Thanks for that. It still seems strange that a main line signal would be used to indicate that there is no ATC on the branch. Obviously the signs attached above the red indicate what it does.
Regards Stu

Stu:

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the concept, but rail lines/subway lines that use wayside signalling often have multiple sets of signals at track switches. Taking Toronto for an example (where I live), two-headed signals are placed at track switches: the top head can be red/yellow/green and indicates a speed limit, but the bottom head indicates which track the above signal applies to. Put simply, the second head indicates whether the train will be travelling on the main route or onto a secondary route controlled by the signal.

Having driven the Local train 2 route for the Misaki Line (which, if you haven't tried it by now, is a route going to Fukuyama Depot, near Onomichi), it's my impression that the signals work the same way in the Chashinai Railway - some signals are for the purpose of indicating whether track switches (e.g. to depots, or opposite-direction tracks) are active or not - they will be red but you can run them safely. Whether or not ATC/ATS is active on these secondary routes is already indicated by signposts.

Hi h_leung

Yes, I am aware of the way signalling works at track switches and as this is a three aspect signal and I was not taking the left hand track to the depot ( I was on train 1) I would have expected a green on top and a red underneath to confirm I was taking the right hand track. If I was taking the left hand hand track( Train 2) I would expect a red on top and a green underneath. Driving both routes there is always a red showing at this switch so only a knowledge of the timetable would indicate to the driver which way the train would proceed. Surely, anyway, the driver would never pass a red and would do so in this case only as the boards above qualify that the red indicates the end of the controlled section and is not actually a switch signal. It is an interesting situation really. Thanks for your reply.
Regards Stu