198003 – Ellis & Howker – Maryborough-Gympie Computer Based Centralised Traffic Control System

In the development of rail traffic operation in Queensland up until the present time, the safe working of traffic over single lines has passed through a number of stages which have been related basically to the volume and class of traffic required on particular sections of line.

The use of ordinary train staff and non-interlocked stations on lightly trafficked lines, and electric train staff with most stations interlocked and continuously attended for the more heavily utilised lines, is well known within the system. In recent years various strategies such as Trailable Facing Point Lock installations, Train Order, and Proceed Order Working, have been implemented to cater for various traffic working situations within Queensland Railways.

For the foregoing systems the traffic working has basically been controlled from a central area office wherein train operating information has been collected from station staff or train crews by means of telephone communication. Information obtained in this way has then been assessed and certain decisions on train running made in the central office and then issued to the field staff as operating instructions to be implemented at each individual station. This method of operation proves satisfactory where traffic density is low, and where it is economic to maintain the necessary field personnel.

As traffic levels rise on single lines the shortcomings of such systems become more and more apparent in that high personnel levels are required in the field, and the delays incurred by the simple telephone method of information collection and implementation of commands obviously restricts track capacity below the maximum possible. With the normal method train control which has been used in Queensland in many years, it is not possible to keep trains continuously on the move or in other words to take full advantage of the track capacity available on a length of single line railway. In fact the actual capacity achievable in terms of trains per day is well below the maximum which is theoretically possible.

It has been amply demonstrated in a number of situations that considerable increased train dcnsity and facility for the operator can be obtained by capital expenditure on the provision of modern Centralised Traffic Control (C.T.C.) systems. These sophisticated systems allow continuous constantly updated train information to be made available automatically in a central office to an operator who also controls the movement of trains by means of signals and points remotely controlled from a control console.

Various facilities can be made available dependent on the type and quantity of traffic required and the various characteristics of the railways.