Optimising wireless networking for Railway control signalling

Although modern railway signaling systems are based on microprocessor technology, yet the inherited problems have remained unsolved. The current railway signaling technology involves huge amount of physical cabling, sensors and system for receiving inputs and as well as to drive outputs to the field functions. Currently, there are several train control systems across the European Union (and across the world) and in most cases the trains operated by different rail companies, hence it is not possible to unify control system even in one country. This project proposes the use of Wireless networks using electronic devices (i.e. sensors and detectors and routers etc), identifying and suggesting unified control standards in Railway Signaling. Ground-base and On–board Signaling using customized routing algorithm can be used to design the distributed architecture to the field functions which will be connected by Wireless Network.
Prime purpose of aforementioned functions are to safely receive & dispatch trains at a station, including the control of the movements of trains from one station to another (i.e. ensuring the track on which this train will move to reach the next station is free from movement of another train either in the same or opposite direction). Both these aspects are very difficult to maintain and up-grade. Because for up-gradation of the existing Railway Signaling Infrastructure requires addition of new/future technologies (i.e. fail-safe wireless communications, Interlocking systems, communication based train control (CBTC) with intelligent distributed architecture etc).

Improved the railway control signalling network is required due to heavy investment in this engineering business.The proposed project will under take a study of existing control signalling systems, identifying underlined issues and will suggest a wireless network using (wireless sensors technology) based on approved wireless protocols and standards.

Currently, several train control systems across the European Union (and across the world) are operational and in most cases these are operated by different rail companies, hence it quite a challenge to unify control system (even in one country). This research project will study and propose new control signalling protocols and networks to optimise the wireless solutions.