Apparatus for determining the signal term to be transmitted to a railroad traction vehicle

Apparatus for determining a signal term, representing the admissible speed, to be transmitted to a railroad traction vehicle which is to travel over a prescribed route which includes a start element, a destination element and at least one intermediate element, the destination and intermediate elements having maximum speeds assigned thereto, comprising:

• respective storage means at the destination element and at each intermediate element storing the respective maximum speed;
• destination element transmission means for transmitting a message including the assigned maximum speed back along the route to the next intermediate element;
• comparison means at each respective intermediate element for comparing its respective assigned maximum speed with the maximum speed of an incoming message and devaluing the message in response to a message maximum speed which is greater than the respective assigned maximum speed;
• intermediate element transmission means at each respective intermediate element for relaying the message, devalued as required, towards the start element;
• and
• conversion means at the start element for receiving, converting and transmitting the received message as a signal term.