Technical Meeting Papers

Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
Papers are available here for download.
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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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. 


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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


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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


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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


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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.


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2016 – April – Burns – Movement Authorities – A Systems Framework

Author(s):

Peter Burns MBA, BAppSci (Elect), MIRSE, CPEng, MIEAust PYB Consulting This paper on Movement Authorities is one of a series on the various elements of the Generic Systems Framework (see figure 1). The issuing of Movement Authorities is distinguished from the setting of a route and the general pre-conditions for the issuing of a Movement Authority stated. Movement Authorities are shown to be found in all safeworking systems and having characteristics which are common to all of them. The process for issuing a Movement Authority may be characterised as the formation of a contract between the train and the interlocking. Looking at fixed signal systems, the signal is found to fill three distinct functions, one of which is the communicating of movement authorities. Turning to ERTMS and CBTC systems, it is shown that their central functionality is of a nature that does not require treatment as a movement authority. Benefits can be obtained by recognising the different natures of the three distinctfunctions which are replaced when ERTMS and CBTC systems requirements around those distinct functions appropriately.

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2016 – April – Aitken – What they didn’t tell you at University – or did they?

Author(s):

John Aitken BE SMIEEE MIRSE Aitken & Partners   Simplifying assumptions are a key to understanding many problems and can be very helpful. Thin, inextensible strings and ideal capacitors make for simple analysis but neither is available for purchase, so their practical usefulness is limited.Sometimes, simplifying assumptions conceal an underlying problem or distort our understanding. This tutorial paper discusses some situations where assumptions may lead to undesirable outcomes and provides some gentle reminders to exercise caution and be thorough in design, implementation and testing.

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2016 – April – Atchison and Bruce – Implementation of ETCS on Adelaide Metro Network

Author(s):

Brenton Atchison PhD, BSc, RENGMichael Bruce BSc Eng, MIRSE Siemens Ltd. Mobility Division, Australia   This paper describes the experience of implementing the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level One on the Adelaide Metropolitan Passenger Rail Network (AMPRN). The ETCS implementation was part of the broader signalling and communications contract associated with network rail electrification program.   The project commenced in October 2012 and an independently assessed safety case for ETCS was completed September 2015 with first passenger service in November 2016. It is the first operational ETCS system deployed in Australia.   This paper discusses the challenges associated with ETCS trackside engineering and implementation. It describes the key choices in operating principles, contrasts trackside application for the re-signalled and overlay lines, describes rolling stock installation considerations, and system integration methodology.

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2016 – April – Lambla – Driver Advisory System Integration Steps

Author(s):

Bruno Lambla Product Manager, TTG Transportation Technology, Australia This paper first focuses on DAS technology insertion into the reality of the legacy of complex railway assets and provides one of TTG’s return on experience on DAS deployment. In a second stage, we focus on steps for integration of DAS with other railway signalling systems. Integration is inevitable and will add value and capability to the DAS offer. Dynamic optimisation of standalone DAS can deliver energy savings of around 5 to 18% to train operating companies. Integration with traffic management systems (Connected DAS) will allow DAS to dynamically take into account other trains’ trajectory. This will allow to optimise the network capacity. DAS remains a SIL 0 (SIL 1 in the case of C-DAS) system but can operate with Safety Systems such as ETCS. Integration with ETCS will require ETCS display to be modified so that the DAS graphical interface can be represented on the ETCS screen. This integration to a single visual display will ensure the driver can’t get any conflicting advice between DAS and ETCS. The conflicts will be managed through ETCS accepting or ignoring advice coming from DAS.Integration has started and will continue so that information can be shared improving situation awareness. The value of the DAS advice will be increased. This integration will be made possible by deployment of traffic management systems, new telecommunications allowing constant and secure information flow, ETCS implementation.

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2016 – April – Gray and Alexander – V2X: Vehicle to Everything (Including Rail)

Author(s):

Paul Gray B.Eng., M.Eng., Ph.D. Cohda WirelessPaul Alexander B.Eng., M.Eng., PhD. Cohda Wireless   In 2010 Cohda Wireless conducted a feasibility study for the use of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) for improving rail level crossing safety. DSRC is the globally coordinated standard for Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). It combines GPS and wireless communication in dedicated spectrum at 5.9GHz. Safety-of-life applications, such as cooperative collision avoidance are the key feature of DSRC, and the 5.9GHz spectrum includes a communications channel dedicated to cooperative safety applications. Vehicles use DSRC to share information by continually broadcasting their location, speed, direction, vehicle type and size, and additional status information. The DSRC system also includes a processor that uses local position information, and information received from other vehicles, to accurately detect potential collisions and activate driver warnings. DSRC Roadside Equipment (RSE) allows communications between vehicles and infrastructure, such as railway warning systems.

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