Next Generation Digital Railway Technology for Improving ... · •Describe our experience in building a next generation digital railway •Explain the system-wide basis for our safety

Next Generation Digital Railway Technology for Improving Safety and Productivity

Derel Wust

Managing Director

4Tel Pty Ltd

Who am I?

• Founder and Owner of 4Tel Pty Ltd

• A professional Electronics Engineer; BE (Hons)

• A retired Air Force officer of Wing Commander rank

• A previous executive of Telstra (Defence business unit)

• A previous executive of Optus (satellite business unit)

• I have assembled a team of very skilled military Command, Control &

Communications engineers to build military-grade networks for rail

• Blended with IRSE Railway Signalling expertise to build safe systems

30 November 2017 ©4Tel Pty Ltd ABN:56 092 229 484 2

Aim

• Introduce 4Tel

• Describe our experience in building a next generation digital railway

• Explain the system-wide basis for our safety work

• Explain our methods and work to improve safety, reliability, efficiency and

productivity

• Explain our development plans over the coming years

• Promote our expertise at safety, innovation and challenging high-cost structures


DIGITAL RAILWAY CASE STUDY: NSW Country Regional Rail Network

How a Digital Railway was built for the NSW Country Regional Rail Network

The NSW CRN

Open-Access Rail Regime

New South Wales – Country Regional NetworkAustralia – 25m pop. for large country.

11 November, 2015 4Tel Pty Ltd ABN: 56 092 229 484 5

John Holland Rail (JHR) operate and maintain since 16 Jan 2012

Case Study: NSW CRN


3,400 km

Non-operational lines

2,400 km

Operational lines

27,000 hectares of land and

infrastructure

600 Rail bridges

20+ Rail Operators

www.jhrcrn.com.au

2250 kmTrain Order Working

150 kmRail Vehicle Detection

Train Control Technology– 4Tel won the 12 month Design & Construct Role

for the Network Management Centre (NMC)

– 4Tel now has the 10 year Operate & Maintenance role

– Supports all NMC systems

o Signalling and Train Order

o Voice and Datacommunications

o Business and support systems

– Has Engineering Authority

Case Study: NSW CRN


• SIL-2 (safety certified network wide centralized CBTC system)

• More capacity than CTC, with less infrastructure by using virtual blocks

• Optimized for any single track line with crossing loops (but multiple track coming)

• Mixed traffic Voice and Electronic Operations

• Electronic graphs & reports

• Electronic Permit-to-Work in CBTC system

• Uses any communications network

The CRN uses a Modern Virtual-block CBTC System


Electronic (Movement) Authorities (EAs) & Track Occupancy Authorities (TOAs)

• Allowed EAs to be implemented on CRN without new locomotive equipment

• EAs & TOA software deployed into radios over-the-air by remote up-load

• An open-systems interface allows smart devices to be used in locomotive or by track staff

• Safety & efficiency improvements

• Less trackside infrastructure than CTC: lowers field maintenance OPEX

• Dynamic displays in cab and for track workers

• Voice (1 to 5 min) replaced by data communications (15 sec)

• EAs have better efficiency than CTC for single line crossing loop

• Alarms Displayed on User Devices

The NSW CRN uses Digital Authorities


• Use public communication networks, for voice

and data

– UHF-FM for human-to-human

– 3/4G Broadband Data for computer-to-computer

– Iridium Satellite for ‘thin red line’

• Capability increases each time a Carrier upgrades

to a next generation system

• Minimises railway field infrastructure

• Minimises railway maintenance

CRN Uses Carrier Services for Train Control


DIGITAL LIGHT RAIL CASE STUDY: Newcastle Light Rail Network

A new Digital Light Railway is being built for Newcastle, NSW Australia

• 2.7 kilometres in length, running from Newcastle Interchange at Wickham to Pacific Park in Newcastle East, just 200 metres from Newcastle Beach

• Stops will be located at Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle (near Hunter Street TAFE), Civic, Crown Street, Market Street and Pacific Park

• High frequency turn-up-and-go services every 7.5 minutes during peak times• Capacity to transport 1,200 people per hour• A new fleet of light rail vehicles with an accessible low-floor design.• The network design allows for considerable expansion in later stages

Newcastle Light Rail Scope-of-Works


4Tel Role

• Supply and install:

– Control Panels for network control

– Signalling and interfaces to road intersection traffic lights

– Electrical SCADA and other controls

– Communications including radio, optic fibre cable and network routers

– Passenger Information Displays and interfaces to external systems

• This work leverages off 4Tel’s proven real-time control and information management solutions already used extensively in the Australian heavy rail industry


Interoperability Vs HarmonisationInteroperability using open-systems interfaces is the path to the future


Interoperability Versus Harmonization

• Harmonization is ‘easiest’:

– The preferred railway systems approach; e.g. PTC

– ‘One way’ lowers deployment risks

– BUT creates monopoly rents and may stifle innovation in new ways of doing things

• Interoperability is harder:

– Is demanding on standards & certification

– BUT allows trade-offs & innovation

– Allows complex networks & proprietary systems to be separated into ‘open-systems’


Interoperable Data on the CRN


CRN uses Single-Source-of-the-Truth

Interfaces under formal Configuration Control

4Tel uses “Rail Systems Markup Language” (RSML) for data interoperability


Interoperability is common in Society

• No defined devices

• No defined operating systems

• No defined radio communications

• BUT:

• Common data networking with TCP/IP

• Common data description with XML

• Common security with SSL/PKC

• Why do railways accept any less than best society standards?


Big Data allows Layers of Safety

More and more data allows more layers of situational awareness


CRN: Trains, Vehicles and Staff Tracking • Big data can monitor all

operational position and performance data of all railway corridor users

• The data allows other software processes to improve safety monitoring, train plan monitoring, and track usage billing

• Can be used by deeper processes to initiate on-condition maintenance, e.g. monitor speed & tonnage against track use to develop maintenance models

IPhoneView

Web Browser View

AndroidView

4Tel Pty Ltd ABN: 56 092 229 484 2030 November 2017

4Site for Infrastructure Monitoring on CRN

An Internet-of-Things to monitor all infrastructure for operating data and manage alarms


Choice of Future Systems Track-based CTC with Overlay or Virtual-Block CBTC

Choose Smart Tracks and Dumb Trains, or, Choose Smart Trains and Dumb Track?

PTC-A (now just PTC)PTC-A type signalling uses overlay systems that use non-vital central dispatch, with vital signalling, communications and on-board devices

• Non-vital Control system

• Linked to signalling infrastructure

• Fixed block network capacity

• Vital communication systems

• On-board enforcement

• Vital field systems & In-cab signalling

PTC-B (now VB-CBTC)PTC-B type centralised virtual-block, movement authority systems that use vital central processors, but non-vital communications and real-time position data

• Vital Control/Authority based system

• Not linked to trackside infrastructure

• Dynamic/responsive virtual block capacity

• Non-vital communications

• Uses GPS position data to enforce authority

• Non-vital field systems

PTC (or PTC-A versus PTC-B)


• Restricted radio spectrum availability

• Poor interoperability to adjacent regional systems

• Poor interoperability between regional commuter, metropolitan rail & transit systems

• Lack of market depth due to few suppliers

• Lack of multi-band radio solutions for different markets

• Difficulty of acquiring new features and functions within the respective standards

Limitations of PTC & ETCS


• Fixed-block vs. virtual-blocks

• Infrastructure limits flexibility

• Where do you place the safety in the

network design?

– On the network?

– In the train?

– Or, in the control centre?

Rail Network Capacity


Figure 1. Safety impact provided by systems with different network coverage

• SIL-4 devices form only part of a solution

• SIL-4 accredited systems as the best solution are tied

to legacy thinking and focuses only on infrastructure

performance not network performance as a whole

• Focus should remain on reducing operating risk as a

whole not individual parts of the solution

• Safe train-to-train & train to work-on-track separation

• Route security

Risk Reduction Using Safety Accreditation


Figure 2. Overall network safety is influenced more by complexity and risks, than a given localised device's SIL rating

Next Generation Train Control

4IR with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Systems will come to dominate


Challenges to Rail from Trucks/Buses in the Future• Trucks/Buses know where they are and how they are performing in real-

time:– While rail is still typically Dark Territory lacking even basic real-time operating data

• Trucks/Buses are aiming for autonomous technologies with no driver:– While Rail required to use mandated 2 x Drivers/Engineers in many circumstances

• Trucks/Buses are exploiting the safety offered by modern public infrastructure & systems :– While rail is required to use mandated ‘safety’ infrastructure despite often being

uneconomic

• Trucks/Buses are aiming to improve productivity while minimising costs:– While rail is maximising costs and lowering productivity

• Is rail going to be competitive? Not unless it evolves where it can …………


4th Industrial Revolution (4IR)• Previous industrial revolutions

liberated humankind from animal power, made mass production possible and brought digital capabilities to billions of people.

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution is, however, fundamentally different. It is characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human

• Source: Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum


MACHINE LEARNING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE• Locomotive knows its location and

track by visual referencing to learned infrastructure

• Anticipates and checks any registered infrastructure; here a signal

• For an active device like a signal, then checks its aspect

• Keep most processor power looking for abnormal infrastructure operations; e.g. obstruction or trespassing person

• A never-distracted driver’s assistant

• The technology basis for future autonomous trains

UP DNTRKKM 123.450

SIGNAL #123456

ASPECT GREEN


Next-Gen Authority Systems using AI• Train receives its ‘Authority”

• Computer moves train as per Authority

• AI computers check operations

• A driverless train does not mean it is autonomous; may just be remote controlled

• 4IR AI Operations are local & much more complex than simply driverless

• Need many more on-board sensors & computers as well


SUMMARY

Digital Railway Systems will come to dominate


• A true Digital Railway is based on “Smart Trains; Dumb Track” theory, so that

network safety, efficiency and reliability is maximised

• Will utilise full-featured virtual-block, Communications-Based Train Control:

– Less trackside infrastructure gives improved reliability i.e. in remote Australia

– Less infrastructure reduces field maintenance staff & vehicle needs

• Manage safety network-wide, not just with in-cab signaling

• Outsource most communications & carriage services to minimise CAPEX costs

• Improve worksite protection & situational awareness to all staff

• Improve remote monitoring of network infrastructure

• Improve real-time vehicle & train tracking

• Reduce CAPEX & OPEX requirements

Digital Railways


Summary

• 4Tel brings Australian expertise in heavy haul, freight, passenger and light rail operations

• Builds Next Generation Digital Railway Systems

• Specialises in remote and regional operations to lower Capital Costs and Operating Costs

• Provides software that improves safety and productivity

• All safety software is Australian Regulator approved

• Please visit Australia and view our work


QUESTIONS?

Derel WustManaging Director

+61 402 460 349

[email protected]

Newcastle, Australia


mailto:[email protected]

Next Generation Digital Railway Technology for Improving ... · •Describe our experience in building a next generation digital railway •Explain the system-wide basis for our safety

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