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by nier 921 days ago
What makes a stopped train on a track 100% safe in terms of other trains or locomotives that might be oncoming? Are signals and means of communication redundant in a way that there‘s no chance of a collision?
1 comments

The signalling system is designed so there's no possibility of an oncoming (or path-crossing) train. On a modern system this is done with formal proof of the software, on an old system with mechanical interlocks.
Yes, and if you maintain it very well you will never have accidents. That's why Poland never has railway accidents, perfect maintenance and everything 'just works' /s.
That’s a bit of a tangent though. All of rail (even in Poland) is based on the assumption that stopped=safe.