2003 – November – Aitken – Train Position Detection

Jeanette Aitken BE MEngSc Aitken & Partners, Consulting Engineers This paper describes a method of improving the determination of train positions that is particularly applicable in areas where track circuits are not available. The method uses multiple GPS antennas for position and heading determination. One of the key problems with standard GPS solutions is the difficulty in resolving the track that the train has taken at a junction. Parallel tracks may lie within the resolution ambiguity of standard GPS and DGPS position measurements. We propose that attitude determination be used to determine the path that the train has taken at a track junction. The document then explains the equipment and methods that were considered best for solving these problems.