Signalplaner

Signalplaner is a professional in railway signaling who designs and documents railway signal plans. The primary objective is to enable safe and efficient train movements by selecting appropriate signal aspects, interlocking logic, and route layouts for a given track layout.

Typical responsibilities include analyzing traffic demand and infrastructure, determining block sections and routes, specifying signal devices and point machines, configuring interlocking logic, and preparing drawings, wiring lists, and interface specifications. They produce signal plan sheets, interlocking tables, route diagrams, and electrical wiring diagrams, which serve as the basis for construction, testing, and operation. Signalplaner work closely with signaling engineers, civil engineers, operations planners, and maintenance teams. The role requires consideration of safety regulations, RAMS requirements, and national or European standards. In practice, the planning process may involve site surveys, feasibility studies, simulation or modeling of traffic flows, review and approval cycles, and coordination with installation and commissioning teams. In modern systems, signal planning may address centralized traffic control and automated interlocking, including ETCS or other digital signaling concepts.

Common tools include computer-aided design software and specialized signaling design tools, along with documentation management systems. Knowledge areas include signaling principles, track geometry, electrical cabling, power supply, and safety analyses.

Qualifications typically include an engineering degree or equivalent experience in railway signaling, with on-the-job training or certification in signaling standards. The term signalplaner is used in various European contexts to denote the planner responsible for the signal plan; titles and specific responsibilities may vary by country.