European Railway Agency
ETCS Driver's handbook

Authorising the passing of an EOA (OVR)

OVR.1In specific degraded situations the signaller can authorise the driver to pass an EOA.

OVR.RULRules to pass an EOA (RUL)

OVR.RUL-[L0N.N].1In ETCS level 0/NTC areas, passing a signal at danger is only a national procedure.

OVR.RUL-[L123].1In ETCS equipped areas (i.e. ETCS level 1, 2 or 3), the locations where a train shall stop are supervised by the ETCS on-board equipment. Only by receiving an order from the signaller to pass the EOA, shall the driver be able to inhibit this supervision.

OVR.RUL-[L0N].1If a level transition announcement from an unfitted area (level 0) or from an area fitted with a National System (level NTC) to an ERTMS equipped area (levels 1,2 or 3) is received, and a signal at danger must be passed before reaching the ETCS equipped area, the driver shall receive the order from the signaller before selecting override function.

OVR.RUL-[L123].2To pass the EOA, the driver shall:

  1. receive the European Instruction 1 from the signaller,
  2. check the applicable speed limit,
  3. and use the override function.

OVR.RUL-[L123].3The driver shall not use the Override procedure unless authorised by signaller by receiving the European Instruction 1.

OVR.USEUse override function (USE)

OVR.USE.1By using the override procedure, the driver is fully responsible for the train driving.

OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].1To activate the override procedure, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE- [L0N1.T].F1.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].F1: Override button (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.T].1To activate the override procedure, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F1.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F1: Override button (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].1To activate the override procedure, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F1.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F1:Override button (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.S].1To activate the override procedure, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F1.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F1: Override button (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].2Then, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].F2.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].F2: EOA button (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.T].2Then, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F2.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F2: EOA button (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].2Then, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F2.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F2: EOA button (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.S].2Then, the driver shall select the button as indicated in Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F2.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F2: EOA button (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[N].1The EOA button is enabled only when:

  1. The train speed is under or equal to the speed limit for triggering the Override function, determined by a National Value AND,
  2. The Mode is FS, LS, SR, OS, UN, SN, SH, SB (only ETCS levels 2 or 3) or PT AND,
  3. Validated Train Data and Train running number are available.

OVR.USE.2The status override active is indicated to the driver with the Override active symbol (MO03).

MO03: Override active

OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].3Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].F3 shows an example of the DMI screen when the override function is active.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.T].F3: Override function active (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.T].3Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F3 shows an example of the DMI screen when the override function is active.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.T].F3: Override function active (touch screen technology)

OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].3Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F3 shows an example of the DMI screen when the override function is active.

Figure OVR.USE-[L0N1.S].F3: Override function active (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[L23.S].3Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F3 shows an example of the DMI screen when the override function is active.

Figure OVR.USE-[L23.S].F3: Override function active (soft key technology)

OVR.USE-[B32.LN].1If the Override function has been activated by an STM, the Override active symbol (MO03) is not displayed to the driver.

OVR.USE-[B32.LN].2If the Override function has been activated while in ETCS level 0, 1, 2 or 3, the Override active symbol (MO03) stops being displayed to the driver once level NTC is activated.

OVR.USE-[L123.N].1To pass the EOA, when the Override active symbol (MO03) is displayed, the driver shall start the train and not exceed the override speed limit determined by a National Value while the symbol MO03 is displayed.

OVR.USE-[N].2The Override procedure ends when at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled:

  1. The max. time for train trip suppression when Override function is triggered (national value), OR
  2. The train has run more than the distance for train trip suppression when Override function is triggered (national value), OR
  3. The former EOA has been passed, OR
  4. A Stop order in SR or SH mode is received, OR
  5. A proceed MA is received (i.e., MA with no signalling related speed restriction of value zero)
  6. The train overpasses the SR distance supervised
  7. The ETCS on-board equipment switches to TR, LS, OS or SH mode.
    Note: For modes UN and SN, only end conditions a) and b) are supervised.

OVR.USE.3After the Override procedure ends, in case of having passed the EOA, the driver shall consider the conditions to run in the active mode.

The possible active modes after Override procedure are the followings:

  1. SR mode. See section SR - Staff responsible (SR).
  2. SH mode. See section SH - Shunting (SH).
  3. UN mode. See section UN - Unfitted (UN).
  4. SN mode. See section SN - National System (SN).

OVR.USE.4After the Override procedure ends, if the EOA has not been passed, the driver must use the Override function to override the EOA.