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Information and Communication Technology ICT and Indian Railways

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Title: Information and Communication Technology ICT and Indian Railways


1
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
and Indian Railways
  • Ashok Jhunjhunwala, TeNeT group, IIT
    Madrasashok_at_tenet.res.in
  • June 2003

2
What can ICT do?
  • ICT is known to have made
  • immense impact in booking of railway tickets
  • can make an impact in
  • service management
  • tracking movement of goods
  • control of wagons
  • passenger amenities
  • can improve decision making and management
  • Not as well understood that ICT can
  • significantly enhance throughput on existing
    Railway Network enhancing Carrying Capacity
  • provide voice and data services for passengers

3
Carrying Capacity and Throughput
  • Total Carrying Capacity (people and goods) of
    Railways is inadequate considering large Indian
    population
  • capacity increase has not kept pace with economic
    growth
  • rail transport more energy efficient as compared
    to road transport
  • Train throughput can be enhanced
  • by adding tracks
  • expensive (Rs 2 Crores per Km), time consuming
  • by enhanced signaling (using ICT)
  • throughput enhancement by a factor of 5 possible
    on existing tracks
  • while retaining / enhancing safety

4
Indian Railways some facts
  • inter-station distance 6 - 8 kms
  • major stations are junctions or are located about
    100 - 150 kms apart
  • run through section ? 100 to 150 kms or 15 to 20
    stations
  • super fast / express trains stop only at major
    stations goods train stop at very few stations
    local passenger trains stop at all stations

5
Throughput bottlenecks
  • Throughput is limited in run-through sections due
    to
  • only one train can occupy one block section at a
    time
  • slow down while approaching stations
  • signal operation time
  • efficiency in planning train movements and
    conveying commands
  • Train throughput is also severely affected by
  • slow down due to failure of track in one
    direction
  • bottlenecks at junctions and yards

6
Overcoming Block Section Bottleneck
  • Split block section and put signaling between
    station
  • two trains between two stations
  • intermediate block signaling (IBS)
  • throughput enhanced by a factor of 1.5

7
Bottleneck at approach of a station
  • driver acts (stops or slows down) based on signal
    observed
  • not knowing whether one needs to
  • stop at main line
  • run through
  • stop before entering the station
  • stop on loop line
  • slows down as soon as he / she approaches a
    station
  • approach speed depends upon
  • quantum and quality of information presented
  • location and time at which information presented
  • can signaling information be downloaded in
    drivers cabin?
  • may increase throughput by a factor of 2

8
Operations Bottleneck
  • Station master needs proving of last vehicles
    before operating signals
  • increase in operating time significantly reduces
    the throughput
  • especially as run time in a block decreases
  • use of axle counter for proving last vehicle can
    improve line capacity by factor of 1.4

9
Improving planning of train movements
  • Command and control of a train is centralised
  • Section Controller controls movement of all
    trains in section (150 Kms)
  • operations of all signals is decentralised at
    stations
  • uses voice communication on an omni-bus telephone
    line between Controller and Station Master used
    to convey control
  • 12 telephone calls for moving a train from one
    station to another
  • results into reduced efficiency
  • Visual or intra-net link between Controller and
    Station Master can improve efficiencies
  • and enhance throughput by at least a factor of 1.5

10
Bi-directional Signaling
  • For dual track
  • each track has signaling designed for train
    movement in one direction
  • Quite often trains in one direction exceed those
    in other
  • possible to move two trains in same direction if
    tracks hadbi-directional signaling
  • fast trains could overtake slow trains on other
    tracks
  • in motion precedence
  • On failure of one track
  • trains move in both directions on the other track
    with hand and paper signaling
  • very slow
  • Introduction of bi-directional Signaling
  • is estimated to enhance throughput by a factor of
    1.3

11
Bottlenecks at Yards and Junctions
  • large amount of train movements between yard and
    platforms
  • slow down approaching trains
  • severe congestion
  • better design of signals and junctions and better
    coordinated (centralised) train control in a
    station
  • can go a long way to over come the bottleneck

12
Technologies to Enhance Throughput
  • Known
  • Intermediate Block Signaling
  • technology known
  • Axle Counter
  • technology known
  • bi-directional Signaling
  • linked to signaling download
  • Centralised operation of Signaling at a station
  • requires re-layout of signaling on a station
  • New
  • Downloading Signaling information to drivers
    cabin
  • wireless
  • reliability and error-free
  • Signaling Command and Control
  • fibre network connecting stations in a section
  • GPS and wireless upload
  • display and intelligent decision making

13
Indian Railways spans all over the country
  • Railways have stations (Infrastructure) every 7
    to 10 kms throughout the length and breadth of
    the country

14
Fibre Backbone
  • Deployment of Fibre backbone on railway tracks
  • can provide the largest alternative backbone for
    the country
  • enormous bandwidth between metros
  • drops at almost all stations
  • wherever there is no drop, DSL on quad cable,
    buried between stations can be used for data
    communications
  • Already being done by RAILTEL

15
Fibre Network can enhance Signaling
  • Fibre backbone can be used to provide a Signaling
    Command and Control Network for each Section
  • displays at Section Controllers desk and Station
    Masters desk linked so as to significantly
    reduce voice communication
  • will be significantly enhanced if train position
    information
  • tracked by a GPS in each engine
  • uploaded on wireless to Section Controller and
    Station Master

16
Wireless Connection to moving trains
  • GSM is the most cost-effective solution
  • GSM Base station at towers at every fourth
    station would provide universal coverage
  • repeaters at hot spots
  • Data communication possible on GSM/GPRS
  • no need for GSM-R
  • can adopt GSM with an application layer software
  • many companies in India can provide the solution
    as a overlay on GSM
  • Railways can use some reserved frequencies for
    signaling and share infrastructure and frequency
    with cellular operators for passenger services

17
Integrated Communication System for Railways
Railway Line fibre/quad cable
18
Passenger Services
  • Voice communications
  • GSM is the best solution
  • Railways can work out a deal with Cell operators,
    or RAILTEL can float a Cellular Operator company
  • Data Communication
  • GPRS or corDECT can provide data communication to
    moving train
  • provide a Internet kiosk on a train
  • provide 802.11 wireless connection in the train
    for passengers using laptops
  • 802.11 wireless connection also at stations for
    passengers to download and upload when train
    stops (at low cost)
  • fibre provides backbone

19
But Railways can do more
  • 7000 stations covering length and breadth of
    country
  • a station every 7-10 kms
  • Rapid deployment of Internet kiosk at each
    station
  • 802.11 communication on station
  • providing Internet Service to passengers on
    platforms and parked trains
  • But the network can also be used to provide
    communication to villages around station
  • corDECT can be used to provide Internet and
    telephony to villages in 10/25 Kms around stations

20
Integrated Communication System for Railways
Railway Line fibre/quad cable
21
Conclusion
  • ICT can significantly enhance throughput and
    train capacity
  • Use of Intermediate Block Signaling, Better
    information to drivers, Axle counter
    introduction, Bi-directional signaling,
    Centralised control at Junction / yards, Intranet
    link between Controllers and station master
  • can enhance capacity by almost a factor of 5
  • Voice and Internet Services to passengers can
    earn revenue for Railways/ Railtel
  • Railways can contribute to providing Internet
    Services to Rural India
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