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