1991 – Aug – Young Barry – The V.F. Train Control Project for State R
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Technical Meeting Papers
Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
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202503 – Afshar – CBTC Signalling System & Emerging Technologies; AI, Machine Learning & Crowd Computing for Adaptive Real-Time Train Timetables
By: Parisa Afshar
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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202503 – Li – Competency Management in the Australian Railway Signalling Industry
By: Daniel Li
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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202503 – Moore – Signal Design Report: What Is It and Why Do We Need It?
By: Trevor Moore
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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202503 – Sudholz – Break of Gauge: Competencies in the Australian Signalling Project Environment
By: Thomas Sudholz
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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202503 – Turner – Growing Graduates in the Sun: 30 Years of Signalling Graduate Development in Queensland Rail
By: Blake Turner
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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202503 – Villegas – The Importance of Operation and Maintenance Concepts in the Delivery and Operation of Rail Networks
By: Selena Villegas
Date Presented: March 21st, 2025
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2004 – July – Modernisation of KTMB’s Signalling & Telecommunication Systems
Date Presented: October 20th, 2024
The total route length of KTMB’s network amounts to approximately 1670 km and is mainly single track except for about 150 km of electrified double track sections around the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, for commuter services.
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1998 – July – Skilton – Tranz Rail’s National Train Control Centre
By: JT Skilton
Date Presented: October 20th, 2024
JT Skilton Signalling systems within Tranz Rail which require control from a remote location can be classified into three types, Centralised Traffic Control (CTC), remote controlled interlockings in Track Warrant (TW) territory and remote controlled interlockings embedded in Double Line Automatic (DLA) signalling. The CTC systems control the movement of trains in both directions over a single line section divided up into block sections and crossing loops. A field unit is installed at each crossing loop for the purpose of communicating with the control centre. TW control requires all trains to hold a warrant for the section of line being traversed. This warrant is issued to the locomotive engineer verbally over the train radio system and checked for correct reception by reading back over the radio system to the control centre. A selected number of crossing loops within TW territory are fully interlocked and equipped with a field unit which allows the Train Control Operator (TCO) to have full control over motor points and signals. Centralised control of interlockings in DLA territory is used where junctions between main and branch lines occur. Central control is used for movements to and from the branch line and, although it can also be used for signalling along the main lines, the interlocking can be switched to automatic for main line movements.
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1998 – July – McDonald – Today’s Interlocking – A World of Applications
By: Wayne McDonald
Date Presented: October 20th, 2024
Wayne McDonald Computer based interlockings today must be adaptable to the vastly different environments found in the many rail networks throughout the world. This paper overviews some of these environments where one such system, WESTRACE, has been installed and it highlights some of the special requirements essential to suit those locations.
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1997 – November – Brock, Ebzery & McMurtrie – Homebush Bay Rail Link – Signalling Design and Management
By: Peter Brock, Frank Ebzery & Bruce McMurtrie
Date Presented: October 20th, 2024
Peter Brock, Frank Ebzery & Bruce McMurtrie The construction of the Year 2000 Olympic facilities and the relocation of the Royal Agricultural Show Grounds Homebush Bay requires the construction of a high capacity transport link. Heavy rail is the only transport system that will supply the required capacity. The new Homebush Bay rail Loop will connect Olympic Park and the new Homebush Bay Showgrounds with the rest of the Sydney metropolitan rail networkTrail loop is nearing completion and will be commissioned on the 22/23 November 1997.
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1988 – Nov – Howard – Presidential Address
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T.S. Howard B.Sc. (Eng.) MIEE, FIRSE, C.Eng. Marketing Manager Westinghouse Signals Limited The notice on the Board announced that a strictly limited number of places were available for a visit to the recently commissioned new power signal box at Waterloo. Fifth and Sixth form boys who were taking science subjects could put their names down to attend. For no more noble reason than that such an expedition promised to be a more diverting occasion than another afternoon spent in compulsory support of the school's ill fated cricket team, one teenage boy at that English boarding school at the end of the last war applied to go on the visit.
1989 – Nov – Ackland – Epping Line Resignalling
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GRAEME ACKLAND B. App. Sci (Elec) SIGNAL INTERLOCKING ENGINEER PUBLIC TRANSPORT CORPORATION - VICTORIA (THE MET) The Clifton Hill to Epping line was first constructed in December, 1904, and was electrified in stages from 1921 to 1964. The line is about 17km in length, and has very little traffic other than Electric multiple units carrying commuters. When the the re-signalling project was conceived in 1985, the signalling consisted of a section of automatic signalling, dating from 1926; manual Double Line Block from Merri to Keon Park with mechanical operation of points and signals; and Staff and Ticket operation from Keon Park to Epping, with some power operation of points and signals at Lalor. The level crossing protection consisted of four sets of hand gates, three sets of interlocked mechanical gates, and eight sets of boom barriers. A greatly added impetus for the re-signalling of the Epping line came from the decision by the Victorian Government to establish a train Maintenance Depot at Epping and so release valuable central city land at Jolimont. This added and complemented the project by requiring an increased train service and a major interlocking at Epping.
1998 – July – Kliffen – The Development of Mobile Communications in Australia and New Zealand
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J.W.M. Kliffen BE (Elect) Hons, GDBA. Manager Cellular Systems Ericsson Communications Ltd This paper provides Ericsson's view of the current and planned developments for mobile communications within Australia and New Zealand. This includes a brief summary of the existing cellular network operators, the outcome of the Australian cellular spectrum auctions, and what is planned for the 2 GHz spectrum auction in New Zealand. The major trend over the next 5 years, from an end-user perpective, will be increased use of mobile data and the development of high-speed mobile data networks. It is expected that the development of the current second generation TDMA technologies will converge towards a common 3rd generation standard based on Ericsson's EDGE technology. W-CDMA is likely to form an alternative third generation technology using IMT-2000 spectrum, which will be capable of providing up to 384 kbit/s in outdoor mobile environments, and up to 2 Mbit/s indoors. Future low orbit satellite networks will also integrate into these third generation networks, although with a reduced high-speed data capability.
2004 – October – Erdos – The Evolution of Rail Safety
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George D Erdos B. Tech Elec, FIEAust, CPEng, FIRSE, FPWI, MIIE Australian Transport Safety Bureau Trains and railways have captured the imagination of people for more than 200 years. This is reflected in the huge following of rail enthusiasts who continue to chase trains all over the world endeavouring to capture that last photograph before another piece of history potentially vanishes into eternity. However, in recent times, Governments' and communities' worldwide have recognised that rail transportation is the salvation for congestion and environmental problems faced by their countries as road and air transport struggle to meet ever growing demands. As a result, we are now seeing a renaissance of both heavy and light rail in many countries. Today, rail is recognised as one of the safest modes of transport. However, this postulate can be used to resist reform and hide underlying problems of inadequate capital investment, the need for cultural change and/or inflexible management style. Ultimately, have we learnt the SAFETY lessons of the past or will we need to re-learn these lessons through the bitter experience of accidents and collisions re-lived. In this paper, I will briefly review a history of railway accidents; look at some safety developments with a particular focus on "Signalling & Communications". Finally, I will focus on the Australian scene and examine where I believe we need to go as an industry to enhance our current rail safety performance.