A methodology for the design of sections block length on ETCS L2 railway networks

This paper presents an analytical-based methodology that computes the optimal length of block sections and the marker boards\u2019 location following headway requirements, with the lowest amount of signalling equipment, for an ETCS L2 railway networks. It is applied to the Danish Fjernbane Infrastructure East project, which aims at replacing the existing signalling system with a new one based on ETCS Level 2. Starting from track layout, rolling stock information and headway scenario, and knowing the trains features, an easy backward calculation, using OpenTrack tool, defines the first signalling equipment position (i.e. Marker Boards, Axle Counter) to fulfil the headway requirements. The application to the main passenger and freight lines in Danish Fjernbane Infrastructure East area shows the significance of the proposed methodology able to define a robust signalling configuration which also provides a satisfying trade-off between total cost and railway operational performance

High density European Rail Traffic Management System (HD-ERTMS) for urban railway nodes: The case study of Rome

The ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) system has been created to standardize the European railway signals and to improve the performance of the railway network. Nowadays the growing rail traffic demand has carried to the congestion of the railway nodes, which turn out to be the bottle necks of the railway infrastructure. The High-Density European Traffic Management System (HD-ERTMS) has been developed as a solution to resolve this problem because, being perfectly superimposable to the Italian national signalling system, it can be applied without changing the current infrastructure. This paper describes the benefit that it will possible to reach by introducing this new signalling system analyzing the case study of the railway node of Rome