Embarking on a journey through the intricate world of Automatic Train Control (ATC) unveils a captivating fusion of cutting-edge technology, intricate data transfer systems, and a commitment to ensuring the safety and efficiency of railway operations. ATC represents the pinnacle of train control, encompassing four pivotal functions: train protection, train operation, train supervision, and train communication. This transformative system is orchestrated by a symphony of technologies, from track circuits and wayside signals to sophisticated onboard equipment. In this exploration, we will unravel the layers of ATC, delving into its components, data transfer schematics, and the dynamic interplay between ATP, ATO, and ATS.
What is meant by train control and ATC?
Train control is the process of regulation of trains for safety and efficiency. It constitutes 4 separate functions.
-Train protection is the guarantee that trains follow at a safe distance, that overspeeding is avoided, and that maneuvers that could cause conflicts at intersections, crossings, and switches are avoided;
-Train operation is the management of a train’s movements, including speed control, station stops, and door opening and closing;
-Train supervision includes route assignment, train dispatch, and schedule maintenance and modification.
-Train communication is the exchange of commands and status information between trains, wayside objects, stations, and central control.
Train control is performed by the various technologies that are utilized in the tracks such as track circuits, wayside signals, and the equipment in the train cab such as cab signals and monitoring unit.
Railway trains are well-suited for automation due to a fixed guidance system, predictable acceleration and braking, detectable position, confirmed direction, and regulated timing. Despite its advantages, limitations include the need to register diverse train formations, account for variations in railhead conditions, and potential infrastructure upgrades for non-ideal railways.
The use of machines to carry out all or most of the duties associated with train management during regular operations is known as automatic train control or ATC. The primary roles played by humans in ATC systems are monitoring and backup. Human involvement is still part of ATC systems in overseeing equipment, backing up, and maintaining control in emergency and failure conditions.
The variants of ATC used around the world have different features and functions. For instance, the AWS that was widely used in the UK in 1960 is now called ATC. However, in the US it refers to a more developed system comprising the three packages of ATP, ATO, and ATS.
The term ATC is more commonly applied to Rapid transit railways or metro systems although it is applicable in other types of railways. The design of ATC systems worldwide can vary due to the particular needs and interests of the specific country’s train traffic conditions.
Early developments that led to ATC and other newer control systems are AWS(automatic warning system) and ATS(Automatic Train Stop).
Many railway networks use AWS, a safety system, to automatically alert train drivers to impending signals and other safety-related information. Warning the motorist when they are approaching a signal at an unsafe speed or when further action is required, helps prevent accidents.
Automatic Train Stop (ATS) is a safety system that halts a train in specific situations (unresponsive operator, earthquakes, signal violations) to prevent accidents, often serving as a dead man’s switch. Unlike Automatic Train Control, ATS typically lacks an onboard speed control mechanism.
ATC is an integrated signaling system that ensures that Trains will travel safely and efficiently. The system integrates Wayside and onboard subsystems to function in such a way the travel is fail-safe and efficient. The fully developed ATC operates the train automatically although it still needs human supervision.
A full ATC system has three subsystems: (i) ATP, (ii) ATO, and (iii) ATS, in addition to a complete interlocking system.
Automatic Train Protection (ATP)
Automatic Train Protection (ATP) is a crucial ATC subsystem ensuring safe signaling system operation. It enforces speed limits, maintains a safe distance between trains, and complies with safety regulations. ATP incorporates fail-safe measures and safeguards against collisions, overspeed, and other hazards through train detection, separation, and end-of-authority protection. The system monitors train speed, enabling emergency braking in case of overspeed, facilitates safe passenger exchanges at stations by confirming zero speed for door opening, and prevents departures when doors are not closed.
By utilizing the ATP track circuit status and location determination, the ATP guarantees safe train separation. The ATP tracks the train’s speed and maintains it within an acceptable range to ensure that it can stop at the necessary stopping point to safeguard the train ahead. To safeguard the train ahead, the train will apply emergency brakes if it exceeds its speed limit.
Additionally, the system’s zero speed detection feature, which verifies that the train has stopped, guarantees a secure passenger handover at the station. Permission to open the doors is also granted exclusively when the train has halted at the appropriate location. Additionally, it keeps the train from leaving when the doors to the station and the train are open.
ATO (Automatic Train Operation)
ATO (Automatic Train Operation) is an ATC subsystem that automates non-vital tasks traditionally performed by train drivers, such as smooth acceleration, speed regulation, and precise stopping at stations or signals. Mainly located on board, ATO is a key component of driverless systems, providing accurate performance while adhering to safety constraints imposed by ATP. The trainborne ATO subsystem handles automatic driving, adjusts speed approaching stations, and controls the opening and closing of train and platform screen doors, with reports on vehicle health status sent to central control offices. Several forms of automatic train operation(ATO) are possible, but all have two basic features-automatic speed regulation and station stopping.
Automatic Train Supervision, or ATS
Automatic Train Supervision, or ATS, is an ATC subsystem that operates to control trains automatically using ATO and ATP, by the railway timetable.
The levels of ATO automation indicate different degrees of train operation automation:
-(Train Operation Supervised): The driver handles all aspects of train operation.
-(Non-automated Train Operation): The driver operates the train with basic automated support.
-(Semi-automated Train Operation): Automatic systems assist with starting and stopping, but the driver manages doors.
-(Driverless Train Operation): The train operates automatically, but a train attendant manages door operations.
–(Unattended Train Operation): The train operates fully automatically, including door control, without any human intervention.
How ATC works
There are several ways to assemble the parts of an ATC package but a common format used by many systems looks like this:
The diagram shows the schematic of a fixed block automatic train control (ATC) system with its three main constituents – ATP (Automatic Train Protection), ATO (Automatic Train Operation), and ATS (Automatic Train Supervision).
The ATP functions by setting up a limited movement authority based on the current speed, braking characteristics, and the distance it takes to stop.
However, for manual driving, the data can be obtained from the routing and stock and wayside signals. For automatic driving, the data is received from the tracks and the onboard computer reads the current speed and calculates the target speed.
The target speed which is plotted as a braking curve indicates when the train needs to brake and the brake is applied.
The other safety measure of keeping trains a safe distance apart is performed by the ATP by its control units located in each block. The control units utilize data from track detection, signals, and wayside equipment. ATP enforces speed limits, stops trains or brakes trains in case of approaching trains, and facilitates train movements concerning track and other conditions.
ATP collaborates with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) systems to coordinate train movements efficiently. ATO, under the guidance of ATP, can automatically adjust train speeds and schedules to maintain safe distances
This data is also sent to the ATS computer where it is compared with the timetable to determine if the train is running according to schedule or is late or early. To adjust the train’s timing, the ATS can send commands to the ATO spots located along the track.
The ATO spots, short transmission loops or small boxes called beacons or “balises”, give the train its station stop commands. The spots usually contain fixed data but some, usually the last one in a station stop sequence, transmit data about the time the train should stop (the dwell time) at the station and may tell it how fast to go to the next station (ATP permitting).
Some systems leave the ATO spots alone – i.e. their data is always fixed – but use the ATP system to prevent the train from starting or restrict its speed. The ATS computer tells the ATP control unit to transmit a restricted or zero speed to the track.
Trackside Transmitters (Balises):
Along railway tracks, transmitters known as balises are strategically placed. These balises can be fixed at transfer points or embedded in the rails (common in subways), using loops, radio signals, or combinations of these methods. Activated by the locomotive’s antenna passing over them, balises contain electronics and a radio antenna, providing information about signals and maximum allowable speeds. The data is read by the locomotive’s onboard equipment through radio waves and presented to the train driver on the instrument panel.
ATC Intervention and Actions:
If a train disregards balise information (e.g., exceeding speed limits or attempting to pass a stop signal), the onboard ATC equipment intervenes. In the Swedish ATC system, actions such as service braking or emergency braking are executed based on the situation. Service braking resembles a regular deceleration, while emergency braking aims to bring the train to a halt quickly, posing potential risks to passengers and cargo. To mitigate these risks, Swedish ATC incorporates features considering the actual speed during service braking, reducing the need for emergency braking.
Continuous Stop Distance Calculation:
Onboard ATC equipment continuously calculates the train’s stopping distance using various braking methods, considering factors like speed and weight. To account for the long braking distances of trains, repeater balises are placed approximately 1,000 meters before signals/boards. These repeater balises repeat the information from the main balise, allowing the ATC equipment to intervene well in advance if needed.
Interoperability Challenges and Adaptations:
Different ATC systems are not compatible, requiring equipment to switch between systems or the use of different locomotives when crossing borders. Passenger trains on the Öresund Bridge, crossing between Denmark and Sweden, are equipped with both Danish and Swedish ATC systems, with automatic switching units enabling seamless transitions at high speeds on Pepparholm.
Where a train can be manually driven, the ATP will still ensure the safety requirement but the ATO is overridden, the driver stopping the train in the stations by use of the cab controls.
To understand how the Automatic Train Control (ATC) components—ATP (Automatic Train Protection), ATO (Automatic Train Operation), and ATS (Automatic Train Supervision)—work as schematics of data transfer, let’s break down the data flow among these components.
1. ATP (Automatic Train Protection):
– Data Flow: The ATP system primarily focuses on ensuring the safety of train operations by maintaining a safe separation distance between trains. The ATP control unit in each block collects data about the train’s presence and the speed limit within the block.
– Schematic Data Transfer:
– Inputs: Train presence information, and speed limit data.
– Outputs: Commands for safe speed limits and possible train stop signals.
– Data Transfer Path: From trackside sensors to the ATP control unit.
2. ATO (Automatic Train Operation):
– Data Flow: ATO is responsible for automating train operations, adjusting speed, and facilitating efficient scheduling. It receives commands from the ATS to optimize train movements and may also interact with trackside devices such as ATO spots.
– Schematic Data Transfer:
– Inputs: Commands from the ATS, trackside ATO spots (beacons or balises).
– Outputs: Motoring, braking, or coasting commands for the train.
– Data Transfer Path: From the ATS to the ATO, and from trackside ATO spots to the train through wireless communication or other transmission methods.
3. ATS (Automatic Train Supervision):
– Data Flow: ATS oversees the overall train schedule, compares actual train running times with the timetable, and makes adjustments as needed. It communicates with both ATP and ATO to ensure safe and timely operations.
– Schematic Data Transfer:
– Inputs: Real-time train running data from ATP, commands, or adjustments from ATO.
– Outputs: Commands to adjust train schedules or speed limits.
– Data Transfer Path: From ATP to ATS, from ATO to ATS, and vice versa. The ATS processes this information and sends appropriate commands to both ATP and ATO.
4. Integrated Data Flow:
– Schematic Overview: The overall schematic demonstrates a closed-loop system where data flows seamlessly between ATP, ATO, and ATS components, ensuring coordinated and safe train operations.
– Interactions: ATP provides crucial safety information to ATS, ATO receives optimization commands from ATS, and ATS continuously monitors and adjusts the system based on real-time data from ATP and ATO.
– Data Transfer Paths: The interconnectedness of these components creates a network where data is exchanged bidirectionally, forming a comprehensive automatic train control system.
There are lots of variations of ATC around the world but all contain the basic principle that ATP provides safety and is the basis upon which the train is allowed to run. ATO provides controls to replace the driver, while ATS checks the running times and adjusts the train schedule or timetable accordingly.
Elements of ATC signal system
The fundamental elements of an ATC system—track circuits, signaling apparatus, train
operating devices, interlocking controls, and supervisory equipment.
Track Circuits:
Electrical circuits on the tracks detect the presence of a train by monitoring changes in electrical current. Their use Provides information on train location and occupancy to the signaling system for safe train separation.
Wayside Signals:
These visual signals are placed along the trackside to convey information to train operators.
Their use is to Communicate essential information such as whether to proceed, slow down, or stop, enhancing safety and operational control.
Trip Stops:
These are safety devices that automatically apply brakes to a train if certain conditions, such as passing a stop signal, are violated. Their use is to Prevent unsafe movements and enforce adherence to signal indications.
Cab Signals:
Visual or auditory signals inside the train cab that convey information to the train operator.
Their purpose is to Provide real-time information on track conditions and signal aspects, aiding the driver in making safe operational decisions.
Speed Control (Automatic Overspeed Control):
This system automatically adjusts the train’s speed to comply with specified limits.
The purpose is to prevent the train from exceeding safe speeds, enhancing safety and operational efficiency by enforcing speed regulations.
Interlocking systems
Automatic Train Control (ATC) and interlocking systems both ensure railway safety, with some overlapping functions. They share the monitoring of track occupancy for collision prevention. Interlocking systems aid ATC by providing logical coordination of switches and routes, ensuring accurate information for safe train control. Integration of these systems enhances overall railway efficiency and safety.
Components of ATC Systems
Railway Automatic Train Control (ATC) systems rely on a network of specialized components to ensure safe and efficient train operations. Here’s a brief description of key ATC components:
Balises or beacons:
Balises are electronic transponders placed along the railway track. They emit unique signals that are detected by onboard train equipment. These signals convey essential information such as track speed limits, signaling aspects, and track occupancy, enabling the train to adjust its speed and behavior accordingly.
Antenna:
Antennas are crucial components that receive and transmit signals between the train and wayside infrastructure. They are often used in conjunction with balises and other communication devices to ensure reliable data exchange between the train and the central control system.
Onboard Computer:
The onboard computer serves as the brain of the train’s ATC system. It processes information received from balises, antennas, and other sensors, making real-time decisions to control the train’s speed, braking, and adherence to safety protocols. The onboard computer is vital for controlling the train’s movements precisely.
Onboard ATC Panel:
The onboard ATC panel is the interface through which train operators interact with the ATC system. It provides information on speed limits, upcoming signals, and other critical data. Operators can also input commands or override certain functions, ensuring a level of human control and oversight in the ATC process.
Speed Sensor:
Speed sensors continuously monitor the train’s velocity. They provide real-time data to the onboard computer, allowing the ATC system to adjust the train’s speed by track conditions, signaling information, and safety requirements.