Protecting trains, staff, plant and infrastructure through construction and operation: A feasibility study into the application of Universal Interlocking on GCRE

UI(通用联锁)是一种全新的铁路信号和安全方法，其基础是在软件和硬件中重复使用简单、可重复的单元。每个单元都是相同的，具有一组简单的属性和规则，并且它的功能一次就能得到保证。当这些单元按顺序连接时，其效果是复制了传统的基于巨石路线的内部锁定的功能。当安装了其他系统时，用户界面可以监控列车速度、位置和完整性，包括覆盖。它具有健壮性和容错性，通过大量冗余，在通信有限的地区，只会减少容量，而不是安全。UWAP(通用工作地点和访问保护)通过允许轨旁工作人员与系统进行交互，明确地设置财产、访问工作地点、设置即时速度限制、紧急停止所有列车/工作，等等。尽管注意到UI可以具有ETCS的所有功能，但我们最初的开发目标是快速部署到孤立的分支机构、Beeching重新开通和海外，目标资本支出和运营成本为竞争对手的10%。我们相信UI对GCRE的直接好处有三个：1.由于被动的轨道携带元素，UI可以作为覆盖层安装到其他系统上，而不会造成干扰。这是GCRE的关键，因为在测试其他信号和控制系统集成时，可以将UI放置为覆盖和后备系统。如果测试中的系统出现问题，它可以维护所有列车和劳动力的可靠独立数据。管理多个站点团队-可能来自许多不同的国家和系统-在构建、委托和测试过程中将是一种风险-尤其是在基础设施环路上。UWAP可以提供明确的保护，并且通过其以人为中心的设计理念很容易理解。有了独立和可靠的车辆信息馈送，UI和UWAP可以形成一个独立于后续自动列车测试工作所需的车载信号的系统基础，尽管完全远程ATT需要一些列车集成工作。建立这些点的“为什么”和“如何”是研究的主要内容。这些算法已经在实验室的硬件在环中得到了演示，关键的硬件元素已经经过了轨道验证。技术风险较低。及早参与和整合将有助于产生充分的好处，而这项研究是关键。

UI (Universal Interlocking) is a radical new approach to railway signalling and safety, based around the repeated application of simple, repeatable units in both software and hardware. Each unit is identical, with a set of simple properties and rules, and it's function assured once. When the units are linked sequentially, the effect is to replicate the functions of traditional megalithic route-based interlockings. UI can monitor train speed, position, and integrity, including as overlay, when other systems are fitted. It is robust and fault tolerant, through massive redundancy, and in areas of limited communications, only capacity is reduced, not safety.UWAP (Universal Worksite and Access Protection) takes UI further by allowing trackside staff to interact with the system to unambiguously set up possessions, access worksites, place instant speed restrictions, Emergency Stop all trains/work, and more.Though noting UI could have all the functionality of ETCS, our original development goal was fast deployment to isolated branches, Beeching reopening's and overseas, with a target CapEx and OpEx cost at 10% of competitors.We believe the direct benefits of UI to GCRE are threefold:1. Due to the passive track-borne elements, UI can be fitted as an overlay to other systems without interference. This is key for GCRE as UI can be placed as overlay and fall-back system for when testing other signalling and control system integration. It can maintain an assured independent data of all trains and workforce if systems on test have issues.2. Managing multiple site teams - potentially from many different countries and systems - will be a risk through build, commission and test - especially so on the infrastructure loop. UWAP can provide unambiguous protection, and it is easy to understand through it's human-centric design philosophy.3. With an independent and assured vehicle information feed, UI and UWAP could form the basis of a system independent of onboard signalling required for later automated train testing work, though there would be some train integration work required for full remote ATO.Establishing the 'why' and 'how' of these points are the main elements of the study. The algorithms have been demonstrated Hardware-In-The-Loop in a lab, and key hardware elements are already rail-proven. There is low technical risk. Early engagement and integration will help yield full benefits, and this study is key to that.