A cost effective system for Railway Level Crossing Protection

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A cost effective system for Railway Level
Crossing Protection
Konkan Railway Presents

• Bhanu Tayal, Director Operation Commercial
• Narendra Singh Deo, CSTE/ACD, Konkan Railway

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Gate Accidents - A Challenge Accepted

• Based on Radio communication, Microprocessors
  and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology,
  the Anti-Collision devices at Level Crossing
  Gates and on board Locomotives can apply brakes
  and/or alarm the crew of the Train to apply
  brakes in time, in case the Gate is open to road
  traffic or the track area is obstructed by any
  vehicle.

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Necessity
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Necessity
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Factors affecting probability of collision of
Road vehicle with train at LC Gates
1. Rail traffic density 2. Road traffic
density 3. Visibility of the track, warning
signs to road users. 4. Absence of full width
barrier protection 5. Absence of Hooter
Flasher 6. Poor road surface condition 7.
Poor alignment and elevation of road crossing
8. Whether conditions 9. Human error
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Criteria for provision of LC Gates
Criteria for provision of LC Gates
TVU Train Vehicle Unit
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Some Statistics on US Rail Road
Numbers
Courtesy Federal Railroad Administration
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Some Statistics of UK Rail
Courtesy Rail Safety Standard Board -2007
Annual safety performance report UK
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Some Statistics of UK Rail
Courtesy Rail Safety Standard Board -2007
Annual safety performance report UK
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Some Statistics of Australian Railway
Courtesy Australian Transport Safety Bureau
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Some Statistics on IR
Courtesy Indian Railways
Courtsey Indian Railway
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Some Statistics on IR
Trend of LC Accidents
Courtesy Indian Railways
of Total accidents
Courtsey Indian Railway
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Some Statistics on IR
Courtsey Indian Railway
Courtesy Indian Railways
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ACD A Solution against Collision found

• Anti-Collision Device (ACD) A KRCL Patent
• Unique features Prevents in a mid-section
• Head-on Collisions
• Side Collisions
• Rear-end Collisions
• Accidents at Level Crossings
• No other Technology in the World supports above
  features

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ACD Testing and validation

• Anti-Collision Device (ACD) It has been
  validated by Electronic Test Development
  Centre, Chennai, India.
• The product is tested and inspected by Lloyd
  Register Asia (LRA, India) before dispatching to
  the site.
• ETDC Website www.stqc.nic.in
• LRA Website www.lr.org

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ACD WORKING
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ACD Project commissioned in Indian Railway(Work
sanctioned for another 3500RKm)?
Route Kms 1760, Stations 202
Fixed ACDs
1
578
Station ACD, Level Crossing ACD, ACD Repeater,
Locoshed ACD etc.
Mobile ACDs -
2
567 82 133
Loco ACD Guard ACD (Passenger)? Guard ACD
(Freight)?
1360
Total
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GPS based wireless Level Crossing Protection
System

• A subset of ACD system with limited functionality
  of Level Crossing protection
• Consists of Gate and Loco units with redundant
  radio modems
• Repeaters required for ensuring communication in
  the defined zone of 3Km.

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Salient Features - What the system does

• Train Approach Warning for road users at Level
  Crossings in the form of Audio Visual indication
• Detection of obstruction by road vehicle at level
  crossing
• Detection of Gate condition whether it is OPEN or
  CLOSED?
• Advance audio visual information to the train
  crew regarding the condition of the gate as
  detected by the Gate ACD.

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Gate protection system CAN NOT Prevent a Train
Collision when

• The Train is a NON ACD Train or Gate is not
  provided with Gate ACD ACD functions by
  reacting to another ACD, as such if one of the
  two identities is not provided with ACD, the
  protection against collision will be missing
• Adequate braking distance at that speed is not
  available when a dangerous collision-like
  situation arises suddenly However, severity of
  the collision would be reduced as a function of
  the reaction time

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Unit for Locomotive ( L 435 x W 203 x H 342 mm )?
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Driver Console ( L215 x W80 x H125)?
DRIVER'S CONSOLE
L 9 9 9 9 9
1 9 2 6
ACD-OK
SOS
ACD-M
KONKAN RAILWAY CORPORATION LTD.

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Unit at Manned LC Gate
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Location Box for Gate Unit
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Scenario - Gate Approach
S T 3 4 6 G A T E A P P R O A C H
1 9 2 6

• Train approaches the Gate ST 346 At approximately
  2000m from the Gate Gate Approach message and
  audio buzzer appears for 10 seconds

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Scenario Gate OPEN
S T 3 4 6 G A T E O P E N
1 9 2 6

• Level Crossing Gate ST 346 is detected to be OPEN
  Audio Visual Indication is automatically
  activated to draw the attention of the Driver and
  brakes are applied to reduce the speed to 15 Km/h.

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Scenario Gate occupied
S T 3 4 6 G A T E O C C U P I E D
1 9 2 6

• Level Crossing Gate ST 346 is detected to be
  occupied by the road vehicle - Audio Visual
  Indication is automatically activated to draw the
  attention of the Driver and brakes are applied to
  reduce the speed to 15 Km/h.

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System Adaptability

• Loco Unit can be provided in any type of Diesel
  or Electric Locomotive
• The Auto Braking Unit (ABU) is suitable for Air
  Brake/Vacuum brake/Computerised Control Braking
  systems
• Level Crossing Unit can be installed at any type
  of Gate working system to detect OPEN/CLOSE
  condition of gate
• Loco and Level Crossing Units are capable of
  withstanding -10 deg C to 70 Deg C temp variation

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System Benefits

• It does not require any inputs to be fed by the
  crew at the start of journey, thus human error is
  eliminated.
• Very economical and cost effective
• Easily adaptable and expandable
• Does not degrade the existing safety level
• Employs state-of-art hardware and software
  technology
• No way side equipment required, hence no
  requirement of Power
• No cabling on the track required (which is more
  expensive and cumbersome)?
• Less susceptible to Vandalism.

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GPS based wireless gate protection system
Implementation Plan

• Survey Route Design
• Manufacturing and Installation of Units with
  accessories
• Commissioning of individual Loco Gate Unit
  installations
• Training of Personnel
• Configuration Customization of the route
• Commissioning of the Route
• Post warranty Annual Maintenance (if required)
• NOTE - System can be implemented in 1000 RKm
  track within one year after the order is
  received. This excludes installation in
  Locomotives which takes 12 hrs for each
  Locomotive at the shed.

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Maintenance Support System (MSS)

• Daily Reports of incidences of Warning to the
  Driver due to Gate OPEN or Obstruction
• Date wise Report of incidences of Warning to the
  Driver due to Gate OPEN or Obstruction
• Daily Maintenance Report Failure of Loco Unit
  and Gate Unit
• Date wise Maintenance Report Failure of Loco
  Unit and Gate Unit

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• Thank You