199004 – Rayner & Stepniewski – Distributed Processing for Train Information Systems

As control systems become more centralised, train information systems become more sophisticated and more complex.

Train describers have evolved over many years from simple block bell systems, direct line circuits and lamps, through small hard wired cathode ray tube display systems to minilmicro computer based systems. The digital computer has enabled the train describer to be developed into a Train Information System (TIS) giving the user the capability to control and monitor the railway more efficiently and provide further statistical information for planning and optimisation.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the means by which a railway system can be controlled and managed in an efficient manner, using distributed Microprocessors interconnected on a local area network.

The basic railway signalling system is shown in figure 1.

The TIS is defined for the purpose of this paper as that part of the total system which receives data on the state of the system and reprocesses it such that it can be displayed in a convenient form for controlling and managing the railway. It also contains automatic functions which aid and improve the efficiency of the operator.