Resources

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.

Search

2024 – March – Zhu, Lauro & Nardi – Innovative Tablet Solution for Improving Rail Operation
By: Dr Bin Zhu, Gianluigi Lauro & Federico Nardi
Date Presented: March 12th, 2024

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
By: Thomas Sudholz
Date Presented: March 12th, 2024

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
By: Neil Robinson
Date Presented: March 12th, 2024

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?
By: Trevor Moore
Date Presented: March 12th, 2024

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
By: Obaid Khan & Khairulzaman Kamarulzaman
Date Presented: March 12th, 2024

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
By: Rodrigo Alvarez
Date Presented: March 13th, 2024

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
By: Peter Burns
Date Presented: August 21st, 2024

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
By: John Boss
Date Presented: August 21st, 2024

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
By: Patrick Youle
Date Presented: November 1st, 2022

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
By: Hugh Hunter
Date Presented: November 1st, 2022

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


Read More...

2018 – March – Rispoli – The rise of satellite technology appeal for train control systems [Presentation]

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Francesco Rispoli Ansaldo STS, A Hitachi Group Company After relatively long periods of operation, the rise of satellite technology and the importance of its great benefits have atlast been recognised as strategic advancements for the train control system business case especially when operationsare in rural and desert areas. The catalysts are a gained confidence in the reliability of satellite technologies and theunprecedented plans to put into orbit new satellites during the coming years. Furthermore, after decades of steadyinnovation in the telecom networks, 5G offers the ultimate solution with millisecond latencies and “network slicing”capabilities to realize bespoke virtual networks. For these reasons satellite technologies and IP-based communicationsare “game changer innovations” for the ERTMS. This paper aims to assess the satellite technology trends, the AnsaldoSTS projects that in Australia have set the world’s bench mark as the early adopter of satellite technology on heavy haullines, and the roadmap to exploit new satellite innovations after the positive field tests in Italy. This plan backed by RFI(Italian Railways Infrastructure operator) aims to contribute to the certification process to implement by 2020 an ERTMSinnovative solution for regional networks based on virtualization of balises through satellite localization, an augmentationnetwork, and the upgrade of the communication system from GSM-R to a public telecommunications network.

Read More

2018 – March – Rispoli – The rise of satellite technology appeal for train control systems

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Francesco Rispoli Ansaldo STS, A Hitachi Group Company After relatively long periods of operation, the rise of satellite technology and the importance of its great benefits have atlast been recognised as strategic advancements for the train control system business case especially when operationsare in rural and desert areas. The catalysts are a gained confidence in the reliability of satellite technologies and theunprecedented plans to put into orbit new satellites during the coming years. Furthermore, after decades of steadyinnovation in the telecom networks, 5G offers the ultimate solution with millisecond latencies and “network slicing”capabilities to realize bespoke virtual networks. For these reasons satellite technologies and IP-based communicationsare “game changer innovations” for the ERTMS. This paper aims to assess the satellite technology trends, the AnsaldoSTS projects that in Australia have set the world’s bench mark as the early adopter of satellite technology on heavy haullines, and the roadmap to exploit new satellite innovations after the positive field tests in Italy. This plan backed by RFI(Italian Railways Infrastructure operator) aims to contribute to the certification process to implement by 2020 an ERTMSinnovative solution for regional networks based on virtualization of balises through satellite localization, an augmentationnetwork, and the upgrade of the communication system from GSM-R to a public telecommunications network.

Read More

2018 – March – Detering – 70 Years of IRSE Australasia {Presentation]

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Bob Detering FIRSE Retired A look at at IRSE Australasia over the last 70 years

Read More

2018 – March – Moore – Track Circuit Activation Issues for DMUs

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Trevor Moore Signals Standards Engineer, Australian Rail Track Corporation The first track circuits were developed in the 1870s. These were used on US Railroads. Over the following years theywere used on railways around the world. There have been substantial developments in the engineering and technologyused in track circuits through to the present time. However, after one hundred and forty five years we are still havingproblems with reliable operation of the track circuits in some applications.This paper will examine the type of trains, track circuit configurations and infrastructure conditions that contribute to theperformance limitations of the track circuit. The paper will cover engineering solutions and recent testing to address thereliable performance of the track circuits.The issue is complicated and involves the signalling equipment, rollingstock and the track infrastructure. Anunderstanding of these issues will assist the signal engineer in addressing solutions for reliable operation.

Read More

2018 – March – McGrath – Redundancy vs Resilience: The hidden vulnerability of installing two of everything [Presentation]

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Alex McGrath Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) The field of resilience engineering explores the mismatch between a system-as-designed, and the actual system as itoperates in the real world, in the presence of shocks, stresses and resource constraints. In signalling systems, themodelling of component availabilities into system availability leads to the belief that more redundancy is always an asset;while in a real operating railway, redundancy has at times been an asset to the system and at other times has increasedcost while also decreasing performance and whole-system safety margins.This paper explores the justification for component and link redundancy in signalling system design alongside thelegislation and body of research on system resilience. It draws on a series of ideas from the field of resilienceengineering, and real-world rail and signalling examples, to explore the issues. Alarm architecture, lifecycle maintenanceplanning, and criticality assessment are provided as concrete guidance for how to design a resilient signalling system.However, true resilient behaviour depends on the context, organisational culture and human behaviours, and the realrailway as an evolving complex system.

Read More

2018 – March – McGrath – Redundancy vs Resilience: The hidden vulnerability of installing two of everything

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Alex McGrath Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) The field of resilience engineering explores the mismatch between a system-as-designed, and the actual system as itoperates in the real world, in the presence of shocks, stresses and resource constraints. In signalling systems, themodelling of component availabilities into system availability leads to the belief that more redundancy is always an asset;while in a real operating railway, redundancy has at times been an asset to the system and at other times has increasedcost while also decreasing performance and whole-system safety margins.This paper explores the justification for component and link redundancy in signalling system design alongside thelegislation and body of research on system resilience. It draws on a series of ideas from the field of resilienceengineering, and real-world rail and signalling examples, to explore the issues. Alarm architecture, lifecycle maintenanceplanning, and criticality assessment are provided as concrete guidance for how to design a resilient signalling system.However, true resilient behaviour depends on the context, organisational culture and human behaviours, and the realrailway as an evolving complex system.

Read More

2018 – March – Flinders – The Digital Point Machine {Presentation]

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Richard Flinders Siemens Ltd. This is a paper exploring the concept of the digitalpoint machine, or more correctly the effects theDigital Railway may have on the development ofand requirements for trackside equipment!The move to a connected system for railwaycontrol will certainly open up opportunities to alsoconnect the current ‘dumb’ devices but what willthe new scope for this connected equipment be?Will changes be driven by digitalization or willcommercial and social changes have moreimpact?Will there be significant changes at all?

Read More

2018 – March – Flinders – The Digital Point Machine

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Richard Flinders Siemens Ltd. This is a paper exploring the concept of the digitalpoint machine, or more correctly the effects theDigital Railway may have on the development ofand requirements for trackside equipment!The move to a connected system for railwaycontrol will certainly open up opportunities to alsoconnect the current ‘dumb’ devices but what willthe new scope for this connected equipment be?Will changes be driven by digitalization or willcommercial and social changes have moreimpact?Will there be significant changes at all?

Read More

2018 – March – Whiteside/Moody/Helmus – Data Analytics for Rail Insights into the Digital Transformation [Presentation]

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Christopher Whiteside and Heather Moody Siemens Ltd Dr. Rhena Helmus Siemens AG Rail-based systems are exposed to various operational demands brought about either by high mechanical loading orexternal influences. At the same time, billions of passengers and freight goods rely on rail systems every day. Safety,availability, and reliability are key for a competitive rail-based transport. To capture any abnormal behaviour duringoperations, data is generated by various sources for a better understanding of interacting phenomena and to preventcomponent failure in advance. In order to move forward to a smart infrastructure, insights gained by the analysis ofhistorical and real time data have to be turned into actions.

Read More

2018 – March – Whiteside/Moody/Helmus – Data Analytics for Rail Insights into the Digital Transformation

Author(s):
Date presented: April 8th, 2018

Christopher Whiteside and Heather Moody Siemens Ltd Dr. Rhena Helmus Siemens AG Rail-based systems are exposed to various operational demands brought about either by high mechanical loading orexternal influences. At the same time, billions of passengers and freight goods rely on rail systems every day. Safety,availability, and reliability are key for a competitive rail-based transport. To capture any abnormal behaviour duringoperations, data is generated by various sources for a better understanding of interacting phenomena and to preventcomponent failure in advance. In order to move forward to a smart infrastructure, insights gained by the analysis ofhistorical and real time data have to be turned into actions.

Read More

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top