Resources

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

Dave Keddie Australian National Railways in Australia face several challenges if they are to contribute significantly to economic reform with the transport industry. Labour force reductions, reduced transit times, improved reliability of services and more efficient management systems are some of the means of achieving significant gains. The role of signalling is contributing to these gains if foremost. However, before these gains can be realised, there needs to be a significant change in the commercial approach to signalling.  

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

Phil Hingley, C.Eng., M.I.E.E., M.I.R.S.E. (GHD - Transmark) This paper desaibes British Rail's current padice in Centralised Control Systems. It outlines the business needs met by the system and the way in wtri British Rail (BR) manages the introduction of new systems including their maintenance. The paper then goes on to compare and contrast two other approaches to the business justification and introduction of new technology. The paper shows how the business requirements shaped the Centralised Control Systems that were proposed.

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

P. Gartner MIRSE Rail Engineering Group, Signals & Communication Engineering An important concept of the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop was to overcomebthe turn-around limitations imposed by Flinders Street Station by allowing through train operation. The changes to the track work required to make connections to the four loop tunnels and to improve traffic flow through the Flinders Street Yard were considerable and involved extensive resignalling. To obtain the full benefits from the improved infra-structure resulting from the introduction of the underground loop, the then existing Signalling and Control Systems were updated. A significant  step in this direction was the provision of a new Metropolitan Train Control Centre (METROL). The nucleus of this control centre is a computer-based Train Describer and Remote Control System. Associated systems are a passenger information display system, control and monitoring of electrical and mechanical services in the underground stations and various improved  telecommunication ancilliary equipment. Metro1 has, for the first time, enabled the operating staff to see at a glance the total pattern of train movements within the complex Flinders Street and underground loop area.

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

Chris Miller GEC Alsthom Australia The introduction of City Rail's widely advertised 1996 Timetable, was dependent on the Granville Area Resignalling Y-Link project being completed on time. The project, with a completed cost of $75M had a target date, set in 1994, of the 1996 October long weekend. The project initially started as a major civil and overhead wiring project which was to be undertaken concurrently with the adjacent Auburn to Westmead major resignalling project. Due to the tight target schedule, it soon became apparent that the scope of works for the resignalling and attendant junction renewal, would have to be severely curtailed. The draft resignalling scope of works was finalised in 1993 with the signalling plan, designed to link in with Auburn-Westmead resignalling project finalised in late 1994. Due to the interrelated work areas, programmes and design issues, the Harris Park Y-Link and the Granville Area Resignalling Project, were effectively combined into a single project managed by the Railway Services Authority (RSA). The management team included personnel from Kinhill Engineers and Sinclair Knight Merz, working from the same project office and coordinating through weekly Team Meetings.

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

Mike Wheals Manager, Railway Systems GEC Digital In February 1984, GEC Railway Signals received an order from the State Rail Authority of NSW for the re-signalling of the Illawarra line. As part of that contract, GEC Digital provide the Train Describer Computer System, and the Telemetry system. The Train Describer was fully designed in Australia, based on a BR specification, but with many enhancements suggested by the SRA and GEC. The Telemetry is the GEC General Signal Mark 111 system, newly developed in the UK, and customized and manufactured in Australia. The Illawarra line train describer covers the area from south of Waterfall to Port Kembla. This area consists of double track bi-directionally signalled, double track uni-directionally signalled and single sections. There are fringe boxes at Waterfall and the branch line at Unanderra. Port Kembla is a terminus. Provision is made for extension of the control area to include the Unanderra branch as far as Dapto, Moss Vale and Maldon. The train describer is required to track trains throughout the system. Trains may enter the system at the fringe boxes and at any of the various sidings. Trains are identified by a four character code (unique on a daily basis) which is extracted from timetable information or manually entered by the operator. Trains proceeding without a description are identified with a special code of four asterisks. Associated with each running signal is a train descriptior. berth. Train descriptions are stepped from berth to berth in response to field indications received via the telemetry and in accordance with the stepping tables. Signal berth contents, i.e., train descriptions are displayed on the mimic panel and on the VDU area maps. Other information such as signal aspects, lie of points, routes set, track occupancy are also displayed. Selected berths are designated as reporting points (generally platform berths at specified stations). At these points the Train Describer informs the Automatic Train Reporting System of train arrival and departure. Operator VDU's are located in the Main Box at Wollongong and in the Fringe Boxes. Various commands are available to the operators. The set of commands available at the Fringe Boxes is different to that available at the Main Box. Such commands include berth interrogation, cancel train description, interpose train description acknowledgement of alarms etc.

Date Presented: December 27th, 2015

D. A. Norris B.E. (ELEC) M.I.R.S.E. Manager - Research and Development ABB Signal Pty Ltd. This paper focus on the reasons why, some of the development processes used, and system description for integrating an Axle Counting function into the Vital Processor Interlocking, VPI, system. During 1990 meetings were held between AB6 Signal (formally E6 Signal) and the General Railway Signal company, GRS, to discuss forthcoming tenders in Australia. It was during these talks that the idea of providing an alternative method of train detection for the VPI was discussed. This alternative system was to be axle counters. In late 1990 Queensland Railways released a tender for the signalling of Farleigh to Purono. This section of railway included track sections which required detecting trains by using axle counters. This then became the opportunity to put the idea into practice.

By: Hugh Hunter

Date Presented: November 4th, 2022

By: Dr Bin Zhu, Licai Fang & Javier Gonzalez

Date Presented: October 24th, 2024

By: Peter Burns

Date Presented: October 11th, 2024

By: Dr Frank Heibel

Date Presented: October 11th, 2024