussstück
Knagge → Knebel
Knebel (österr. kleiner Hebel am Verschlusskasten)(small) lever
Kreuzung (sowohl Gleiskreuzung als auch Zugkreuzung auf eingleisiger Strecke)crossing (both the intersection of tracks and the passing of two opposing trains on a single line)
Kuppelrolle (eines Doppelstellers)connection pulley#
L
Lichtsignalcolour light signal
position light signal
light signal (general term; specific terms preferred)
M
Mechanisches Stellwerkmechanical interlocking
(mechanical) lever frame
Minusstellungreverse position (for two-position levers)
lower position (for three-position levers)
Mittelstellwerkcentral box#
N
Nachtsperre (einer Strecke)nightly closing (of a line)
Nebengleisshunting track
P
Plusstellung normal position (for two-position levers)
upper position (for three-position levers)
R
Rangiersignalshunting signal
Räumungssignal (in Bayern und der Schweiz)clearing signal# (were used in Bavaria and Switzerland)
Riegel (an einer Weiche)FPL (facing point lock)*
Riegelstange (eines Blockfelds)lever rod#
Rückblocken (beim Streckenblock)signal "line clear"*
operating the exit block instrument
S
Schalter (eines österr. elektromech. Stw. (Schalterwerk); in D und CH als "Hebel" bezeichnet)lever
Schieberkastenlocking bed
(Schienen-)Stuhlchair
Schlüsselwerk → Zentralschloss
Signalschirm(lamp) screen
Signalschubstange, -schiebersignal sliding bar
Sperrenplan (siehe auch Verschlussanordnung)dog chart*
Sperrgewicht (der Stellwerksbauart 12SA)locking weight#, weight
Sperrgewichtshebel# (der Stellwerksbauart 12SA)locking weight lever#
Sperrschuh → Gleissperrschuh
Sperrsignalshunting signal*
Sperrstange (eines Blockfelds)locking rod#
Spiegelfeld (Signalnachahmer am Stellwerk)(signal) repeater
Spitzenverschluss (Weiche); → Klammerspitzenverschlussblade locks
Spurplan-Verschlusslogikgeographical locking
Stellprüfer# (der Stellwerksbauart 12SA)position check#
Stellrolle# (der Stellwerksbauart 12SA)lever wheel#
Stellwerksignal box (the building)
interlocking (the machine providing the "logic")
frame (the machine providing the "logic" including levers and handles)
Stellwerkswärterpointsman* [signalman has too many other connotations, in my opinion]
Streckenblockline block (apparatus), line block working
Stuhlschienebullhead rail
Stw (→ Stellwerk)abbreviation for "Stellwerk"; like SB for "signal box"
Summerbuzzer
T
Taste (eines Blockfeldes)plunger (of a block instrument)
button [J.Pachl]
Tastensperre (auf einem Blockapparat)(electric) plunger lock [Röll, 1912 and J.Calvert]
button lock (of a block instrument) [J.Pachl]
Temperaturausgleichshebel (einer Gestängeleitung)compensator
Trageisen (einer Hebelbank)beams (of a lever frame)
U
Überholgleis → Ausweichgleis
Umlenkrollen (für Drahtseile, z.B. für Signale)(deflection) wheels
V
Verschlusslock
Verschlussanordnung = Sperrenplan eines Einheitsstellwerks → Sperrenplan
Verschlussbalkenlocking bar
Verschlussplanlocking chart
Verschlussstück (fest montiert auf Schubstange etc.)(locking) pin (when simple)
(locking) hook (when formed like a hook)
(locking) segment (when turning around some axle)
(locking) piece (general term)
Verschubsignalshunting signal*
Vignoles-Schieneflat-bottom rail
Vom Herzstück her (Befahren einer Weiche)trailing (direction)
Vorblocken, Vorblock abgeben (Felderstreckenblock)signal "line occupied"*
operating the entrance block instrument
Vorsignaldistant signal
W
Wärter → Stellwerkswärter
Weckerbell
Weichepoints (pl.)
(elektrischer) Weichenantriebpoint machine
Weichenverschluss → Fahrstraßenverschluss
Z
Zentralschlosscentral lock, key interlocking*
Zugschlussrear end (of train)
Zunge, Zungenschiene (einer Weiche)blade
Zustimmung, Zustimmungsblockfeldapproval# (block instrument)

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