Since the beginning of the railway, devices have been used to safely manage traffic on the tracks. These devices have developed day by day, the requirements placed upon them have grown, and the needs and expectations of users have increased, while the fundamental goals of using these devices—namely, the safety and efficiency of railway traffic—have remained unchanged.
The development of railway traffic control (RTC) technology is significantly influenced by the application of modern technologies related to the introduction of computers and more efficient microprocessor systems. As microprocessor systems have evolved, the capabilities of systems built upon them have increased. For example, 16-bit microprocessor systems were capable of handling a thousand routes with a thousand controlled objects. These capabilities were utilized for the construction and modernization of large railway installations. By the end of 2011, computer-based railway traffic control systems were installed in 112 interlocking districts and controlled 2,807 switches and 3,359 track signals.
The technology used in an RTC system, in line with technological progress, should allow for the introduction of new elements to replace old ones during the system’s operation without compromising the established functions of the system. The functional blocks of the system should be equipped with appropriate diagnostic outputs and status indicators, and external connectors should be easily accessible for maintenance and testing of the equipment. The durability of railway traffic control devices should be no less than 20 years.
The development of microelectronics and programming languages has necessitated the standardization of technical requirements for equipment used in the construction of safe railway systems. Hardware and software used to create safety-critical systems must meet high quality and reliability requirements. After years of work by the CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) standardization committee, algorithms for creating, verifying, and commissioning safe railway applications were developed and implemented, which have been incorporated into relevant standards.
Currently, so-called innovative railway traffic control systems are appearing on the railway market, which, thanks to the use of modern technologies, including radio transmission (e.g., using public standards, including the Internet) and unconventional sources of electrical energy, can become an alternative to currently used systems. They can not only relate to the realization of their basic functions but also to the proper maintenance of the systems, in order to ensure the appropriate level of reliability for the control and monitoring functions performed.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine