1986 – Aug – Balck – The Ericab 700 ATC System – Economics, Design & Re
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Technical Meeting Papers
Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
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199903 – O’Hara – Year 2000 Testing of Embedded Systems Devices
By: Kevin O'Hara
Date Presented: March 12th, 1999
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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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200407 – Modernisation of KTMB’s Signalling & Telecommunication Systems
Date Presented: July 19th, 2004
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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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1991 – March – Lugsden – AUSTRAC: The Australian ATCS
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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.
1998 – Nov – Ackland – Commissioning Tools for Railway Signalling
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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.
1990 – July – Keogh – Queensland Railways Implementation of Driver Only Operation
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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.
1998 – Nov – Chadwick – BTR Rail WESTRACE Tools
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Marc Chadwick BE, GradDipMgt, MIRSE Manager, Product Development, Westinghouse Signals Australia Industry and its customers are jointly seeking lower costs, faster delivery, higher quality and greater consistency. All this in the face of the ever increasing shortages of skilled personnel in our profession, a problem that is going to get worse before it gets better. This paper presents the tools that have been developed by the BTR Rail Group Conlpanies for use in WESTRACE Interlocking applications to help satisfy these demands.
1996 – July – Aitken – Outsourcing of Communications Networks
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John Aitken Director, Aitken & Partners Consulting Engineers Outsourcing of services is a concept that has the virtues of political correctness and fashion. It is certainly not a new concept but outsourcing has become a popular answer to all manner of corporate ills. Its current significance is perhaps not unrelated to some of the spectacular corporate failures of the 1980s when short term gains were the objective of many an entrepreneur. The current reaction appears to be an emphasis on "core business" activities, with those activities that are not considered essential to the core business being "outsourced". Some would argue that communications are not core business for railways and that they should have been outsourced long ago. Others will argue that connnunications are the very life blood of a modern railwa? -- as integral a part of the operation as the track, locomotives. rolling stock and signals. In this paper we consider the role of communications in railway operations. the impact of historical developments, the impact of developing technology and the impact of legislation on railway communications. There are some areas where outsourcing is a natural and obvious step, some areas where outsourcing would achieve nothing and others where outsourcing has been In place for a long time. The common characteristic is that they provlde cominunications for trains that move on steel wheels on steel tracks.
1995 – March – Eldridge – Quality Assurance in Design / Consulting / Contract
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Mike Eldridge Connell Wagner In the consulting and contracting industries it is essential nowadays for firms to be quality accredited if they wish to bid for government and increasingly private contracts. A large number of government organisations require their suppliers to have quality systems in place which meet the requirements of AS3901, AS3902 or AS3903. This paper addresses the quality assurance issues relating to design services provided by consultants and contractors.
1992 – July – Keddie – The Commercial Approach to Signalling
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Dave Keddie Australian National Railways in Australia face several challenges if they are to contribute significantly to economic reform with the transport industry. Labour force reductions, reduced transit times, improved reliability of services and more efficient management systems are some of the means of achieving significant gains. The role of signalling is contributing to these gains if foremost. However, before these gains can be realised, there needs to be a significant change in the commercial approach to signalling.
1990 – Apr – Hingley – Centralisation of Control – Technical Overkill or Business Necessity
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Phil Hingley, C.Eng., M.I.E.E., M.I.R.S.E. (GHD - Transmark) This paper desaibes British Rail's current padice in Centralised Control Systems. It outlines the business needs met by the system and the way in wtri British Rail (BR) manages the introduction of new systems including their maintenance. The paper then goes on to compare and contrast two other approaches to the business justification and introduction of new technology. The paper shows how the business requirements shaped the Centralised Control Systems that were proposed.