Each block (except connectors only) has an indication in which direction a train may travel. In special situations the dispatcher may allow a train on an one-directional block to travel in the opposite direction: This is accomplished by manual overrides of the traffic direction in affected blocks to temporarily allow traffic both ways before setting a route through these blocks. The manual override is usually removed when a trains leaves this block.
The following symbols are used to indicate the allowed traffic directions:
- <=> Block is bi-directional
- <== Block allows only travel to the left
- ==> Block allows only travel to the right
- <<> Left-only Block temporarily set to allow travel to the right
- <>> Right-only Block temporarily set to allow travel to the left
- <=< Block is bi-directional but routing is currently allowed to the left (1)
- >=> Block is bi-directional but routing is currently allowed to the right (1)
(1) This is shown if you have a series of blocks with automatic signals where the automatic route extension is active. Even if a block is free routes cannot be activated in the opposite direction if an automatic route extension is expected to execute but hasn’t yet.
Note: Manual overrides of traffic direction does not change the information what destinations can be reached from this block that the train uses to determine if a set route would continue a destination to be reachable, when it travels down the road.
Note: A block may also be entered in a wrong direction when a train gets an order to pass a red signal or reverse under caution.