2023 – March – Rendell – Innovative Level Crossing Control System

Stewart Rendell
MSc Railway Systems Engineering and Integration Sigtech Solutions Australia
This paper aims to explore some of the technology options that are available now – considering pros and cons of each, and, looks to challenge the more traditional thinking that still exists when it comes to Type Approval of such solutions.
As technology moves forward at an ever-increasing rate, level crossing control systems used at isolated level crossing sites have been slower to follow this trend. Until recently there were few options outside the traditional arrangements with very few being bespoke control systems in their own right. There has been a growth of interest in this space internationally as companies look to provide a system engineered solution that is both innovative, cost effective and provides real time data to rail operators and maintainers alike – but we locally are slow to implement such systems as they do not neatly fit into current standards or arrangements that we may be familiar and more comfortable with.
Enter the fully digital system world.
This paper aims to explore some of the technology options that are available now – considering pros and cons of each, and, looks to challenge the more traditional thinking that still exists when it comes to Type Approval of such solutions.