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Moving Block Signalling 8 Moving Block Signalling and Capacity 8 Virtual Fixed Block Signalling 9 POSTbrief Number 20, 26 April 2016 Moving Block By Lydia Harriss Signalling Inside: Summary 2 Railway Signalling in the UK 3 The European Rail Traffic Management System 4 Operating at ETCS Levels 2 and 3 7 Moving Block Signalling 8 Moving Block Signalling and Capacity 8 Virtual Fixed Block Signalling 9 www.parliament.uk/post | 020 7219 2840 | [email protected] | @POST_UK Cover image: The ERTMS/ETCS Signalling System, Maurizio POSTbriefs are responsive policy briefings from the Parliamentary Office of Science Palumbo, Railwaysignalling.eu, and Technology based on mini literature reviews and peer review. 2014 2 Moving Block Signalling Summary Network Rail is developing a programme for the national roll-out of the Euro- pean Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), using European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling technology, within 25 years. It is also under- taking work to determine whether ETCS Level 3 technology could be used to speed up the deployment of ERTMS to within 15 years. Implementing ERTMS with ETCS Level 3 has the potential to increase railway route capacity and flexibility, and to reduce both capital and operating costs. It would also make it possible to manage rail traffic using a moving block signal- ling approach. This POSTbrief introduces ERTMS, explains the concept of moving block sig- nalling and discusses the potential benefits for rail capacity, which are likely to vary significantly between routes. Research in this area is conducted by a range of organizations from across in- dustry, academia and Government. Not all of the results of that work are publi- cally available. This briefing draws on information from interviews with experts from academia and industry and a sample of the publically available literature. 3 Moving Block Signalling Railway Signalling in the UK There are two elements to railway signalling: • train detection – which recognises when a section of track is occupied by a train • movement authority – which gives a train permission to move to a par- ticular location on the track. For the vast majority of Britain’s railway, train detection and movement author- ity are provided via track-side equipment, which creates a fixed block signalling system. Under this regime, signals mounted by the side of the track divide the line into sections, called ‘blocks’. Collisions between trains are avoided by en- suring that only one train is allowed into each block at once (Box 1). Box 1. Fixed Block Signalling Figure 1: Blocks are defined as the distance between two signals. Trains are prevented from colliding by ensuring that only one train is allowed into a block at once. In fixed block signalling, movement authority is provided by signals that instruct train divers on whether to stop or to progress through a block. Movement authority is given to a fixed point on the track – i.e. the location of the next signal. Train detection equipment, for example electrical circuits built into the track, can detect whether a train is occupying a particular block. Other track-side equipment (known as interlocking) analyses information from the train detection equipment to determine whether a block is available for a train to move into, before the signals can give a train permission to move. Typically, the lengths of the blocks on a particular route are chosen to safely accommodate the fastest trains with the longest stopping distances. Stopping distances vary between trains because of a number of factors, such as the speed of the train, the age of the brakes and the weight of the freight being transport- ed. Fixed block signalling therefore prevents better-performing trains with shorter stopping distances from travelling closer together. In some cases, block lengths are chosen to optimise capacity for the trains that use the line most frequent- ly. Trains with longer stopping distances can still use the line, but are run at a reduced speed. 4 Moving Block Signalling The European Rail Traffic Management System In 1996, the EU agreed that the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) should become standard for all high-speed lines in Europe. This was later extended to the conventional European rail network. ERTMS is a signalling and train control system that is intended to facilitate cross-border traffic across Europe; to enhance safety, reliability and capacity; and to help reduce the cost of running and maintaining the railway.1,2 It comprises: • a signalling, control and train protection system known as the European Train Control System (ETCS) • a radio system (currently used on railways throughout Europe) that pro- vides voice and data communication, known as GSM-R • a traffic management system to optimise train movements through the ‘intelligent’ interpretation of timetables and train data, known as the European Traffic Management Layer (under development) • a set of operating rules, known as the European Operating Rules (under development).3,4 ETCS can be deployed at a number of different levels (Box 2). At present, use of ETCS in Great Britain is limited. Level 2 has been in use on the Cambrian Line since 2011 and there are plans to deploy it on sections of the Thameslink and Crossrail routes.5,6,7 Network Rail is also running trials with ERTMS technol- ogy suppliers on the Hertford Loop (north of London).8 ETCS Level 3 is under development. Some standards are still to be agreed, for example for a train-based integrity system to check that freight trains are complete (i.e. that a wagon has not become detached), which would have traditionally been done with track-based train detection equipment.9,10 Not all of the equipment required for ETCS Level 3 is commercially available.11 A pilot system with most of the characteristics of ETCS Level 3 has been developed in 1 European Commission website, accessed 13/4/16 2 ERTMS Online website, accessed 13/4/16 3 International Union of Railways website, accessed 13/4/16 4 Your guide to European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), ERTMS Online, 2015 5 Hitachi onboard ETCS technology successfully operating with Network Rail track-side system, Hitachi news release, 10/6/13 6 ERTMS.net website, accessed 13/4/16 7 Crossrail ETCS GRIP 1-3 Options Analysis, Vertex Systems Engineering, 2015 8 Network Rail website, accessed 13/4/16 9 Reliable Data Systems International website, accessed 13/4/16 10 Operating rules pose a major challenge to ETCS implementation, Railway Gazette, 26/2/08 11 International Union of Railways website, accessed 13/4/16 5 Moving Block Signalling Sweden on a low capacity rural line: the “ERTMS Regional”.12,13,14 In addition, systems with characteristics similar to ETCS Level 3 are operating in pilot proj- ects in Kazakhstan on very low capacity main line routes.15,16 In Great Britain, Network Rail originally proposed a national roll-out of ERTMS with ETCS Level 2 technology, primarily on the basis that it would provide a more efficient way of renewing signalling assets.17 This plan would have in- volved ETCS Level 2 being installed when existing signalling schemes came up for renewal, and was expected to take up to 50 years to complete.18 Under the Digital Railway Programme, Network Rail is now devising a plan to speed up the national roll-out of Level 2 ETCS signalling to within a nominal period of 25 years.19 It is also exploring whether ETCS Level 3 technology could be used to speed up national deployment to within 15 years.18 12 Level 3 : From High Speed Vision To Rural Implementation, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers International Technical Committee, 2011 13 ERTMS Level 3 Risks and Benefits to UK Railways Final Report, Transport Research Laboratory, 2010 14 Swedes unveil first ETCS Level 3 application, Railway Gazette, 25/4/12 15 Bombardier Transportation (Signal) Ltd Commissions First Radio-based Main Line Train Control in CIS, press release, 5/5/14 16 IRSE Matters, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, IRSE News, Issue 215, October 2015 17 ERTMS National Implementation Plan, Department for Transport, 2007 18 Digital Railway Discussion Pack, The Digital Railway Programme, Network Rail 19 Personal communication with Andrew Simmons, Chief Systems Engineer for Digital Railway, Network Rail 6 Moving Block Signalling Box 2. ETCS Deployment Levels ETCS can be implemented at different levels, depending on how the route is equipped and the way in which information is transmitted to the train. Level 1 – Trains are equipped with ETCS technology and ETCS is installed at the track-side. Equipment on the track is responsible for train detection and intermit- tently transmits movement authority to the trains. Level 2 – As level 1, except all trains receive an almost continuously updated movement authority from a radio control centre via GSM-R radio transmissions. Track-side equipment is still needed for train detection. Level 3 – ETCS replaces both the track-side signals previously used to provide movement authority and track-side train detection equipment. Standards and technology for Level 3 are under development. 7 Moving Block Signalling Network Rail report that modelling they have conducted on the South West Mainline into Waterloo suggests that ETCS Level 3 – used in combination with automatic train operation (to assist in driving the train) and a traffic management system – might deliver up to 40% more capacity on certain sections than at present, at around 30% lower cost than conventional line construction.20,18 Cost and time savings are expected to come from the simpler, more automated design process and the elimination of track-side infrastructure, among other factors, but will depend on the architecture of the system adopted.13 Other benefits would include greater flexibility. For example, running slower commuter trains closer together at peak times, and faster trains (that need to be spaced further apart) at off-peak times.
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