starting signal

plural starting signals

1. rail transportA railway signal controlling the starting of trains from a station or some other location, nowadays usually a colour-light signal.

   1 more example

   As it happened, however, it was clear enough, when the platform starting-signal was lowered, for the signalman in box No. 5 to see his advance-starting signal, and he was therefore justified in allowing the train to go forward, and it was not until it had passed his box that, upon looking out, he saw that it had disappeared into the bank of fog, which had by that time hidden the advanced starting-signal from his view.

   1882 June, “Official Reports on Recent Accidents”, in The Railway Engineer, page 157

   Synonyms: starter, starter signal

2. hobbiesA signal to begin a race.

   At the starting signal, pull up and back against the underside of the starting platform to get your body moving forward.

   2003, Ernest W. Maglischo, Swimming Fastest, Human Kinetics, →ISBN, page 277