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Interoperable
Communication-Based Signaling refers to a communications-based train
control systems developed around well-defined and accepted signaling
principles. System Architecture and Interface Specifications
are
being finalized through AREMA Committee 37 (Signal
Systems). The Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) has awarded a grant to demonstrate the system architecture and
the interoperability interfaces as defined in the draft AREMA Manual Parts. This
is being coordinated through the Railroad Research Foundation.
The following presentatin and paper were done for the AAR's Railway
Electronics Steering Committee (RESC) on October 1, 2008.
(See
the 2008 AREMA S&C Conference paper below for more detailed
information).
The following presentation and paper were done for the 2008 AREMA
Communication and Signal Technical Conference held September 23, 2008.
The following article regarding ICBS was published in the May 2008
issue of Railway
Age.
The following presentation was done for the Institution of Railway
Signal Engineers (IRSE) Annual General Meeting of the North American
Section. It provides a project update as well as some
thoughts on
how Part 236 subpart H might be applied.
The following paper (and presentation) provide
information regarding the background, architecture, interfaces and
benefits of the communication-based signaling approach.
May 2007
AREMA C&S Technical Conference Paper
May 2007
AREMA C&S Technical Conference Presentation
The
following articles have been published recently discussing ICBS,
among other systems. See Links page for direct links to
magazine
websites.
The following presentation was given to the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI)
PTC Symposium on December 12, 2007
Midwest
Regional Rail PTC Symposium Presentation
One
of the presentations at the MWRRI meeting discussed cost-benefit
analysis of PTC systems. The full report is linked below,
noting
the substantial concerns raised by the railroads about the analysis.
The cover letter from the acting FRA administrator identifies
some of the concerns.
PTC
Cost-Benefit Report
August
7, 2008 Update
The CAD
simulator, the
Critical Link simulators / test drivers, and both the Safetran Wayside
Appliance
and the Safetran Signaling Logic Processor subsystem have been
integrated and
the system is operational. We have moved multiple trains
through
the territory (both following and opposing moves) under dispatch
control. Some issues (minor) were identified and will be
addressed in future revisions. Alstom, GETS and US&S
are
continuing work on their subsystems and they will be integrated into
the overall system over the next couple months.
Overall and Detail Screens from CAD Layout
 Safetran WA
and SLP subsystems
OnBoard Logic Processor Display Screen
Test Environment Running Simulators for entire territory,
including integrating
Safetran
subsytems.
Part of the Brain Trust July
7, 2008 Update
The communications router for the test environment has been completed
and distributed to participating suppliers. Additional test
drivers and/or simulators for all the subsystem components have been
completed and will be distributed shortly. These will allow
suppliers to thoroughly test their subsystems prior to final
integration and demonstration. As subsystems are being
developed,
improvements and changes are being incoroporated into a modified set of
AREMA Manual Parts which will be presented to the committtee at the
conclusion of this project.
May
20, 2008 Update
Work is continuing on development of the components to be tested.
Critical Link has completed the core communications simulator
and
is sending / receiving messages.
March
28, 2008 Update
The AREMA Manual parts have been approved by AREMA Committee 37 and
will be published in the 2009 AREMA C&S Manual (available in
Fall
2008). As noted in the introduction to the Manual Parts, they
will continue to be enhanced based on lessons learned through the ICBS
project.
A Project meeting was held with all participants in conjunction with
the AREMA C37 meetings in early March. Each supplier
presented their plans for
how they will proceed on the project. (Alstom has now
formally
committed to supporting the project and was a full participant in the
meeting). The test territory and supporting
infrastructure
database has been completed. Each supplier will be
responsible
for a section of territory consisting of 2 tracks (and one additional
siding), with a single crossover, a universal crossover and a scissors
crossover in the territory. OnBoard equipment will be
supplied by Alstom, GETS, and Union
Switch and Signal. All 4
suppliers, including Safetran Systems, will
provide Signaling Logic processors and Wayside
Appliance.
Critical Link is proceeding with
the high level designs and test environment.
A project update will be published in the May issue of Railway Age.
A presentation on ICBS will be done for the
Institution of Railway Signal Engineers North American Section
Annual General Meeting on May 20, 2008 (immediately preceding the RSSI
Annual Exhibition in Grapevine, Texas)
A presentation on ICBS will be done for the AREMA Annual Technical Conference
(currently scheduled for 2:30 PM on Sept 23 during the C&S
session) on September 21-24 in Salt Lake City.
January
16, 2008 Update
Subcontracts with each of the participants are mostly in place.
A
kickoff meeting was held in December and additional meetings on the
test environment were held in early January. Work is
proceeding
on the simulators and overall test environment. It was
decided to
use the territory described in the example in MP 23.5.1 for each of the
suppliers equipment.
Alstom has indicated that they would like to participate in the testing
along with the other suppliers and discussions are proceeding.
This will be in addition to the efforts covered by the cooperative
agreement.
The Manual Parts were balloted and comments will be addressed at the
next meeting of Committee 37 (tentatively in early March).
November 22, 2007 Update
A Cooperative Agreement ( DTFR53-07-H-00005) has been finalized between
the FRA Office of Research and Development
and the Railroad Research Foundation
(RRF) to allow for system demonstration through a lab test; and to
verify the interoperability specifications provided in the AREMA Manual
Parts. Project Management will be provided by me
(Bill
Petit) through a subcontract with the RRF. Simulators and
Test
Environment will be provided by Critical
Link. GETS, SSC
and US&S
will each provide assistance with the simulators and will modify their
existing signal equipment (e.g. interlocking controllers, wayside
object controllers, onboard cab signal equipment) to comply with the
CBS interface specifications. Testing will
demonstrate train
movements through a typical territory using combinations of the various
suppliers equipment. A Kickoff meeting is currently scheduled
for
December 4th at the Critical Link facilities.
The draft Manual Parts were reviewed at the Fall AREMA Committee 37 meeting and
will be submitted for ballot to be included in the next edition of the AREMA Manual on Communications and Signaling.
Assuming approval, they will be published in a new Section 23
of the manual.
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