An automated railway system : railway network automation for Bangladesh railway

This thesis report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 2014.While trains are convenient for travel and for transporting goods, they have become a riskier mode of transport over recent years. At present time, a large number of accidents have occurred due to railway mishaps in Bangladesh. Mismanaged railway crossings and faulty rail lines are the principle reasons behind the accidents. Moreover, Bangladesh Railway has attributed a huge sector of those losses to massive manpower and maintenance expenses it engulfs. Both the problems can be resolved by an intelligent unmanned railway introduced in this paper, which will not only reduce the risk of human lives but also a huge amount of public property. The total system is an integration of a few stand-alone sub-systems powered by micro-controllers which perform simultaneously by synchronizing the data to improve the safety and efficiency of the railway transport in different sectors. A part of the system is a completely unmanned crossing system, which ensures the safe crossing of a train in the busy city areas. Sensing the flaws in the railway tracks is also included in this system. This research depends on microcontroller based subsystems to reduce the complexity, uncertainty and cost. Total system is monitored and visualized in custom (Google maps) map which shows the train’s position, operation mode and safety status in the authority unit. The system uses modern communication (i.e. GSM, GPRS) and navigation techniques (i.e. GPS) to create a safer and financially efficient system

Experimental Assessment of Cellular Mobile Performance along the Railway Corridor

With the ongoing rehabilitation of the railway transportation sector in Nigeria, improvement in the quality and reliability of the services deliverable becomes crucial. Reliable railway communication infrastructure guarantees effective operation and also ensures connectivity for security, safety, maintenance and passenger communication. This work describes today’s network scenario by assessing current cellular performance as it affects a passenger’s experience along the railway corridor. A drive test was conducted on the 6th of July, 2014 between 12:58pm and 07:14pm along the railroad linking Oshogbo and Lagos, Nigeria. The measurement setup consists of four TEMS Mobile Sony Ericsson W995 phones, a Personal Computer, a GPS receiver, and a power bank. The measurement was useful in the assessment of coverage, capacity and Quality of Service (QoS) of four mobile radio networks namely: Airtel, Globacom, Etisalat and MTN in the GSM 900 MHz and 1800 bands. Results reveal that no single mobile network service operator consistently serviced the train throughout the 6-hour trip. Also, the results obtained from the drive test represents a true picture of mobile network condition and can be useful in decision making in several areas - from planning and design through optimization and maintenance of the system, with the goal of maximizing quality, capacity and coverage for all mobile networks for improved service delivery on our railway infrastructure. Keywords: Railway communication; GSM; Performance of Cellular mobil

Experimental Assessment of Cellular Mobile Performance along the Railway Corridor

With the ongoing rehabilitation of the railway transportation sector in Nigeria, improvement in the quality and reliability of the services deliverable becomes crucial. Reliable railway communication infrastructure guarantees effective operation and also ensures connectivity for security, safety, maintenance and passenger communication. This work describes today’s network scenario by assessing current cellular performance as it affects a passenger’s experience along the railway corridor. A drive test was conducted on the 6th of July, 2014 between 12:58pm and 07:14pm along the railroad linking Oshogbo and Lagos, Nigeria. The measurement setup consists of four TEMS Mobile Sony Ericsson W995 phones, a Personal Computer, a GPS receiver, and a power bank. The measurement was useful in the assessment of coverage, capacity and Quality of Service (QoS) of four mobile radio networks namely: Airtel, Globacom, Etisalat and MTN in the GSM 900 MHz and 1800 bands. Results reveal that no single mobile network service operator consistently serviced the train throughout the 6-hour trip. Also, the results obtained from the drive test represents a true picture of mobile network condition and can be useful in decision making in several areas - from planning and design through optimization and maintenance of the system, with the goal of maximizing quality, capacity and coverage for all mobile networks for improved service delivery on our railway infrastructure

Precise vehicle location as a fundamental parameter for intelligent selfaware rail-track maintenance systems

The rail industry in the UK is undergoing substantial changes in response to a modernisation vision for 2040. Development and implementation of these will lead to a highly automated and safe railway. Real-time regulation of traffic will optimise the performance of the network, with trains running in succession within an adjacent movable safety zone. Critically, maintenance will use intelligent trainborne and track-based systems. These will provide accurate and timely information for condition based intervention at precise track locations, reducing possession downtime and minimising the presence of workers in operating railways. Clearly, precise knowledge of trains’ real-time location is of paramount importance. The positional accuracy demand of the future railway is less than 2m. A critical consideration of this requirement is the capability to resolve train occupancy in adjacent tracks, with the highest degree of confidence. A finer resolution is required for locating faults such as damage or missing parts, precisely. Location of trains currently relies on track signalling technology. However, these systems mostly provide an indication of the presence of trains within discrete track sections. The standard Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), cannot precisely and reliably resolve location as required either. Within the context of the needs of the future railway, state of the art location technologies and systems were reviewed and critiqued. It was found that no current technology is able to resolve location as required. Uncertainty is a significant factor. A new integrated approach employing complimentary technologies and more efficient data fusion process, can potentially offer a more accurate and robust solution. Data fusion architectures enabling intelligent self-aware rail-track maintenance systems are proposed

Mobiiliverkkodatan käytön validointi lähtö-määränpää -matriisien luomisessa

The rapid development in telecommunication networks during last years has made it possible to study human travel behaviour effectively from mobile network data. The combination of passive and active signalling events gathered by mobile network operators allow analysing movements of people with full longitudinal and spatial coverage. Therefore, recent years have seen an increasing interest in utilizing mobile network data in transportation studies, as an alternative or a complementary data source for conventional transport data. This study validates the capability of mobile network data to produce long-distance origin-destination matrices in Finland. Features that are being validated include trip counts, seasonal trip count changes and modal split. As reference data sources of the study, the National Travel Survey 2016, HELMET-transport demand model (Transport model by HSL) and LAM-data (automated traffic census) are used. Validation is done by analysing correlations between mobile network data and the reference data sources. By being able to demonstrate the validity and reliability of mobile network data usage in producing origin-destination matrices, cost-effectiveness and more accurate methods to gather information from long-distance transportation can be provided for the field in general. The overall results of the study are in line with the few similar related studies that have been conducted. The thesis work suggests that mobile network data is capable of producing more reliable trip counts from sparsely populated areas than the National Travel Survey. In addition, it seems to be more capable of capturing the high summer peak in longdistance travelling in Finland. The results regarding modal split are promising, but more studies regarding the modal detection will be needed.Matkapuhelinverkkojen viime vuosien nopea kehitys on mahdollistanut yhä tarkemman matkapuhelinten solupaikannuksen. Teleoperaattoreiden keräämä passiivisten ja aktiivisten matkapuhelinverkon signaalihavaintojen yhdistelmä mahdollistaa ihmisten liikkumiskäyttäytymisen tutkimisen kattavasti sekä ajallisesti että alueellisesti. Viime aikoina matkapuhelinverkkodatan hyödyntäminen liikennetutkimuksissa on tästä syystä herättänyt kasvavaa kiinnostusta perinteisten tiedonkeruumenetelmien korvaajana ja täydentäjänä. Tämä tutkimus validoi mobiiliverkkodatan käyttöä lähtö-määränpää -matriisien luomisessa Suomen pitkän matkan liikenteessä. Validoitavia ominaisuuksia ovat matkamäärät, matkamäärien vuodenajoittainen vaihtelu ja matkojen kulkumuotojakauma. Referenssiaineistona työssä käytetään Suomen Henkilöliikennetutkimusta, HELMET-liikennemallia ja LAM-dataa. Validointi suoritetaan analysoimalla mobiiliverkkodatan ja referenssiaineistojen välisiä korrelaatioita. Osoittamalla mobiiliverkkodatan käytettävyys lähtö-määränpää matriisien luomisessa, liikennesuunnittelun kustannustehokkuutta ja keinoja tarkemman tiedon keräämiseen pitkämatkaisesta liikkumisesta voidaan edistää. Työn tulokset ovat linjassa aiemman tutkimuksen kanssa. Tulokset näyttävät mobiiliverkkodatan olevan kykenevä tuottamaan lähtö-määränpää -tietoa hajaasutusalueilta luotettavammin kuin Henkilöliikennetutkimus. Lisäksi, mobiiliverkkodata näyttää pystyvän observoimaan kesän lomakauden matkapiikin tarkemmin kuin Henkilöliikennetutkimus. Tulokset mobiiliverkkodatan kulkumuototunnistukseen ovat lupaavia, mutta lisää tutkimusta tarvitaan näiden havaintojen vahvistamiseen

Towards the Internet of Smart Trains: A Review on Industrial IoT-Connected Railways

[Abstract] Nowadays, the railway industry is in a position where it is able to exploit the opportunities created by the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and enabling communication technologies under the paradigm of Internet of Trains. This review details the evolution of communication technologies since the deployment of GSM-R, describing the main alternatives and how railway requirements, specifications and recommendations have evolved over time. The advantages of the latest generation of broadband communication systems (e.g., LTE, 5G, IEEE 802.11ad) and the emergence of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) for the railway environment are also explained together with the strategic roadmap to ensure a smooth migration from GSM-R. Furthermore, this survey focuses on providing a holistic approach, identifying scenarios and architectures where railways could leverage better commercial IIoT capabilities. After reviewing the main industrial developments, short and medium-term IIoT-enabled services for smart railways are evaluated. Then, it is analyzed the latest research on predictive maintenance, smart infrastructure, advanced monitoring of assets, video surveillance systems, railway operations, Passenger and Freight Information Systems (PIS/FIS), train control systems, safety assurance, signaling systems, cyber security and energy efficiency. Overall, it can be stated that the aim of this article is to provide a detailed examination of the state-of-the-art of different technologies and services that will revolutionize the railway industry and will allow for confronting today challenges.Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; ED431C 2016-045Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; ED341D R2016/012Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; ED431G/01Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); TEC2013-47141-C4-1-RAgencia Estatal de Investigación (España); TEC2015-69648-REDCAgencia Estatal de Investigación (España); TEC2016-75067-C4-1-

Services interfaces for interoperability of signaling computer interlocking on borders

Technological developments in the field of railway signaling have allowed more and more flexibility in the management of rail traffic, especially with computer interlocking. However, differences in signaling principles from one country to another as well as differences in the structure of interlocking software and communication protocols depending on suppliers lead to interoperability difficulties at the borders between computer interlocking. Some deployed projects deal with interoperability issues regarding the communication of signaling information between the train and interlocking like the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS) project. Unfortunately, the interoperability between interlocking themselves is still not achieved. Some deployed projects deal with interoperability issues regarding the communication of signaling information between the train and interlocking like the ERTMS project. Unfortunately, the interoperability between interlocking themselves is still not achieved. This article draws up a proposed model for interfacing at the interlocking boundaries based on service-oriented architecture (SOA). In addition, to ensure the coupling of SOA services to the internal functions of the signaling computer interlocking, a distributed architecture of programmable logic controller according to the IEC 61499 standard is suggested

A Survey of Wireless Communication Technologies & Their Performance for High Speed Railways

High Speed Railway (HSR) provides its customers not only safety, security, comfort and on-time commuting, but also a fast transportation alternative to air travel or regular passenger rail services. Providing these benefits would not be possible without the tremendous growth and prevalence of wireless communication technologies. Due to advances in wireless communication systems, both trains and passengers are connected through high speed wireless networks to the Internet, data centers and railroad control centers. Railroad communities, academia, related industries and standards bodies, even the European Space Agency, are involved in advancing developments of HSR for highly connected train communication systems. The goal of these efforts is to provide the capabilities for uninterrupted high-speed fault-tolerant communication networks for all possible geographic, structural and weather conditions. This survey provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art and future trends for wireless technologies aiming to realize the concept of HSR communication services. Our goal is to highlight the challenges for these technologies, including GSM-R, Wi-Fi, WIMAX, LTE-R, RoF, LCX & Cognitive Radio, the offered solutions, their performance, and other related issues. Currently, providing HSR services is the goal of many countries across the globe. Europe, Japan & Taiwan, China, as well as North & South America have increased their efforts to advance HSR technologies to monitor and control not only the operations but also to deliver extensive broadband solutions to passengers. This survey determined a trend of the industry to transition control plane operations towards narrowband frequencies, i.e. LTE400/700, and to utilize concurrently other technologies for broadband access for passengers such that services of both user and train control systems are supported. With traditional technologies, a tradeoff was required and often favored train control services over passenger amenities. However, with the advances in communication systems, such as LTE-R and cognitive radios, it is becoming possible for system designers to offer rich services to passengers while also providing support for enhanced train control operations such as Positive Train Control

A Survey of Wireless Communication Technologies & Their Performance for High Speed Railways

High Speed Railway (HSR) provides its customers not only safety, security, comfort and on-time commuting, but also a fast transportation alternative to air travel or regular passenger rail services. Providing these benefits would not be possible without the tremendous growth and prevalence of wireless communication technologies. Due to advances in wireless communication systems, both trains and passengers are connected through high speed wireless networks to the Internet, data centers and railroad control centers. Railroad communities, academia, related industries and standards bodies, even the European Space Agency, are involved in advancing developments of HSR for highly connected train communication systems. The goal of these efforts is to provide the capabilities for uninterrupted high-speed fault-tolerant communication networks for all possible geographic, structural and weather conditions. This survey provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art and future trends for wireless technologies aiming to realize the concept of HSR communication services. Our goal is to highlight the challenges for these technologies, including GSM-R, Wi-Fi, WIMAX, LTE-R, RoF, LCX & Cognitive Radio, the offered solutions, their performance, and other related issues. Currently, providing HSR services is the goal of many countries across the globe. Europe, Japan & Taiwan, China, as well as North & South America have increased their efforts to advance HSR technologies to monitor and control not only the operations but also to deliver extensive broadband solutions to passengers. This survey determined a trend of the industry to transition control plane operations towards narrowband frequencies, i.e. LTE400/700, and to utilize concurrently other technologies for broadband access for passengers such that services of both user and train control systems are supported. With traditional technologies, a tradeoff was required and often favored train control services over passenger amenities. However, with the advances in communication systems, such as LTE-R and cognitive radios, it is becoming possible for system designers to offer rich services to passengers while also providing support for enhanced train control operations such as Positive Train Control