Next Generation Digital Railway Technology for Improving Safety and Productivity

Transcription

1 Next Generation Digital Railway Technology for Improving Safety and Productivity Derel Wust Managing Director 4Tel Pty Ltd

2 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 Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

3 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

4 DIGITAL RAILWAY CASE STUDY: NSW Country Regional Rail Network How a Digital Railway was built for the NSW Country Regional Rail Network

5 The NSW CRN Australia 25m pop. for large country. New South Wales Country Regional Network Open-Access Rail Regime 11 November, Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

6 Case Study: NSW CRN John Holland Rail (JHR) operate and maintain since 16 Jan ,400 km Operational lines 2250 km Train Order Working 150 km Rail Vehicle Detection 600 Rail bridges 3,400 km Non-operational lines 27,000 hectares of land and infrastructure 20+ Rail Operators 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

7 Case Study: NSW CRN 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 Data communications o Business and support systems Has Engineering Authority 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

8 The CRN uses a Modern Virtual-block CBTC System 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

9 The NSW CRN uses Digital Authorities 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

10 CRN Uses Carrier Services for Train Control 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

11 DIGITAL LIGHT RAIL CASE STUDY: Newcastle Light Rail Network A new Digital Light Railway is being built for Newcastle, NSW Australia

12 Newcastle Light Rail Scope-of-Works 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

13 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

14 Interoperability Vs Harmonisation Interoperability using open-systems interfaces is the path to the future 11 November, Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

15 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 opensystems 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

16 Interoperable Data on the CRN 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

17 CRN uses Single-Source-of-the-Truth 4Tel uses Rail Systems Markup Language (RSML) for data interoperability Interfaces under formal Configuration Control 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

18 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? 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

19 Big Data allows Layers of Safety More and more data allows more layers of situational awareness 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

20 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 IPhone View Android View Web Browser View 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

21 4Site for Infrastructure Monitoring on CRN An Internet-of-Things to monitor all infrastructure for operating data and manage alarms 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

22 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?

23 PTC (or PTC-A versus PTC-B) 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

24 Limitations of PTC & ETCS 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

25 Rail Network Capacity 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? Figure 1. Safety impact provided by systems with different network coverage 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

26 Risk Reduction Using Safety Accreditation 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 Figure 2. Overall network safety is influenced more by complexity and risks, than a given localised device's SIL rating 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

27 Next Generation Train Control 4IR with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Systems will come to dominate 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

28 Challenges to Rail from Trucks/Buses in the Future Trucks/Buses know where they are and how they are performing in realtime: 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

29 4 th 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

30 MACHINE LEARNING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Locomotive knows its location and track by visual referencing to learned infrastructure SIGNAL # ASPECT GREEN 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 TRKKM DN 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

31 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 11 November, Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

32 SUMMARY Digital Railway Systems will come to dominate 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

33 Digital Railways 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

34 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 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN:

35 QUESTIONS? Derel Wust Managing Director Newcastle, Australia 30 November Tel Pty Ltd ABN: