Dynamic Railway Simulation Using

DIgSILENT Programming Language

Trinnapop Boonseng1* and Nuapett Sarasiri2
1,2
Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology, Thailand
*
Corresponding: trin_eng@hotmail.com

Abstract - This paper presents the modeling and simulation
of electrical systems for railway transportation utilizing
DIgSILENT PowerFactory software embedded application
called DIgSILENT Programming Language (DPL). The DPL
command can be directly used to control single line grid based
on tractive effort curve (TE), braking effort curve (BE) and
train-speed profile. The simulations of train movements in this
research have been considered as a sequence of three operating
modes, namely accelerating mode, constant mode and braking
mode. The simulation results show the electric power and
phase voltage and distance varying by time and speed. This
characteristic design leads to specific outcomes in order to
improve railway transportation system and the further quality
of railway system research.
II. POWER CONSUMPTION OF RAILWAY SYSTEM
Power distribution systems of electrified railway are
classified in many structures, such as direct feeding
configuration, booster transformer and auto transformer
feeding systems [6]. The type of direct feeding configuration
has been applied in this paper as shown in Fig.1. To achieve
input power for the railway system, contact wire has been
connected to power distribution line, which has been
transferred through a single phase transformer. The single
phase transformer connection is illustrated in Fig. 2, which
represents for each power substation.

Index Terms - DIgSILENT Programming Language, railway

system, train dynamic, simulation model.

I. IINTRODUCTION
Currently, the electrical railway system becomes
important for transportation because it is low cost and Fig. 1 Direct feeding configuration.
without pollution compared to other transportations [1-2].
However, in some developing counties have pointed put to
study and design in various models. Such that in 2001, Al-
Ajmi had analyzed and modeled train system based on
Object-Oriented Modeling (OOM) technique [3]. In 2005,
Lee and et al. had presented the fault analysis using
PSCAD/EMTDC tool in order to obtain the designing and
planning of Korea AC electric railway system [4]. In 2014,
Sumpavakup and Kulworawanichpong had optimized
energy consumption during the journey of a mass transit Fig. 2 Single phase transformer connection.
section between two-passenger stopping stations utilizing
differential evolution algorithm [5]. According to the
railway system, there are many parameters needed to be As the train is moving, tractive effort occurs with
considered such as total mass, tractive effort and speed. braking effort as well as movement resistance, as illustrated
However, design and simulation are inevitably the main in Fig. 3
point before setting up a practical system. The DIgSILENT
PowerFactory software has been widely used to simulate
complex systems in various applications. In this paper, the
railway systems have been considered.
In this research, four trains with the same model
parameters operating in 3 modes, accelerating mode,
constant mode and braking mode have been simulated
taking into account analysis of active power, phase voltage
Fig. 3 Force in railway system.
and relevant parameters. The power consumptions of
railway system and train dynamic model are presented in
The main parameters can be calculated as expressed in
section 2. Section 3 presents simulation results and
equations (1) to (10), [7-8] for breaking situation, and
discussion. The conclusion is given in Section 4.
accelerating and constant modes, respectively.
mm = TM − (naxis − n) × waxle (1) ti +1 = ti + ( vi +1 + vi ai ) (7)

where TM is total train mass given by (2). n is number of and the incremental distance is expressed by
motor. n axis is number of axle, and waxle is weight per axle.
The total train mass can be calculated by S i +1 = S i + vi (t i +1 − t i ) (8)

TM = wv + (n p × w pass ) × M DYN
where wv is weight per wagon without passenger. n p is
number of passenger per wagon. w pass is average weight per
passenger, and M DYN is dynamic mass of the railway 5-10%.
The maximum tractive effort is expressed by
(2) From Table I, the power consumption for the first 3
operating status can be calculated by
P (t ) = (TM (t ) × ai (t ) + MR (v )) × v (9)
For the last operating status, the power consumption can be
calculated by

Fmax = ȝ × mm × g (3) P(t) = Be (v) × v × ȘB (10)

where μ is friction coefficient between wheels and rail, where η B is the efficiency of the regenerative braking
which is about 15% and g is the gravitational constant.
III. SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The force needed to move a tractive train is
The diagram of 18 railway substation routes is illustrated
dv in Fig. 4, which represented by station A to station R. The
F = TM × a = TM = TE (v) − MR(v) − B e (v) simulation model used the DIgSILENT PowerFactory is
dt
given in Fig. 5, which is developed from [9].
(4)

where TE (v) is tractive effort. MR (v) is movement resistance

as expressed by (5), and Be (v) is braking effort used to
decrease speed of the train

MR(v) = 10 −3 × ( 2.5 + 10 −3 × k(v + ǻv)2 × TM × g (5)

where k is a constant which is about 0.33 for passenger

train, and Δ v is the wind speed variation,15 km/hr.

Table 1 summaries the operating status of railway, which

consists of four situations. Those are stopping, acceleration,
constant velocity and deceleration, respectively Fig. 4 Typical railway substation route.

External Grid

TABLE I
RAILWAY SPEED STATUS BusTrain Bus 10kV

Operating Net force Velocity Bus1 20kV

40km

status
Stopping TE(v) − MR(v) − Be (v) = 0 v=0 Transformer1 Train

Acceleration TE(v) − MR(v) − Be (v) > 0 0 < v < vMax Bus 10kV
Bus2 20kV Switch1
Constant TE (v) − MR(v) − Be (v) = 0 v>0
40km

Velocity Train
Deceleration TE(v) − MR(v) − Be (v) < 0 0 < v < vMax Transformer2
Bus 10kV
Bus3 20kV

Concerning to dynamic variables, the acceleration ai (t ) is

40km

from relations of the net force and the total mass of vehicle Transformer18 Train
Switch2
given in equation (6). Bus 10kV

Bus19 20kV
40km

ai (t ) = F(t ) TM (t ) (6) Train

The simulator uses the velocity as an independent variable

which determines the path time of the tractive train, with Fig. 5 Railway simulation model in DIgSILENT Power Factory.
step fixed by velocity and acceleration and then time step
are given by
 The flowchart diagrams of the DPL are illustrated in Figs The tractive effort and movement resistance curve are
6 and 7, which are the main and sub algorithms, shown in Fig. 8 as bold line and dot line, respectively [10-
respectively. The initial parameters are presented in Table II 11]. Fig .9 illustrates the braking effort curve. The beginning
[8]. of the process has set the initial iteration, k = 0, and then the
Start DPL receives the speed profiles from external data. The
Preparation important speed profile patterns for 4 trains are performed in Fig. 10.
parameters
And definition of initial k =0
The equations 1-10 have been computed by the main
Set Curve Te,Be,Mr algorithm. Those results have been transferred to sub
DPL receive algorithms (4 trains). The sub algorithms receive the speed
Speed Profile
from Excel
profiles for each train to obtain the dynamic forces, TE, Be
and MR, which are utilized to classify the speed status [12-
13] in three different modes as previous mention. The
Calculation total mass of a train and maximum
Tractive effort process flows until the total distance reached the total
Set initial distance =0
Set total distance =Totposition position, otherwise the iteration loop, k is set as k+1.
4
x 10
10
Tr a c ti o n Effo r t(N )
9
Mo ve m e n t R e s i s ta n c e (N )
Train(1) Train(2) Train(n) 8

Force(N)
Show Result
5

4
End
3

Fig. 6 Main algorithm of the simulation. 2

Start Train(n) 0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Velocity(km/h)
No
Constant Speed Mode Fig. 8 Tractive effort and movement resistance curve.
Update k ; k =row In Excel
Yes 4
Calculate Power 4
x 10

Consumption ‘s Constant B ra ki n g Effo rt(N )

Read Speed Profile Speed Mode 2
k=k+1
which is received
from Excel No 0
Braking Mode
Force(N)

-2
Yes
Calculate Power
-4
DPL calculate The value of Consumption ‘s Braking
TE,Be,Mr Mode
-6

-8
Check
No Distance=Totposition
No -10
Accelerating Mode 0 50 100 150 200 250
Yes Velocity(km/h)
Yes
Show value of Fig. 9 Braking effort curve.
Calculate Power Power,Voltage,Distance etc.
Consumption ‘s Accelerating
Mode
120 Speed for Train1
End
Speed for Train2
Fig. 7 Sub algorithm of the simulation. 100 Speed for Train3
Speed for Train4
S p e e d (k m /h )

80
TABLE II
SIMULATION PARAMETERS 60

Parameter Value 40
Maximum speed 120 km/h
Total position 160 km 20
Total time 1.94 h
0
Trains 4 trains 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Substation 18 Time (s)
Efficiency of the regenerative braking 30% Fig. 10 Speed profile patterns.
Friction coefficient between wheels 15%
and rail The simulation results are indicated in Figs. 11-15. In Fig.
Total train mass 170 tons 11 shows the total distance-time for 18 substations, which
Number of motor 4 units are extended scale within 0-30 km and 0-150 seconds as
Weight per axle 10 tons
illustrated in Fig. 12. The power consumption of railway
Number of axle 16 units
Acceleration rate 1.5 m/s2 system presents in Fig. 13. This can be noticed that the
Deceleration rate 1.4 m/s2 regenerative braking is occurred to return electrical power in
the system.
 160
Dis tance for Train1
IV. CONCLUSION
140
Dis tance for Train2
Dis tance for Train3
This paper proposes computational simulation of railway
120
Dis tance for Train4 system, which is carried out in DIgSILENT Power Factory
D is t a n c e ( k m )

100
embedded application called DIgSILENT Programming
80
Language (DPL). The simulation provides satisfactory
60
results such as a real power, a phase voltage and a total
40 distance. However, this proposed paper is a typical research
20 for interested researchers in the railway system.
0 Furthermore, this software achieves accurate results and can
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Time (s) simplify complex systems compared with other commercial
Fig. 11 Total distance-time in 18 substations. software.
30
Dis tance for Train1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
25 Dis tance for Train2
Dis tance for Train3 Some parts of this paper are based-on the first author’s
work at the school of electrical engineering, Kasetsart
D is ta n c e ( k m )

20 Dis tance for Train4

15
University under the supervision of Assistant Professor
Komsan Hongesombut.
10

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