Abstract
Chinese high-speed railway has implemented large-scale network operation with an urgent need for capacity improvement. The concept of virtual coupling seems to be a promising solution that provides a new operational scenario for high-speed railway, where trains are formed into a cooperative convoy and run synchronously with small train headways. The train-following principles under the virtual coupling signalling are quite different from those under conventional train control systems. Therefore, train headway analysis for different operational scenarios should be carried out to ensure railway safety and evaluate capacity benefits brought by virtual coupling. This paper proposes a potential virtual coupling architecture with reference to ETCS/ERTMS specifications. We compare blocking time models under different train control systems, and eight typical train-following scenarios are investigated for virtual coupling, including train arrival and departure cases. A detailed multiscenario-based train headway analysis is provided based on the microscopic infrastructure of the station and technological characteristics of virtual coupling. All computational outcomes are based on the train dynamic motion model. A comparative analysis of train headways under virtual coupling and CTCS-3 is provided in the case study. Results show that train headways can be substantially reduced under virtual coupling and are related to the station infrastructure layout.
Highlights
In China’s high-speed railways, oversaturated utilization of capacity has become prominent with the increasing demand for high-density passenger services. ere is an urgent need to obtain sufficient capacity gains and provide fast, convenient, and comfortable transport for the current large-scale networks [1]
In the quasimoving-block mode implemented under CTCS-3 (see Figure 1(b)), the Radio-Block Center (RBC) calculates the Movement Authority (MA) according to train speed and location information received from trackside devices, as well as the dispatching command received from the Dispatching Control Center. en, the MA is issued to trains, enabling VOBC to compute the dynamic braking curve. e starting point of braking is the location where train safe braking can be ensured, but the end of authority (Eoa) is still the fixed boundary of a block section
Scenario 3: Trains Arriving at a Station. e blocking time in the train arriving case under CTCS-3 includes train approaching time, time needed to clear the critical elements in the station interlocking area, and time for train arriving operation
Summary
In China’s high-speed railways, oversaturated utilization of capacity has become prominent with the increasing demand for high-density passenger services. ere is an urgent need to obtain sufficient capacity gains and provide fast, convenient, and comfortable transport for the current large-scale networks [1]. One essential factor related to the capacity of a railway is the train headway, which refers to the minimum space or time interval that two trains must be separated. Before the convoy reaches the switch area where individual trains need to go to different routes (i.e., different railway lines or station tracks), an absolute braking distance and a safe margin should be maintained between the rear train and the switch area to ensure all the switches are set up safely. Unlike other railway markets (e.g., main line and region), decoupling and coupling operations of high-speed railway trains are most likely to occur in station-related scenarios because trains run on a plain and independent line. From the perspective of operational safety, it is necessary to investigate the minimum train headway that must be satisfied for train manoeuvres in complex railway nodes, namely, high-speed railway stations.
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