Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
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Lyle Jackson Managing Director Union Switch & Signal Pty Ltd Understanding and meeting the operators needs in a rapidly changing industry environment is a major challenge for the signal and telecommunications industry. Change has impacted on all aspects of the industry including the corporatisation and privatisation of previously government railways, the segregation into above rail and below rail organisations, the introduction of rail safety regulators, the increased documentation demands for equipment approval, the mobility of the workforce as well as the technology used. The major driving force as we move into the new millennium is the changing perspective of operators and hence their changing needs. The impact of business focus on the management of railways will drive the need for more performance driven solutions that make effective use of technology. The paradigm shift will be from providing engineering solutions to particular aspects such as signalling or train control systems, to providing technology that will provide integrated traffic management solutions to meet operators needs so that they, in turn, can meet their customers needs. Those organisations with the ability to adapt and to work more closely in client/supplier teams to deliver integrated systems which improve business performance will prosper in the new millennium.
Simeon Cox MIET AMIRSE Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia Pty Ltd Axle counters have many advantages as a train detection system but in comparison with track circuits they are complex. Initial use for single sections, typically replacing absolute block or single line working systems proved very successful but as their benefits were realised they have been applied to more and more intensive applications. These intensive applications, which were previously the domain of track circuits, have seen a number of hazards arise that were not previously present with the use of track circuits. These hazards may have always have existed such as the loss of broken rail detection but are exacerbated by removing track circuits or may be specific to the use of axle counters such as reset and restoration. These hazards have been managed in many ways by different railway administrations; this paper will compare a selection of applications, the technology and principles behind the mitigation of those hazards. The paper will also consider the evolution of the design of the axle counter from single sections, to multiplesection finally to advanced forms that communicate using open communication networks across huge distances but at the same time are closely integrated with the interlocking and control system to provide enhanced diagnostic and operational information that can be used to improve system reliability and performance.
Keith Lugsden, B.Eng., M.I.E.E.E. Software Team Leader, Safety Sr Communications International Railroad Systems Pty Ltd Adelaide, South Australia This paper describes the design of AUSTRAC, which is the Australian implementation of the North American Advanced Train Control System (ATCS) series of signalling specifications. AUSTRAC is being installed on Australian National's Trans-Australian and Central Australian lines. In particular, this paper focuses on the differences between AUSTRAC and ATCS, on some of the problems found with the ATCS specifications and on the unique features incorporated into AUSTRAC.
Graeme Ackland B. AppSci (Elect) FIRSE ALSTOM AUSTRALIA The purpose of this paper is to examine the tools available to the Commissioning Engineer to achieve successful commissioning. Railway Commissioning activities are performed under a very tight time fiame, with substantial operational repercussion if the time fiame is exceeded, and safety repercussions if the testing procedures are not followed. My paper today will firstly define a commissioning and its component activities. I will then look at a number of tools and strategies that are used, and then examine the use and abuse of these tools by examining a number of commissionings. There have been a number of papers written about testing strategies but this paper concentrates on the method used to affect the alterations to signalling systems.
Phil Sochon Deputy CEO Australasian Railway Association
Warwick Allison Principal Design Engineer, Signals, Rail Infrastructure Corporation The Botany Line is a predominantly single track railway with a junction from the goods lines at Marrickville Junction near Sydenham, in Sydney, to Port Botany. Expansion of the port facilities and the increase in both train size and frequency is driving investment in the corridor. The initial works include partial duplication and full resignalling with control from Sydenham Signal Box. The technology proposed was for a Microlok II computer based interlocking arranged with dual redundant data links and hot standby interlocking processors driving slave Microlok cardfiles in the field in order to achieve a high level of reliability. This arrangement is to develop and prove a configuration for high reliability single processor based systems that can be utilised on a heavily trafficked suburban railway.
Yang-Lit Phay BEng(EE), GradIEAust, MIEEE Signals Engineer, Public Transport Authority of Western Australia Changes in regulations by the Australian Government in the use of RF spectrum will impact upon the Driver Video Assist System (DAVS) that is used on Perth's metropolitan train network. DAVS provides drivers live video footage of the platform that allows them to decide whether it is safe to close the train doors and depart from the platform. Current DAVS uses analog television technology as its transmission method. A project has been initiated to investigate and implement an alternate transmission technology. A number of technologies have been identified including infrared (IR) and Wi-Fi are discussed here along with the trials that have been conducted thus far.
J.Keogh Manager Operations Research Queensland Railways Following over twelve months of investigation and negotiation Driver Only Operation was introduced into Queensland Railways on the Brisbane to Rockhampton section on Monday 14th May, 1990. This type of operation being successfully introduced without any loss of time due to industrial disputation.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
Cybersecurity is a hot topic worldwide with regular attacks being performed against multiple domains.