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A.F. SMALL, M.E. Ph.D C. Eng., M.LC.E, M.NZ.LR, F.C.I.T. GROUP MANAGER (PREIGET BUSINESS GROUP) NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS CORPOMTION The electrification of the North island Main Trunk Railway (NIMT) is the largest engineering project carried out by New Zealand Railways in recent times. Extending over 410km the Electrification Project traverses the central region of the North Island of New Zealand. The project was initially proposed to increase operating capacity and was approved as a strategic project in the national interest in 1981. But market requirements have changed from demand for increased capacity to new demands for lower transport operator costs and improved transit times over one of the most densely aperated sktions in the New Zealand rail network. The Freight Business Group sees the Project as an element in the task of meeting current market requirements. This Project is of similar magnitude to the construction of the line itself between 1880 and 1908. The decision to electrify the route was therefore taken only after protracted strategic reviews of alternative operating systems and detailed economic and engineering investigations. The Project today is still not without some controversy. The total cost of the Project as forecast in 1981 was S141.8M with an additional $20M of investment in the replacement of signals and communication equipment and associated civil work to be carriedout within NZR's annual capital investment programme. The 1981 proposal forecast savings providing a 14.2% internal rate of return. The Project is still within the budget (allowing for inflation) and is on time for scheduled completion in 1988. This paper describes the background to the Project; the freight markets of the North Island; the range of electrification studies previously undertaken; the factors that led to the 1981 decision by Government to electrify the route; the operating requirements and scope of the project; progress to date; recent changes to the New Zealand transport scene which have affected the economic viability of the Project; and the commercial role of electrification for the future.
Sashi Singh In-House Counsel for Australian Solicitor The subject of legal liability is quite complex. These guidelines are simply an outline of the general principles involved in the area of civil and criminal liability and cannot act as a substitute for legal advice on a case by case basis.
Graham Hjort BE(Hons), Grad Dip (Rail Sig) 4Tel Pty Ltd Operation and maintenance of the Country Regional Network (CRN) was transferred to John Holland on 15 January 2012, with train control functions shifting to a newly created CRN control centre at Mayfield. The centre was fitted out specifically for train operations with all supporting train control technology. 4Tel was contracted to deliver all train control technology, including: train control systems (train order and Rail Vehicle Detection), telemetry systems, voice and train communication systems, supporting systems for operations and maintenance, and data networks for all system and operational connectivity. All design, procurement, installation, configuration, testing and commissioning was done within a 12 month mobilisation period to enable operations to commence on 15 January 2012. 4Tel provides ongoing support for the CRN control centre systems including the provision of a 24/7 technical support desk working directly with the network control staff. All systems have been configured with system health monitoring and logging, in addition to alarm management provided via 4Site. After 18 months of operation, the benefit of 24/7 onsite maintenance and supporting structure is now being realised. System availability exceeds all targets and industry benchmarks. With callout reductions and improved health monitoring, the costs for support of train control and signalling infrastructure is now being reduced.
Yip Seck Wang The idea to build a rail transit system first surfaced In Singapore In the early 70's. A comprehensive study to examine land use and transportation needs in the light of the Government's development policies was launched in 1967 and completed In 1971. This study confirmed that it would be physically impossible and environmentally unacceptable to build all the roads demanded by unchecked growth of private autombiles, thus calling for the need for a rail transit system by 1992. Subsequent to the comprehensive study In 1971, a series of studies followed to funher define national transport needs and to establish system design characteristics.
Peter Burns MBA BAppSci CPEng MIEAust MIRSE PYB Consulting Pty Ltd RAMS analysis and the setting of RAMS requirements (often expressed as single indices) are becoming common features of rail signalling projects. But attempts to outsource RAMS objectives by attaching them as simple deliverables in project contracts often fail. This paper explores some of the reasons why this is so. The paper takes a qualitative look at examples and processes of requirements analysis and requirements setting, particularly at key interfaces important to RAMS. These include: • Interfaces with the rail environment and the world at large;• Interfaces between signalling systems;• Maintenance Policies and strategies; It will be seen that the achievement of RAMS outcomes inherently involves alignment between many parties. Products do not stand alone; they are part of human centred systems. Success depends on openness by organisations and access to good engineering knowledge – these being the oxygen on which RAMS depend.
Richard Shenton MIRSE Reliable Data Systems Since commercial railways began around 200 years ago, passing trains have been detected from the trackside. Now we have entered the era of train based positioning. The cost of installing, operating and maintaining track circuits and other infrastructure equipment is driving the introduction of train based alternatives. Whilst GPS is widely used for train positioning on low density lines, it cannot on its own meet the exacting requirements of train control. There is a need for a new generation of location system which can provide continuous positioning on individual lines with high integrity and low cost. This paper describes the operation of VTPS (Video Train Positioning System) a cab mounted vision system providing reliable positioning at low cost. The system uses image processing technology to provide the full range of positioning requirements for the operational railway, including odometry, spot location and track discrimination. The paper details the techniques that are employed and how these are used to provide accurate results with high integrity. It describes how the individual functions are combined to provide a complete positioning capability, supporting applications such as train control, platform stopping, standstill detection and train integrity.
M. Williams Westinghouse Signals Limited Solid State Interlockings (SSI) is a microprocessor based system, designed for use in railway signalling installations to compute and execute the signalling interlocking functions in a safe and reliable manner. The development of SSI was undertaken jointly by British Rail, GEC General Signal Company Limited and Westinghouse Signals Limited in the United Kingdom. British Rai has been responsible for the basic design of hardware and software, safety validation and for overall project management. GEC and Westinghouse Signals have translated the British Rail design concepts into fully engineered production equipment. The objectives of the development were to use microprocessors to reduce the cost of railway signalling installations without changing the way that the operators and drivers view a signalling system.
Howard Jones Business Manager SIMOCO
Ken Davis, FIRSE, MIEAust, MIEE Director - Connell Wagner Peter Crossley Associate - Connell Wagner This paper describes the application of a Driver Assistance Video System to assist one man operation of trains in a suburban railway system.
Paul Szacsvay BE (Elec) M Admin FIRSE Rail Corporation NSW Traction supply and distribution systems, electromagnetic interference from AC traction supply systems, electrolysis from stray DC traction currents, and interference between in-rail traction currents and track circuits have all been well documented in published literature. Traction current return systems and the issues involved with them have not been so well served. Focussing mainly on practices relevant to Australasian railway systems, this paper gives an overview of the configuration of typical DC and AC traction supply and return systems, the requirements for their safe and reliable operation, and their interaction with track circuits and other infrastructure on and near to the railway. It concludes with a brief discussion of the potential benefits of adopting train detection systems which are not dependent on electrical contact with the running rails. In addition, since a really detailed study of the issues relating to traction return is beyond the scope of a paper of this length, a reading list of useful reference books and articles is provided for those seeking to explore any of the topics in more depth.
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