Text 1 7 . Safety on Railway: Signalling, Centralizations and Blocks
The problem of safety in railway transportation becomes especially important on account of ever-increasing speeds. Safety on railways depends on many factors.
One of them is signalling. A signal is a mechanical or electrical device showing train drivers the state of the line ahead. It indicates the train’s stop or start running and its speed. Railway signalling is a safety system used on railways to prevent trains from colliding.
Two trains cannot be running on the same section at the same time and then they cannot collide. This notion forms the basis of most signalling systems. The rail network is divided into sections, known as blocks. Two trains are not allowed to be in the same block at the same time. A train cannot enter a block until it is permitted, generally by a signal indicating that the block ahead is empty.
On high-speed railways where trains travel at speeds faster than 125 mph (200 km/h), the driver cannot see conventional line side signals. So a system of in-cab signals transmitted by radio is used.
The method of controlling train movements is known as CTC or Centralized Traffic Control. All train operations are governed by a dispatcher from a central point. It has a large illuminated panel with a diagram of all tracks in the controlled section. Below the diagram there are buttons to change the position of switches and signals. A number of small lights on the diagram show the dispatcher the location of all trains. It keeps the train moving with as little delay as possible.
Thus, CTC greatly contributes to safety and increase the carrying capacity of the track.
Questions for discussion:
1. What problem is the most important in railway transportation?
2. What does safety on railways depend on?
3. What is a signal?
4. Why is railway signalling used on railways?
5. What are blocks?
6. What system is used on high-speed railways?
7. What is CTC?
8. How are all train operations governed?
9. What does a central point have?
10. What do all these factors contribute a great deal to?
Text 1 8 . Automatic Train Protection System
An automatic train protection system is a technical installation on railway lines and trains to ensure safe operation in presence of human failures.
The earliest systems were mechanical locks. Alongside every signal, there was a movable clamp to open the brake line. If the signal showed green, the clamp was turned away.
Automatic train protection systems appeared later. They transmit data via magnetic fields, emitted and received by magnets beside the rails and on the locomotive. Simple systems may influence trains only at given locations. For example, whenever a train ignores a red signal, the emergency brakes are applied and the locomotive motors are shut down. More advanced systems can calculate a braking curve determining whether the train will be able to stop before the next red signal. If it does not, they stop the train. The disadvantage of this system is that the train cannot speed up before the signal if the signal has switched to green. The matter is that the on-board information will be updated only on the next magnet.
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The newest systems use cab signalling, where the train constantly gets information about its and other trains’ positions right into the driver’s cabin. The computer shows the driver how fast he may drive. The systems of this kind are common in France, Germany, and Japan. There high speeds made it impossible for the train driver to read properly red exterior signals. Besides, distances between distant and home signals are too short to braking. These systems not only prevent accidents but also support the engineer activity.
As there are many incompatible automatic train protection systems used in Europe, scientists and engineers are working out the European Train Controlling System. It is a modern universally usable system with different stages of implementation.
Questions for discussion:
1. What is an automatic train protection system?
2. What is the aim of the automatic train protection system?
3. How did the earliest protection systems work?
4. How do modern automatic protection systems transmit data?
5. What is the main drawback of most protection systems?
6. What is the difference between simple and advanced protection systems?
7. What is cab signalling?
8. Where are cab signalling systems especially popular?
9. Where are many incompatible protection systems used?
10. What efforts are made to unify the system of automatic train protection?
Text 19 . Railway Management
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Railway management is more than just management. In management we often distinguish between the strategic and tactical levels of decision making. In other words, the strategic level refers to the fundamental orientations of the railway undertaking. As for the tactical level, it introduces new technologies, organisational goals and changes in human resources.
As customers ask for new products, services and in time delivery of freight, time management has become one of the main sectors of the railway operation.
Consumer protection makes railways increase safety of passengers and compensate their clients in case of accidents and great delays. As railways must adjust their products and policy to external requirements, risk management is extremely acute today.
Project management for railways is the act of directing and administrating a project. It can be divided into four parts - organisation, development, sorting and execution.
Management of infrastructure is another essential part of transport management. The primary task of the rail infrastructure managers is to ensure safe operation of rolling stock and to reduce costs. Infrastructure managers are also responsible for track maintenance and signalling equipment.
In the era of international railway cooperation managers should seek for collaboration with other railways. International management is extremely significant now.
The main task of the railway passenger management is to offer safe transportation of people and high quality of services. That is why railways should implement a new strategy combining competition, cooperation and alliances. Railways offer a new and global product to customers by making a railway trip and ticketing easier. Thus, some railways have established Web-sites with useful information and provide ticketing services.
As for the rail freight management, its task is safe transportation of goods without delays and damages, reduction of noise level and introduction of modern freight rolling stock. To achieve these goals it is necessary to integrate rail traffic into logistic chains.
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The act of motivating people to work in switching yards and sorting stations is a serious problem nowadays. Railway managers should pay more attention to the working environment of their staff.
Questions for discussion:
1. What does the strategic level in decision making refer to?
2. What does the tactical level introduce?
3. Why has time management become so important in railway operation?
4. What makes railways increase safety of passengers?
5. What are the parts of the project management?
6. Who seeks for collaboration with different railways?
7. What should railways implement in the passenger sector?
8. What have some railways established to make ticketing easier?
9. Why should rail traffic be integrated into logistic chains?
10. Why should railway managers pay more attention to their staff?
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