201707 – Mocki, Curtin & Liu – Byting Railway Interlocking Requirements

Everybody knows that safety in rail systems is the fundamental principle for all signalling systems. But this paper is to discuss what other areas we should focus on nowadays. Such areas increase safety level and provide maximum gain at a considerably beneficial investment level.

Systems suppliers are concentrated on implementing their wireless systems. That starts with signalling systems like Communication Based Train Control system (CBTC) and European Train Control System (ETCS) level II and also includes overhead power supply control systems. Rail telecommunication seems to be an area of rapid development and implementation. Diagnosis, monitoring, predictive maintenance, fault prediction and fault coordination centre are being looked at and considered by rail owners/operators. In the consultancy world, we observe a focus is on system assurance and some software application in this area as well as 3D modelling (especially in starting the design process), BIM simulation and visualisation. Those areas are just an example.

On the other hand, outside of rail, we witness a rapid development of Information Technology in a space of Big (or Open) data, digital connectivity (including Industrial Internet of Things and Systems of Systems), driver less car and robotics. It is commonly known as innovation.

It appears that the technology historically innovated in rail systems is about 10-15 years behind modern technologies at the time. While the world constantly develops new technologies, rail penetrates the areas of optimisation, operational cost reduction and predictable innovation to keep the rail business efficient and profitable.

Having said all that, the paper is focused on one of the strategies that could be undertaken when approaching innovative areas in rail engineering. It describes an adoption of developing rail standards e.g. EULYNX and railML. Authors aim to look into an example of engineering process, describing ways to improve the process by applying some predictable innovation (innovation that delivers an expected outcome) techniques. An improved outcome from such development could be applied more efficiently to the benefit of reducing uncertainty of a designer, optimising asset usage, reducing the operational cost and many more.