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Table of contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 What is Automatic Train Protection (ATP)?............................................................................. 4 Components of the system ....................................................................................................... 5
ATP trackside equipment ................................................................................................................................ 5 ATP onboard equipment.................................................................................................................................. 6
FAQs.......................................................................................................................................... 22
How will the ATP system help RailCorp?..................................................................................................... 22 Safety.................................................................................................................................................... 22 Capacity ................................................................................................................................................ 22 Can all Drivers operate an ATP-fitted train? ................................................................................................ 22 Will ATP prevent all SPADs?......................................................................................................................... 23 Will the DMI distract Drivers from their normal driving tasks? .................................................................. 23 What if the ATP trackside equipment fails?................................................................................................. 23 What if the ATP onboard equipment fails? .................................................................................................. 23 What if a signal returns to stop as a train approaches?............................................................................. 24 What will ATP-fitted trains do in areas without ATP trackside equipment? ............................................. 24 What might happen in the future? ................................................................................................................ 24
Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 24
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Table of figures
Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: Figure 5: Figure 6: Figure 7: Figure 8: Figure 9: Figure 10: Figure 11: Figure 12: Figure 13: Figure 14: Figure 15: Figure 16: Figure 17: Common ATP trackside equipment ...................................................................... 6 ATP onboard equipment..................................................................................... 7 Sample DMI layout ........................................................................................... 8 Intervention sequence..................................................................................... 10 Relationship between some signalling concepts and ATP concepts .......................... 12 EP brake and emergency brake intervention curves calculated from previous balise group information ........................................................................................... 13 Effect of release speed when approaching a signal that has just cleared.................. 14 Approach to a signal that has cleared, with no infill.............................................. 15 Approach to a signal that has cleared, with balise infill. ........................................ 16 Approach to a signal that has cleared, with Euroloop infill. .................................... 16 Approaching a signal indicating proceed ............................................................. 17 Train receives a movement authority at BG1 ...................................................... 17 Train receives a movement authority at BG2 ...................................................... 18 Movement authority is not extended when passing BG3 ....................................... 18 Train stopped at signal S4, balise group BG4 has not been read ............................ 19 Train accelerating from stop towards signal S4.................................................... 19 Train getting a new movement authority as it passes balise group BG4 .................. 20
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Introduction
This document is intended only as an introduction to the Automatic Train Protection system that will be installed in the RailCorp network, and not all aspects or features of the system are described. As such, it should not be used for any purpose other than to get a general idea of what the system is and how it works. It is not a training document. In particular, the examples given mostly relate to signalled through movements on running lines. Shunting, failure and other such modes are not described in any detail. Please also note that the exact specifications for some aspects of the ATP system have not yet been finalised, and so may differ somewhat from their description here.
It is important to note that the system will not prevent all SPADs, however it should greatly reduce both the number and the potential consequences of SPADs. The RailCorp ATP system is based on the European Train Control System (ETCS). This specification has been chosen because: it is a mature system, used extensively in Europe and elsewhere, with a proven safety record ATP trackside and onboard equipment is available off the shelf from a number of suppliers, the equipment from all suppliers will be compatible it can be overlaid on RailCorps existing signalling system it is a flexible system that allows for a pre-defined future upgrade path.
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There are three levels of ETCS. The initial RailCorp system will be ETCS Level 1, and the remainder of this document is focused on the characteristics of that level. This has the potential to be upgraded to Level 2 or Level 3 in the future. Brief descriptions of the higher levels are given in the answer to the What might happen in the future question in the FAQs.
Balises are unpowered, and are energised and read by the antennas of passing trains. One or more balises that act in unison, and are closely nearby, are known as a balise group. Balise groups can send different messages to trains based on: the state of any linked signalling equipment the direction of travel of trains reading the balise group.
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Euroloops are transponders along a length of track which transmit continuously: to trains as they travel onto the Euroloop to trains anywhere on the Euroloop when information changes.
Euroloops have not yet been approved for use in RailCorps system. Radio infill units act similarly to Euroloops, but use radio to transmit signal information to nearby trains. Radio infill units and Euroloops cannot transmit relative distance information. All radio infill units and Euroloops have associated balises which transmit details about their positions and identification to trains. Figure 1 depicts a portion of track with some common ATP trackside equipment.
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
NOTE: Antennas might be placed in different spots on different train types, but they will always be on the leading vehicle. The DMI has the following key areas: a speedometer on the left, showing the current speed, and usually a circular speed gauge outside the speed dial showing the allowable speed a planning area towards the right, showing information about the track ahead, which scrolls as the train progresses. It can show: a speed profile area towards the right showing changes in track speed signals at STOP track gradients. an information and monitoring area at the bottom, which displays ATP status, text messages and warnings touch screen buttons to allow Driver input and acknowledgement when approaching a lower speed area or stopping location, a distance to target bar on the left..
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Figure 3:
NOTE: Final screen layout may vary a little from that shown.
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Additionally, the Driver must enter some information into the ATP onboard equipment before each trip, including: the number of cars in the consist any brakes that are isolated.
NOTE: This information must be re-entered or confirmed each time a cab is cut-in, and after some mode changes.
Track and train information are processed by the ATP onboard equipment
The track information received from ATP transponders, the train information stored in the ATP onboard equipment, and the information entered by the Driver, is combined by the ATP onboard equipment. This combined information is then used by the ATP onboard equipment to calculate safe speeds of travel along the track ahead.
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Drivers will receive advance notice of changes in track speed and of locations at which the train must otherwise be stopped or slowed. For some wrong running-direction speed restrictions, this notice will be in the form of text messages, but usually the indications are given by the circular speed gauge (CSG).
Figure 4 depicts the intervention sequence as a train approaches an area with a lower track speed.
Figure 4:
Intervention sequence
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NOTE: The pre-indication location is the location at which the Driver will receive advice that the train will need to be braked. In Figure 4, the unbraked speed represents a train that does not slow down as it approaches the location where there is a reduction in track speed. After the train has passed the calculated start of braking location: 1. The unbraked speed would first cross the warning curve, and the system would alert the Driver by sounding an alarm and by indications on the DMI. The system will also cut off traction power. If the train were to travel further without braking, the unbraked speed would cross the EP brake intervention curve, and the EP brake would be applied until the Driver acknowledges the intervention. If the train speed still does not reduce sufficiently, for example because of slippery rails, the unbraked speed would cross the emergency brake intervention curve, and the emergency brake will be applied.
2.
3.
It should be noted that EP brake and emergency brake calculations have different safety margins, so that the calculated stopping distance for an emergency brake intervention is generally longer than the calculated stopping distance for an EP brake intervention. For speed change calculations, the assumed location allows for possible error in the trains location, shown in Figure 4 as the odometer confidence interval, so that the front of the train will definitely be under the new speed as it passes the speed sign.
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The end of authority is a location to which the train can be moved, and for through movements a location before which the ATP system expects that a new movement authority will be received by the train, which will usually be at a signal ahead. The supervised location is the location which the ATP system will not normally allow the train to pass. If necessary, the system will intervene to apply the emergency brake to make sure that the train is stopped. For movements towards a signal at STOP, the supervised location is actually past the signal, and can be thought of as similar to a signalling overlap. Figure 5 shows related signalling and ATP concepts. The top part of the diagram shows current signalling concepts, the lower part shows ATP concepts overlaid.
Figure 5:
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The fact that the EP brake intervention ends at the End of authority and the emergency brake intervention ends at the supervised location, together with the EP brake intervention occurring at a lower speed, results in there being a safety margin as a train approaches the end of authority, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6:
EP brake and emergency brake intervention curves calculated from previous balise group information
Release speeds
If a signal clears as a train approaches, there is no safety reason why the Driver should not accelerate up to track speed. However, until the balise group at the signal is read, if there is no infill (see following section), the ATP system would intervene to prevent the train from travelling faster than the speed that would enable the train to be stopped at the signal. For this reason, a release speed is applied as a train approaches an end of authority at a signal. This takes advantage of the safety margin, and is calculated such that a train passing a signal at stop would still be stopped by an emergency intervention before reaching the Supervised Location. If the train is travelling more slowly than the release speed, the EP brake intervention will be suppressed and not automatically slow the train further. If the train exceeds the release speed after the EP brake intervention curve has fallen below it, there are no warnings, and the emergency brake is immediately applied. If the signal remains at STOP, the Driver must still stop the train before the signal as normal, and if the train were to pass the signal at STOP, an emergency brake intervention would occur to stop the train before the supervised location.
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If the signal clears, however, the Driver does not need to slow the train as much as they would have to if there were no release speed. The effect of release speed is shown in Figure 7, with the signal that was the end of authority having cleared.
Figure 7:
Effect of release speed when approaching a signal that has just cleared
The release speed can be calculated by the onboard ATP equipment or a pre-determined value can be transmitted by the trackside ATP equipment. In some cases where the Supervised Location is very close to the End of Authority, the release speed can be zero. In other cases, where the Supervised Location is a long way past the End of Authority, the release speed can be track speed, meaning that the system will allow a train to approach a signal at STOP at track speed. NOTE: Keep in mind that the ATP system will not prevent all SPADs.
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Infill
Another way that efficiency is maintained is by the concept of infill. If a train approaches a signal at STOP, and there is only a single balise group just before the signal, the ATP system would ensure that the train was slowed before it reached the signal. If the signal clears from STOP as the train approaches, the new movement authority cannot be given until the train reaches the balise group at the signal, so the train will be travelling more slowly than necessary. For this reason, infill is provided at some signals to give new movement authorities before trains reach signals displaying a proceed indication, so allowing them to accelerate to a speed consistent with the signal indication. Obviously, if the signal remains at STOP, no new movement authority is issued. Infill is provided by infill balise groups, Euroloops or radio-transmitted infill. These enable a new movement authority to be transmitted before a train reaches the balise group at a signal. It can be thought of as similar to the function of repeater signals. Infill balises, Euroloops and radio infill transmit the Movement Authority information of the signal balise group ahead. Figure 8 to Figure 10 show the effects of infill on the permitted train speeds on the approach to a signal that has cleared. Figure 8 shows the situation without infill. The train must travel quite slowly near the signal to avoid exceeding the permitted speed.
Figure 8:
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Figure 9 shows the situation with balise infill. As the train passes over the infill balise, a new movement authority is transmitted, and the train can accelerate to a speed consistent with the signal indication.
Figure 9:
Figure 10 shows the situation with Euroloop infill. As soon as the signal clears, if the train is on the Euroloop, a new movement authority is transmitted, and the train can resume track speed. If the train travels onto the Euroloop after the signal had cleared, the Euroloop would immediately transmit the new movement authority.
Figure 10:
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With radio infill the updated Movement Authority can be transmitted as soon as the related signal has cleared. It will be set up so that new Movement Authorities are not transmitted until the train has reached the sighting distance of the related signal.
Figure 11:
When the train passed over the balise group (BG1) associated with signal S1, it receives a movement authority with an end of authority at signal S3, as that is as far as the signalling system can provide occupancy information, as shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12:
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Signal S2 is also displaying PROCEED. When the train passes over balise group BG2, it receives a new movement authority with an end of authority at signal S4, as shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13:
If signal S3 remains at Caution, when the train passes over balise group BG 3, the movement authority is not extended. The end of authority remains at signal S4, as shown in Figure 14.
Figure 14:
Because signal S4 remains at STOP, the Driver stops the train before it has read balise group BG4, as shown in Figure 15. If the train were to pass balise group BG4, the balise group would transmit a trip order, immediately applying the emergency brake.
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Figure 15:
Train stopped at signal S4, balise group BG4 has not been read
When signal S4 clears, the Driver may accelerate towards the signal.
Figure 16:
When the train reads balise group BG4, it receives a new movement authority for the block ahead, as shown in Figure 17.
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Figure 17:
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Drivers will continue to obey the rules for responding to signals and passing signals at STOP
The existing Network Rules for passing a signal at STOP must still be followed, but the DMI may provide additional information to Drivers. If there is discrepancy between the indication given by a signal, and the onboard ATP equipment, the Driver must obey the signal. Once a Driver has passed a signal at STOP in accordance with the Network Rules, the system will impose a 25km/h maximum speed until the next signal is reached.
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FAQs
How will the ATP system help RailCorp?
Safety
The requirement for RailCorp to implement an ATP system arose from the Waterfall inquiry. The system would have prevented the train from greatly exceeding track speed and derailing. The system will also intervene to stop a train that passes a signal at STOP, unless specific administrative procedures are carried out before the train passes the signal.
Capacity
Because Drivers must see signals to react to them, many signals are placed in locations that are optimised for sighting rather than in locations that would provide the most efficient frequency of movements. In the future, the ATP system should, by providing advanced warning of stop signals ahead, allow trains to travel faster or more closely following other movements in some areas. This improvement will not happen during the initial rollout of the system in different areas and in individual trains, but will be achievable in areas fully fitted with ATP trackside equipment when all trains travelling in those areas have been equipped. In the future, the system has the potential to be upgraded, independently of the signalling system, so that these efficiency improvements can be maximised.
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Will the DMI distract Drivers from their normal driving tasks?
Because the DMI gives Drivers additional information to that which they currently get, there will be different demands on Drivers attention. However, the system and the layout of trackside equipment will be designed so that warnings and messages are usually given before the train closely approaches critical areas, and not while the Drivers concentration is likely to be required for other tasks.
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Conclusion
As mentioned, this document is intended only as a simple introduction to the basics of an ATP system. To find out more, visit the ATP Project intranet site. The site is undergoing revision, and more information will be provided as the project progresses. Additionally, there are a number of ATP-related websites on the internet. Google ETCS, or ERA.
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