Signalling
Modernisation of both mainline and metro line signalling systems will help to future- proof railways of tomorrow says Andrew Hunter
I
t has long been accepted that the introduction of game-changing signalling technologies goes hand-in- hand with building on the successful
lessons gained from managing mass transit urban mobility. Guaranteeing capacity is the key issue
globally with an estimated current increase of 1.5 million passengers in the urban population every week. By 2030 a projected 60 per cent of people will live in cities. ‘Megacities’ are projected to increase from the current figure of 22 to 100 by 2050. That’s 100 vast urban conurbations with populations in excess of 10 million people. Innovative technological solutions and services are required to enable rail operators to manage their infrastructure at higher capacity, safely and with greater efficiency. The driving force behind the
advancement in applying broad-band radio technology to rail transit has seen the need to move from train control to a more sophisticated infrastructure, while maintaining constant communication as trains move along the track. Communications-based train control
technology has provided safe, reliable, revenue-efficient operation for more than 20 years and has been selected by 27 metro, light rapid transit and automated operators around the world with more than 10 million train operating hours of revenue service. Communication technology follows
an open-system philosophy that complies with well-recognised industry standards and protocols providing a stable future. Such architecture provides standard interfaces and commercial off-the-shelf data communication components that facilitate subsystem inter-changeability. Safe train control functionality is essential when maintaining a busy and complex network.
Flexibility key to modern signalling Flexibility is the key to modern signalling. The constant pressure on operators to minimise costs and bring system improvements on line faster encourages operators to look for long-term flexibility. From fully automated, integrated solutions to upgradeable solutions and overlay re- signalling techniques to reach beyond the limitations of conventional fixed-block designs, modern systems contribute significantly to moving more people, more
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quickly and increasing revenue potential. The advantage of any communications-
based system is the flexibility to adapt to any type or size of rolling stock and dedicated guideway. This ensures that transit operators retain the value of their original asset as they expand and grow their systems. To achieve this flexibility and consistency systems must be configured easily to meet the specific functionality needs of operation. In terms of optimising capital
investment, modern signalling systems play a major role in managing infrastructure costs. For example; in the metro scenario, shorter, more frequent trains require shorter platforms and do not require the building of new tunnels during re- signalling. Modernisation of the system can be achieved without the need for ancillary equipment requirements reducing the impact on customers by cutting out down time. With less equipment on the track there is a reduced need for maintenance and associated surveillance. Another major consideration for
network managers is the environmental advantages that can be had when operating systems are modernised and updated. Of consideration might be energy-optimised driving profiles (e.g. coasting, reduced speeds, and reduced acceleration curves)
which can be customised to suit the time of day and schedule synchronisation for regenerative power saving. Flexibility extends to operations in terms of automatic junction management, remote diagnostics and centralised fault management capabilities and automatic incident management. The most sophisticated
communications systems know the position of each train to a high degree of accuracy and can control the behaviour of the train at all times modifying behaviour to ensure the safety of the system while at the same time offering maximum service. Coordinating train movement with a high degree of precision means passengers movements are managed efficiently at all times.
London’s success story Moving passengers through the London Underground safely and efficiently during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was only achieved after one of the world’s largest re-signalling programmes. One of the key issues facing the UK at that time was how to ensure safety and effectiveness of the underground at a time of significant pressure and demand. Innovation was the answer then and remains so for the future. One of the
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