In 2016, ProRail started a trial with a new flashing departure light at stations in Drenthe (Netherlands). There is a departure light for the conductor at the station. This lights up as soon as the relevant track is free and the train may depart. As soon as the lamp lights up, the conductor may start the boarding procedure and after the whistle signal, the driver may set the train in motion. Due to all kinds of different lighting along the track and neighboring tracks, low sun, etc., the conductor may not be able to see whether the departure light of his track is on. To improve this, an LED lamp has been developed which will flash as soon as the track is released and thus attract more attention. The intelligence is in the LED lamp itself and can therefore be exchanged with the current lamp without having to adjust the infrastructure behind it.
The trial was successful and all departure lights nationwide are now equipped with this new LED lamp.
The explanation below from ProRail (Dutch):
