What does it mean when a colour-light signal does not face along the tracks but points away?
Colour-light signals that are not in use (just set up but not yet commissioned, or in the process of being decommissioned) are often turned to point away from the tracks, so that it is clear to all locomotive drivers that the signal is not in service. Otherwise, it would be treated as an active signal that is malfunctioning (lamps burnt out), which would require trains to follow special procedures for passing malfunctioning signals.
