In Centralized Traffic Control, what authorizes train movements?

In Centralized Traffic Control (CTC), train movements are authorized by block signal indications. This system is designed to manage train traffic over a network of tracks, ensuring safety and efficiency. Block signals communicate critical information about track occupancy to the train crews. When a signal indicates that the track ahead is clear, it allows the train to proceed safely.

Block signals are a vital component in CTC systems because they provide real-time information about the operational status of the track sections, helping to prevent collisions and ensuring that trains are spaced appropriately. Each block section can only be occupied by one train at a time unless multiple tracks are available, contributing to safe train operations.

Other methods of authorizing movements, such as track officials or manual signals, can be less systematic or lack the automated and real-time capability that block signals provide within the CTC framework. Interlocking systems are also important, but they function more to control the movement of trains at junctions and crossings rather than authorizing train movements across a broader network.