Question for train geeks: what does a SPAD sign mean?

Question

On the approach to a railway station that I pass through most days there is a white plaque on a telegraph pole that says SPAD or SPAD 1 then a couple of other letters/numbers. What does this mean please? Presumably not a sign telling you that the telegraph pole has somehow passed a signal on danger?

Answer 1

I have never seen a sign like that.Are you in the U.S.? If not maybe it's some kind of warning that a station is coming up.Do you see them before all the stations?

Answer 2

Some signals, for various reasons are situated such that they've gotten passed several times.  This is an additional warning to be careful.

Answer 3

You won't make many friends here by phrasing your question that way!

Answer 4

A SPADI (Signal Passed At Danger Indicator) is a signal with three lamps which is normally unlit but will flash two red lights and the word SPAD will appear in the middle light if a train passes a signal at danger (might not be your train but another train). Any train on any track seeing this signal alight must come to an immediate stand. These are situated at high risk locations.

But your explanation sounds like there's a sign only, and not the signal itself though, which is odd. The other letters are the signalbox identity and the digits are the signal number.

Answer 5

I have never seen that sign on a rail line.

Odd one.

I doubt it is some sort of danger signal, if it were you would be well advised to jump out the window.