Classification of Railway Station :- Railway station can be classified in 3 main consideration.
A. Operation consideration.
B. Earning consideration
C. Functional consideration.
A. Operation consideration
a. The classification of station as per operational consideration as category as block & non block station. Block station are further classified as A class, B class & C class. Station. Non block station are classified as D class station and flag station.
Need for division into Block and Non Block Stations:
Under the Absolute Block System a line is divided into a number of units or sections according to the speed and density of Traffic by providing stations – called Block Stations.
To serve the needs of public sometimes some small stopping place have to be opened in the middle of the Block Section, which are purely for commercial purpose – These are Non Block Stations.
1. Block Station Block
Stations are those stations at which the Loco Pilot must obtain an Authority to Proceed under the system of working to enter the block section with his train. There are three classes of stations under the Absolute Block System
‘A’ Class Station
A class station where line clear may not be granted for a train unless the line on which it is intended to receive the train is clear off any obstruction for at least 400 meters beyond the home signal or up to the starter.
Note-
‘A’ Class stations are found only double line and in TALQ signaling system. No ‘A’ Class stations are found on single line in Central Railway.
Neutral Zone - Besides the Starter signal, if Advance Starter Signal is provided in A Class Station, the portion between the Starter and Advance Starter signal is called the neutral zone. This section is neither a part of the block section in rear nor a part the block section in advance. The Block Section in rear ends at Starter Signal and the block section in advance start from the Advance Starter Signal.
‘B’ Class Station - The Block Station where line clear may be given for a train before the line has been cleared for the reception of the train within the station section. Station section is found only in B Class Station.
B Class Stations are found in TALQ, MAUQ/MACLS, Single Line and in Double Line.
‘C’ Class Station - It is block hut, where line clear may not be granted for a train, unless the whole of the last preceding has passed completely at least 400 meters beyond the home signal, and is continuing its journey. This will also include an intermediate block post (IBP).
2. Non-Block Station or ‘D’ Class Station
These stations are stopping place which are situated between two consecutive block stations, and do not form the boundary of any bock section. 3. Special Class Station This is a station which cannot be worked under ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ Class conditions. The SWR of such station must have the approval of CRS.
Minimum Signals In different Classes of stations
B. On basis of earning consideration.
Station are also classified as per condition of annual passenger earning. As per the consideration station have been classified in 6 categories as A, B, C, D, E & F categories.
C. Functional consideration.
On the basis of functional consideration station are classified based on the function as their function as The station are required to performed. Under this category station are classified as Halt station, Flag station, Crossing station or way side station, Junction station and terminal station.
