Resources

1991 – March – Lugsden – AUSTRAC: The Australian ATCS

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1998 – Nov – Ackland – Commissioning Tools for Railway Signalling

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1990 – July – Keogh – Queensland Railways Implementation of Driver Only Operation

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1998 – Nov – Chadwick – BTR Rail WESTRACE Tools

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1996 – July – Aitken – Outsourcing of Communications Networks

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1993 – April – Antoniou – Strategies for Train Control Within QR – Part

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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1995 – March – Eldridge – Quality Assurance in Design / Consulting / Contract

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1992 – July – Keddie – The Commercial Approach to Signalling

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.  

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1990 – Apr – Hingley – Centralisation of Control – Technical Overkill or Business Necessity

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

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.

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1986 – Nov – Gartner – Melbourne Metropolitan Train Control Centre – Stage 1 Completed

Author(s):

Date presented: December 27th, 2015

P. Gartner MIRSE Rail Engineering Group, Signals & Communication Engineering An important concept of the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop was to overcomebthe turn-around limitations imposed by Flinders Street Station by allowing through train operation. The changes to the track work required to make connections to the four loop tunnels and to improve traffic flow through the Flinders Street Yard were considerable and involved extensive resignalling. To obtain the full benefits from the improved infra-structure resulting from the introduction of the underground loop, the then existing Signalling and Control Systems were updated. A significant  step in this direction was the provision of a new Metropolitan Train Control Centre (METROL). The nucleus of this control centre is a computer-based Train Describer and Remote Control System. Associated systems are a passenger information display system, control and monitoring of electrical and mechanical services in the underground stations and various improved  telecommunication ancilliary equipment. Metro1 has, for the first time, enabled the operating staff to see at a glance the total pattern of train movements within the complex Flinders Street and underground loop area.

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