Technical Meeting Papers

Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
Papers are available here for download.
You must be logged in to be able to download content.


2023 – July – Xu – Using Karnaugh Map in Complex NSW Overlap Design

Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Zhe Xu (David) An Overlap is a safety buffer beyond the end of a train movement authority to allow the train to come to a safe stop, it serves as a final safeguard for maintaining separation between trains, regardless of whether they are moving in the same or opposing directions 


Read More...


2023 – July – King – An integrated model based approach for introducing new signalling systems

Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Luke King The increasing trend in the complexity of systems poses challenges to project delivery. The use of Systems Engineering (SE) in general, and the use of Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in particular, provides useful techniques in the successful delivery of ETCS L2 signalling projects.


Read More...


2023 – July – McGrath & Tivan – The V/Line Core Data Network Upgrade and the Digital Railway Transformation

Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Alex McGrath and Karl Tivan Like many long-lived railways, V/Line works with a collection of inherited, evolved and entangled legacy communications equipment. Starting in 2009, the Regional Rail Link (RRL) project cleaned up a substantial section of the TCP/IP network, providing a core and distribution data network architecture for the central area and two corridors – appropriate for the era.


Read More...


2023 – July – Moore – Signalling equipment Type Approval for safety and efficiency

Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Trevor Moore The type approval of signalling equipment has been a common practice for over 50 years. Each railway organisation has been conducting the type approval assessments to demonstrate that the new and modified equipment meets their operating requirements.


Read More...


2023 – July – Szacsvay – Dr William Robinson’s enduring contribution to railway safety and productivity

Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Paul Szacsvay Dr William Robinson (1841 – 1921) named by the Signal Section of the American Railway Association to be ‘the father of automatic block signalling”, is without doubt the most important unknown ‘hero’ of modern day railway signalling. 


Read More...


2023 – July – Aitken – Failing Safe: Mindset Matters

By: Jeanette Aitken
Date Presented: July 16th, 2023

Jeanette Aitken Significant value can be gained from making mistakes in a supportive training environment, focusing on feedback and reflection. We look at how different mindsets can shape the response to error and how a fear of failure can impede learning. “Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts”. Nikki Giovanni  


Read More...


2023 – July – Stephens – The IRSE Australasia Graduate Diploma – Where to from here?

Date Presented: June 24th, 2023

Richard Stephens Part of achieving a safe and efficient railway is the competence and capability of those who design, construct, test and maintain the railway control systems. The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers Australasian Section (IRSEA) Graduate Diploma of Railway Signalling is intended to contribute to this.    


Read More...


2023 – March – Fraser – Benefits of Integrated Control Systems

By: Aaron Fraser
Date Presented: April 21st, 2023

Aaron Fraser This paper examines the benefits of integrating operational control systems and functions into a single platform, providing a fully integrated user interface to enable operational improvements and a better experience for rail customers.


Read More...


2023 – March – Rendell – Innovative Level Crossing Control System

By: Stewart Rendell
Date Presented: April 21st, 2023

Stewart Rendell This paper aims to explore some of the technology options that are available now – considering pros and cons of each, and, looks to challenge the more traditional thinking that still exists when it comes to Type Approval of such solutions.


Read More...


2023 – March – Boldeman – Engineering Assurance vs Systems & Safety Assurance – a comparison

By: Steven Boldeman et al
Date Presented: April 21st, 2023

Steven Boldeman & Richard Mifsud This paper reviews and discusses the differences and similarities between these two processes.


Read More...

2024 – March – Zhu, Lauro & Nardi – Innovative Tablet Solution for Improving Rail Operation

Author(s): Dr Bin Zhu, Gianluigi Lauro & Federico Nardi

In this paper, we would like to introduce an innovative proposal based on the research conducted by the Hitachi Rail Innovation team to further improve the existing available tablet application, particularly

Read More

2024 – March – Sudholz – Passively Active – Warning systems for passive & occupation level crossings in agricultural settings

Author(s): Thomas Sudholz

This Paper investigates the issues regarding use of passive level crossings for livestock movements in the agricultural industry. This unavoidable practice presents a different risk profile to the typical user, with livestock movement being

Read More

2024 – March – Robinson – Barriers to innovation in signalling design, verification, and validation

Author(s): Neil Robinson

I started in signalling more than 30 years ago at British Rail, where I learnt how to design interlockings, initially in relay circuits, and then by programming Solid State Interlockings. This work sparked my interest in safety critical syste

Read More

2024 – March – Moore – Signalling Principles – What are they and where do they come from?

Author(s): Trevor Moore

The term signalling principles is often referenced with regards to the design of a signalling system. It is also used as part of the title of a person ‘Principles Verifier’ or ‘Principles Tester’. Some rail managers also reference signalling p

Read More

2024 – March – Khan & Kamarulzaman – FRMCS – Integrated Migration Strategy

Author(s): Obaid Khan & Khairulzaman Kamarulzaman

This paper offers a detailed FRMCS integrated migration strategy as a preparatory guide for current GSM-R users, particularly Rail Transport Operators (RTOs), as well as for projects in the planning and developmen

Read More

2024 – March – Alvarez – Case Study – FRMCS Migration Path in Perth

Author(s): Rodrigo Alvarez

The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) is currently building a new mobile radio and backhaul transmission communications network across the Perth metropolitan electrified railway network. 

Read More

2024 – August – Burns – Human Factors at Level Crossings

Author(s): Peter Burns

Today’s railway fatalities are arguably more likely to occur at level crossings than in the train collisions we tend to focus most attention on controlling. Designing for level crossing safety can be messy and grey, especially when the dependen

Read More

2024 – August – Boss – Human aspects of managing cyber security in delivering ERTMS

Author(s): John Boss

The Netherlands is rolling out the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) across the national network. The government created a Programme Directorate to manage the rollout. Cyber security for both ERTMS as well as the transportation syst

Read More

2022 – November – Youle – Qualitative analysis – the more efficient approach to managing risks SFAIRP

Author(s): Patrick Youle

To support the acceptance of safety risk for configuration changes to railways, systems engineering recognises both qualitative and quantitative hazard and risk assessment methods. Quantitative analysis can be perceived as objective and quali

Read More

2022 – November – Hunter – Cybersecurity in the Railway Industry

Author(s): Hugh Hunter

Cybersecurity is a hot topic worldwide with regular attacks being performed against multiple domains.

Read More

Scroll to Top