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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2009 – July – Graham – Ensuring Reliability of Track Circuit Operation

Author(s):

Brent Graham B.Sc. M.Sc., Dipl.T. Project Director, Coffey Rail, Melbourne Track circuits are among the most common and oldest components of railway signaling systems and are one of the major building blocks of railway signaling systems. While the trend today may be towards moving block or communication based systems, conventional track circuits will undoubtedly be around for many years to come. Track circuits were originally developed in the age of steam as a secondary safety device. Trains were pulled by heavy locomotives and rolling stock had poor dynamics by today’s standards. Tread brakes and bogie hunting tended to keep the wheel/rail interface clean and the use of other electrical equipment was minimal. Over the years, the importance of track circuits in railway system safety has increased. At the same time, advances have been made in manufacturing, electronics, and other fields which potentially increases the risk of track circuit failure. High precision wheel lathes and close tolerance manufacturing coupled with the increased use of disk brakes and regenerative braking techniques, while improving ride quality and component life have simultaneously reduced the rail head cleaning characteristics of earlier days. This paper examines how a stringent testing approach can be used to, not only maintain signaling system safety, but also to improve the reliability of the signaling systems and train operations in general. It is important that testing be repeatable, systematic and documented.

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1986 – March – Brock – Illawarra Resignalling for Electrification Construction

Author(s):

A.J. Brock Tech. Engineer, IRSE, GEC Projects Division Railway Signals The installation for the Illawarra project involved the resignalling of 47 km. of track from just south of Helensburgh to Port Kembla, south of Wollongong , as shown on Diagram 1. Generally the line consists of two tracks with bi-directional working on both roads. Major interlockings are situated at points along the line as described later in this paper. The main Control Centre is at Wollongong, just south of Wollongong station. The entire project had to be completed and available for electric trains to run by the end of December 1985, from a commencement date of 1st March 1984. This goal was achieved, but unfortunately the start of electric services was delayed by problems with the Stanwell Park viaduct. Electric trains commenced the service to Wollongong on Tuesday 4th February 1986, after the official opening by the Premier of New South Wales, the Honourable Mr. Neville Wran.

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1998 – Nov – Heibel – Modern Engineering & Design of Computer Based Interlockings

Author(s):

Dr.-lng. Frank Heibel Group Manager Signalling & Control Systems Siemens Ltd. The global marketing of Computer Based Interlocking technolog makes high demands on customisation (reffered to as engineering) and design. Particularly, the respective tools have to be economical and user-friendly. This paper describes the tools for the engineering and design of Siemens SIM IS-W Computer Based Interlocking and its VlCOS user interface. After a brief background of the history of SlMlS interlockings and the tool development, the main requirements, which led to a new generation of engineering and design tools, are outlined. Some definitions and explanations of the systems and expressions used in this paper are given. The engineering process for interlocking and user interface is described, followed by the design process for project-specific data. A brief conclusion with a glance of future prospects closes this paper.

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2005 – Aug – Kwong – Innovations in Education and Training For the Professions

Author(s):

Ken Kwong, BE (Hons), Phd, FIEE FIEAust, CQU This paper will trace the historic evolution of education and training for the engineering professions, as well as recent innovations in meeting the changing professional training needs - with both "pre-service" type courses. The paper is set against a background of the Australasian section of the IRSE's attemp to set up a strategy in meeting industry's present and future skill needs in the railway signalling sector.

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1999 – March – Revell – Observing & Managing Trends Down an Evolving Signalling Product Line

Author(s):

Howard Revell, BA, MIRSE Manager, Engineering Development Union Switch & Signal Pty Ltd Our industry is exposed to an ever increasing rate of technological change. For almost a century we have been able to improve, refine and expand our approach to vital system engineering based on the well understood and established principles and predictability of relay sytems at a relatively "leisurely" pace that hitherto has not caused us too much stress. This cra however, has past us by and we have been rapidly propelled into a new era taking us far beyond the well defined and secure boundaries of relay based technology and into new areas - some of which are foreign to many signal engineers. This transition is generating many new trends that must be identified and controlled, and this, in my opinion, is providing us with an opportunity to engage in a far more exciting and demanding range of activities than was previously the case but not without ramifications.

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2008 – March – Zabel, Bruce & Walker – Queensland Rail (QR) Westect ATP Enhancements

Author(s):

Leon Zabel AMIRSE Signal Engineer - BElecEng GDipRailEng RPEQ QR Limited Neil Bruce AIRSE ATP Technical Coordinator - DipElecEng QR Limited Keith Walker FIRSE CDEC ATP Senior Project Coordinator Principal Signal Engineer Worley Parson Rail This paper discusses the design and operational enhancements that the Queensland Rail Limited (QR) Signals and Operation Systems (SAOS) Automatic Train Protection (ATP) design team have made to the Westect ATP system.

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2011 – July – Ross – Rail regeneration – what are the risks?

Author(s):

Alan Ross MSc, BSc, Grad Dip OSH, CMIOSH Principal, A & K Ross Associates Pty Ltd (AKRA) Rail regeneration in Australia is gaining some much-needed momentum, at long last. There are improvement schemes and upgrades all over the country, from the mining railways of WA to Regional Rail Link in Victoria, not forgetting the Adelaide Electrification Project. Many of these projects have in common that they are undertaken in a live rail environment alongside an operating railway. It is not possible to shut down operating railways for extended (or even short) periods. It is also not uncommon for signalling systems to be shut down at certain times in projects to facilitate installation and commissioning of new equipment. The railway runs with a degraded mode of safe working, whilst trains continue to operate 'normally'. Such situations also arise in unplanned situations. Finally, the question of protecting track workers: have systems for protection kept up with other railway developments? The risks associated with such a scenario are obvious and have resulted in a number of serious incidents. This paper will describe some of the incidents, highlight some of the lessons learned and consider ways in which the introduced risks can be eliminated or significantly mitigated. With the statutory obligation on rail operators to eliminate risks or, where that is not reasonably practicable, to reduce risk so far as is reasonably practicable, what is the role of the Regulator and are they up to the task?

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2002 – November – Jovetic and Grady – The ALSTOM Train Delivery Experience

Author(s):

Milan Jovetic Signal Maintenance Engineer ALSTOM Melbourne Transport Limited Norm Grady Operations Manager ALSTOM Melbourne Transport Limited The paper below sets out ALSTOM Melbourne Transport's experience in introducing a new train to the Melbourne network under the privatised regime now in force in Melbourne. It explains how compatibility with signalling equipment was demonstrated.  

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2009 – April – Baker – Rail Revitalisation : A Decade of Change for Transadelaide

Author(s):

Brett Baker, BE (Elec), MBA, MIRSE, GMAA, TransAdelaide A strategic priority for rail in South Australia is to maximise the use of rail transport for passenger and freight movements. Modal shifts to rail for freight and to public transport for people in the metropolitan area offers significant benefits for greenhouse emissions, road congestion and safety. In the 2008 State Budget, the Government of South Australia announced a range of public transport initiatives, including plans for the electrification of the TransAdelaide heavy rail network and further extension of the tram network. The announcement provides a program of works to meet the States Strategic Plan targets to facilitate a significant increase in public transport patronage by revitalising Adelaide's public transport system. This paper reviews elements of the budget announcement that impact upon the future rollingstock, signals and communication system needs for the TransAdelaide rail network. These represent significant developments for public transport in Adelaide, presenting major opportunities for TransAdelaide..

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