Technical Meeting Papers

Technical Meetings are held three times per year.
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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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2001 – Nov – Ackland – Signalling Control Panels

Author(s):

Graeme Ackland, B. App. Sci. (Elect), FlRSE ALSTOM Australia Control Panels are an important part of the Signalling System as they represent one part of the interface with the operators of the signalling system. The other important part is of course the interface of the total system with the drivers. The Control Panel forms the window through which the operator can manage the train through points of conflict and the following is one perspective of its development

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1996 – July – Deveney – The Application of Level Crossing Processors on the Newport To Ararat Standard Gauge Line

Author(s):

Tom Deveney National Rail Corporation Level Crossing Processors were chosen for application on the Newport to Ararat section of the standard gauge line due to the requirements of the safeworking system to be employed. The design and operational issues are discussed and then problems related to inter between units encountered is outlined. A mathematical analysis of the inteference based on transmission line theory using the properties of the concrete sleeper track is presented. The analysis indicates that a potential exists for integerence between level crossing processors of the same frequency over long distances.  

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2009 – Nov – Wardrop & Sueess – Strategies to Increase Line Capacity and Reduce Travel Time in a Mixed Passenger and Freight Corridor

Author(s):

Alex Wardrop B Sc (Hons) UNSW, M Eng Sc (Traffic Engineering) UNSW, FCILT Principal Engineer, Operations, WorleyParsons Pascal Süess M Sc ETH Engineer, Rail Operations and Planning, WorleyParsons Many railway lines in Australia are used by a broad spectrum of train services including long distance passenger, interurban passenger, suburban passenger, intermodal freight, general freight and bulk freight. Whereas once there was a strict train service hierarchy so that the long distance passenger train had supremacy and freight came last, nowadays all rail traffics aspire to delay-free passage. This is driven by the need for passenger rail to carry more customers and for freight rail to win business in competitive markets, all with the aim of making Australia more economically efficient and more environmentally sound. The purpose of signalling and track layouts should be to meet a particular rail traffic task from which should flow signalling system performance specifications. Line capacity is dependent upon relative sectional travel times and signal clearance times. This paper examines the differences between freight and passenger train performance, train lengths, braking capability and how these affect signalling clearances and, ultimately, line capacity. It then discusses which infrastructure solutions can suitably address the particular issues of a mixed-use corridor and provide not only more capacity, but also reduced freight train transit times. Optimising mixed-use rail corridors requires a view of the railway as an integrated system. Upgrading, and therefore the associated funding, should thus flexibly embrace infrastructure, rolling stock and technology.

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2012 – March – Chadwick – The Regional Rail Link project – new tracks and systems separating regional and suburban trains in Melbourne

Author(s):

Marcus Chadwick BE, Dip Bus Mgt, MIRSE, MAIPM Principal Signals and Systems Engineer Opus Rail The Regional Rail Link (RRL) project is a rail infrastructure project providing a new rail line from the outer western suburbs of Melbourne to the city. The project separates regional trains from metropolitan trains – for the first time giving Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat trains their own dedicated tracks through the metropolitan system from West of Werribee (Geelong trains) and from Sunshine (Ballarat and Bendigo trains) to Southern Cross station. These new arrangements will increase train capacity and reliability for both regional and metropolitan services. RRL is Victoria's largest rail infrastructure project since the construction of the City Loop in the 1970s and will deliver Victoria's first new rail line in over 80 years. The project is approaching the end of its development and procurement phases and delivery is underway in some areas. This paper provides a general description of the scope of the project, the methods adopted for delivery and some of the detail arising from the development and procurement activities.

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2011 – July – Kull – ECP Braking Overview: A Look at the Technology and Benefits for the Entire Rail System

Author(s):

Robert C. Kull Director,Business Development Wabtec Railway Electronics ECP brake systems are being increasingly adopted on Australian railways, with a focus on heavy haul mining applications. U.S. railroads are also implementing new "Positive Train Control" (PTC) systems, which is a form of Communications Based  Train Control (CBTC). This paper provides an overview of ECP brakes and how this technology can be integrated with new CBTC systems to provide a path towards Automatic Train Control (ATO), with benefits of increased network capacity, safety, and reduced fuel use.

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2009 – Nov – Imrie – Freight in the City – Sharing Tracks

Author(s):

Ian Imrie F.I.E (Aust), F.A.I.C.D Plateway Pty Limited This paper considers the positive and negative forces influencing shared corridor freight traffic. Possible actions are proposed that would mitigate the negative forces and make the freight service attractive to customers, urban society and importantly, both passenger and freight operators.

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1984 – Nov – Turner – Application of Microcode to Single Line Block Signalling

Author(s):

C.R. Turner MIRSE Australian National THIS PAPER OFFERS AN INSIGHT INTO THE APPLICATION OF MICROCODE THE SINGLE LINE BLOCK SIQIUILLING, BETWEEN  DRY CREEX AND CRYSTAL BROOK. THE SPECIFIC CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED BY THE RAIL SYSTEM ARE LISTED FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLANATION OF THE MICROCODE SYSTEM AND THEN THE APPLICATION OF THE MICROCODE SYSTEM TO SUIT AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL'S BLOCK SIGNALLING REQUIREMENTS.

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1993 – July – Tapsall – NSW CityRail – Application of Solid State Interlocking to Liverpool Resignalling Scheme

Author(s):

R. Tapsall GEC Alsthom Australia Limited This paper describes some of the special features which were adopted to apply British Rail Style Solid State Interlocking to a New South Wales CityRail signalling system. In particular, the development of geogra hical data to suit SRA of New South Wales signalling principles and practices ancfsatisfying State Rail with respect to validation of the system.

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2001 – Nov – Symons Train Management Facility Project – Beyond Train

Author(s):

Peter Symons General Manager Bombardier Transportation (Signal) Australia Pty. Ltd. The Train Management Facility (TMF) project is a cutting edge project to provide a management system to support the business needs, operations and maintenance of M>Train and Connex vertically integrated franchisees. The implementation of a fully integrated Train Management System is a very complex undertaking. The project requirements are delivered progressively, initially controlling the area presently controlled by Metrol including all of the external system interfaces - widening the indicated area, then extensions to the control area. The TMF functionality addresses limitations in the Metrol system and improves communications, monitoring, recording and reporting. The TMF provides the central facilities for the future remote control of all signalling infrastructure for the entire Melbourne Metropolitan network.The TMF project truly takes us - Beyond TrainControl.

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1984 – Nov – Keddie – Experience with a Computer Based Message Switching System

Author(s):

D Keddie Australian National In June 1984, Australian National began commissioning a Computer Based Message Switching (CBMS) System This system was intended to eliminate telegraph offices located at the Adelaide Railway Station, Port Augusta and Peterborough, and provide increased facilities to all teleprinter operators connected to the system. Other mainland railway systems in Australia have message switching systems either operating, being commissioned or in the tender stages.  When interconnected, a Teleprinter Operator situated anywhare in Australia will be able send a message to any other to Operator in any other Railway system "direct", ie at no stage will the message be converted either to an operator readable form or converted to paper tape for retransmission. The system selected by Australian National as satisfying its requirements for Message Switching is manufactured in England by Computer & Systems Engineering (CASE) who are represented in Australia by Case Communications in Sydney. This paper is not intended to be a technical treatise on Computer Based Message Switching Systems but rather will serve to introduce the reader to the facilities that can be supported on a Computer Based Message Switch beyond the obvious function of telegraph message switching and present some findings based on Australian National's experience with the Case System.

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