REGISTER

Don Weerakody MIRSE, MIEAust, MIET

Public Transport Authority

This paper outlines two signalling projects recently undertaken by the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA). Each of these projects dealt with unusual circumstances, resulting from acts of vandalism. They both required innovative solutions as the approaches normally employed were unsuitable.

The Boom Gate Motor Protection Project is a solution to level crossing failures caused by vandals hanging on the boom arms at level crossings as they are returning to the upright position. This causes the boom motor to trip and the boom remains in the down position. The crossing remains in this state for some time or until a technician arrives and resets the boom motor circuit breaker. This leads to prolonged closure of the level crossing and encourages motorists to drive around the boom gates. This project addresses this problem, and also allows provision of other features such as enhanced monitoring of the level crossing equipment.

The Track-Based Transmission System for Signalling Project was implemented due to the theft of aerial line circuitry over a 5.5km section of track between Armadale and Mundijong. Direct replacement of the existing signalling infrastructure was not possible due to damage to the poles and the unavailability of appropriate aerial line cable in a short space of time. The railway reserve for this section also falls under the protection of state and federal environmental protection legislation enacted after the original installation of the signalling equipment. Re-instatement of the existing system using cables would have caused an unacceptable impact to the local ecology due to the trenching required.

The Boom Gate Motor Protection is in operation at two level crossings and is being progressively installed at all urban level crossings. The Track-Based Transmission System for Signalling is successfully in operation on the Armadale to Mundijong railway.