Railway Traffic Research Articles

The Influence of Rail Unevenness Profile on the Generation of Ground Vibrations by Railway Traffic

The Influence of Rail Unevenness Profile on the Generation of Ground Vibrations by Railway Traffic

Negotiating Safety by Movements: Articulation, Alignment and Separation between Train Driving and Railway Traffic Controlling Activities

This article explores the negotiation of safety between two distinct activity systems that operate jointly on a daily basis: train driving and railway traffic controlling. We have employed cultural-historical activity theory and an ethnographic case study of a large European passenger and freight transport company to pinpoint three different types of movement underpinning the negotiation of safety. These different movements can be found in work organization, work situations, and workers’ actions. The negotiation of safety would appear to be based on the movements of articulation (articulation, disarticulation, re-articulation), alignment (alignment, misalignment, realignment), and separation (separation, re-separation, de-separation) between activity systems. Within the framework of activity theory, we have used evidence from highly reliable organizations and the management of high-risk organizations to offer a better understanding of the movements between activity systems in safety negotiation.

Developing a Questionnaire to Investigate Monthly Human Errors Among Railway Traffic Control Room Employees

Developing a Questionnaire to Investigate Monthly Human Errors Among Railway Traffic Control Room Employees

Method for Assigning Railway Traffic Managers to Tasks along with Models for Evaluating and Classifying

The occurrence of incidences in railway systems leads to impediments and often delays. Because the railway is an anthropotechnical system, two factors are considered as the source of incidents: technical and human. Minimizing adverse incidents in the railway system is the subject of much discussion and research. One of the areas affecting the performance of railway systems is employees. This article presents a method for assigning railway employees to tasks and models for evaluating and classifying railway employees, consisting of two stages. The first stage involves using a survey method and a fuzzy logic model. Each type of service is assigned feature values, obtaining three parameterized employee-role profiles for the train traffic officer. In the second stage, the participant goes through two of the three available evaluation scenarios, during which errors made during the tasks are counted. Validation results of the proposed approach indicate that the method is 87% effective.

A Real-Time Railway Traffic Management Approach Preserving Passenger Connections

A Real-Time Railway Traffic Management Approach Preserving Passenger Connections

Digital Twins for Anomaly Detection in the Industrial Internet of Things: Conceptual Architecture and Proof-of-Concept

Modern cyber-physical systems based on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can be highly distributed and heterogeneous, and that increases the risk of failures due to misbehavior of interconnected components, or other interaction anomalies. In this paper, we introduce a conceptual architecture for IIoT anomaly detection based on the paradigms of Digital Twins (DT) and Autonomic Computing (AC), and we test it through a proof-of-concept of industrial relevance. The architecture is derived from the current state-of-the-art in DT research and leverages on the MAPE-K feedback loop of AC in order to monitor, analyze, plan, and execute appropriate reconfiguration or mitigation strategies based on the detected deviation from prescriptive behavior stored as shared knowledge. We demonstrate the approach and discuss results by using a reference operational scenario of adequate complexity and criticality within the European Railway Traffic Management System.

An Estimate of the Number of Accidents and Serious Accidents in Railway Traffic

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the number of extraordinary events and the total number of accidents and serious accidents in railway traffic. The purpose of the paper is to estimate the total number of accidents and serious accidents on the track network of Croatian Railway Infrastructure (HŽI) until 2027. The results of the research are based on secondary data that are the subject of processing using statistical methods of correlation and regression analysis. The main finding of this paper points to the existence of a strong and positive relationship between the number of extraordinary events and the total number of accidents and serious accidents in railway traffic. The estimated number of extraordinary events and total number of accidents and serious accidents until 2027 indicates a trend of their further reduction.

Analysis of Railway Traffic Capacity in Bandung - Cicalengka

Theoretical Framework: Constructing a double track and revitalizing or upgrading stations on the Kiaracondong-Cicalengka segment, the Bandung-Cicalengka route has changed routes and stations.
 Purposes: The research objective, which is the focus of this study, is the analysis of cross capacity on the Bandung - Cicalengka railway line, the Kiaracondong - Cicalengka segment.
 
 Method: The materials in this research are secondary data and primary data. Secondary data is done by taking inventory of existing data at PT. Kereta Api (Persero) is the operator, and the government, the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation, is the regulator. Primary data was collected by conducting direct surveys at the research location.
 Results: The study results show that, theoretically, the calculation of railway traffic capacity for each road plot on the Bandung - Cicalengka route has yet to experience saturation and can be added to train trips as needed.

ACP-Based Parallel Railway Traffic Management for High-Speed Trains in Case of Emergencies

ACP-Based Parallel Railway Traffic Management for High-Speed Trains in Case of Emergencies

Unveiling the Railway Traffic Knowledge in Tibet: An Advanced Model for Relational Triple Extraction

To address the deficiency of existing relation extraction models in effectively extracting relational triples pertaining to railway traffic knowledge in Tibet, this paper constructs a Tibet Railway Traffic text dataset and provides an enhanced relation extraction model. The proposed model incorporates subject feature enhancement and relational attention mechanisms. It leverages a pre-trained model as the embedding layer to obtain vector representations of text. Subsequently, the subject is extracted and its semantic information is augmented using an LSTM neural network. Furthermore, during object extraction, the multi-head attention mechanism enables the model to prioritize relations associated with the aforementioned features. Finally, objects are extracted based on the subjects and relations. The proposed method has been comprehensively evaluated on multiple datasets, including the Tibet Railway Traffic text dataset and two public datasets. The results on the Tibet dataset achieve an F1-score of 93.3%, surpassing the baseline model CasRel by 0.8%, indicating a superior applicability of the proposed model. On the other hand, the model achieves F1-scores of 91.1% and 92.6% on two public datasets, NYT and WebNLG, respectively, outperforming the baseline CasRel by 1.5% and 0.8%, which highlights the good generalization ability of the proposed model.

Increasing the Readiness of Railway Traffic Control Devices Using a Functional Test Generation Method

Railway traffic control (RTC) equipment are technical devices developed for maintaining the safety of rail vehicle traffic operation, and must satisfy certain requirements related to a specific level of traffic safety and effectiveness. They are designed to ensure operational reliability under the intended application conditions throughout their entire service life. Regardless of their type and kind, however, they must behave in accordance with the assumed functional rules and requirements. This is why periodic tests of their correct operation are so crucial. Functional tests are applied to this end. They are employed in the course of device design and approval for use as well as in equipment operational diagnostics. Previous methods for generating test sets and their processing have been intuitive and often rely on the experience of testers that have been acquired in the course of implementing other tests. Such tests may be incomplete or fail to take into account all studied functions. Therefore, this article presents a proprietary method for generating functional tests covering railway traffic control devices that improve their readiness. The authors describe a test determination procedure algorithm and specify the conditions to be met by a test set and by optimization criteria. The article ends with a computer-based exemplification of the developed functional test generation method.

Modeling the Influence of Under-Sleeper Pads on the Vibration Emissions from Railway Traffic

One of the aims of the European research project FINE-2 is to contribute to reducing noise and vibrations caused by railway traffic. In this context, the development of models describing the influence of relevant parameters on the excitation of train-induced vibration emissions were investigated in WP 8 "Ground Vibration" which is led by DB Systemtechnik. Here, resilient track components and especially under-sleeper pads were considered by a new modelling approach. Dependent on the dynamic stiffness of the relevant superstructure components, the model is based on the German standard DIN 45673-4, which describes an approach to compute the insertion loss of under-ballast mats by using an impedance model. The paper will show a general description of the model, the steps taken to adapt the existing model to consider under-sleeper pads instead of under-ballast mats, as well as results validated by using existing measurements.

A conditional time-intervals formulation of the real-time Railway Traffic Management Problem

This paper tackles the real-time Railway Traffic Management Problem (rtRTMP). It is the problem of finding optimal choices for train schedules and routes to minimize delays due to conflicts. We present a new Constraint Programming (CP) algorithm for the rtRTMP. The new formulation at the basis of this algorithm exploits the concept of conditional time-interval variables provided in the CP Optimizer library. A time-interval variable assumes a value representing either the time interval in which an activity is executed, or a quantity “⊥” indicating that the activity is non-executed. The new formulation exploits this new kind of variables, and specific constraint propagation techniques contribute to the efficiency of the algorithm. This efficiency is assessed in a wide experimental analysis based on five railway control areas. The algorithm performance is compared to the one of the state-of-the-art algorithm RECIFE-MILP based on a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation. Moreover, an hybridization of RECIFE-MILP and the proposed algorithm is proposed. It often outperforms the two individual approaches, while the opposite never happens.

Retracted: Railway Traffic Emergency Management Relying on Image Recognition Technology in the Context of Big Data.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/1920196.].

A Methodology Framework for Modelling a Rail Moving Block System

In the railway field, rigorous development processes contribute to implement safe and efficient systems. Railway safety standards recommend the use of formal modelling and verification techniques to guarantee processes’ correctness and validate safety requirements. ERTMS/ETCS L3 (European Railway Traffic Management System / European Train Control System Level 3) is a European standard for interoperable railways based on the concept of Moving Block signaling systems which allows for substantial capacity gains and reduced costs. In this paper, we explain why the ETCS L3 struggles to be deployed despite the benefits it can bring. Then, we discuss the planned implementations of ETCS L3 at a European-wide scale. Finally, we present a methodology framework using formal models to verify moving block systems. This work is performed in the context of the PERFORMINGRAIL European project.

Temporal Verification of Relay-Based Railway Traffic Control Systems Using the Integrated Model of Distributed Systems

Relay-based traffic control systems are still used in railway control systems. Their correctness is most often verified by manual analysis, which does not guarantee correctness in all conditions. Passenger safety, control reliability, and failure-free operation of all components require formal proof of the control system’s correctness. Formal evidence allows certification of control systems, ensuring that safety will be maintained in correct conditions and the in event of failure. The operational safety of systems in the event of component failure cannot be manually checked practically in the event of various types of damage to one component, pairs of components, etc. In the article, we describe the methodology of automated system verification using the IMDS (integrated model of distributed systems) temporal formalism and the Dedan tool. The novelty of the presented verification methodology lays in graphical design of the circuit elements, automated verification liberating the designer from using temporal logic, checking partial properties related to fragments of the circuit, and fair verification preventing the discovering of false deadlocks. The article presents the verification of an exemplary relay traffic control system in the correct case, in the case of damage to elements, and the case of an incorrect sequence of signals from the environment. The verification results are shown in the form of sequence diagrams leading to the correct/incorrect final state.

Railroad Crossings Seen from Indonesia's Positive Law

Introduction: Rail transportation is part of land transportation in Indonesia. The extended rail network has level crossings, namely the crossing of railroads and highways. Judging from the existing laws in Indonesia, the law mentions avoiding accidents at level crossings. Several factors influence law enforcement at railroad crossings, including legal, law enforcement, facilities, community, and cultural factors. There needs to be legal awareness from the side of law violators themselves, law enforcement officers themselves, and the government side. It is also necessary to increase cooperation between networks of law enforcement officers in crossing railroad crossings. Method: The research method used in this study is comparative descriptive. Result: The public is stated to have not understood the regulations that discuss railroad crossings listed in Law Number 23 of 2007, which discusses railways. In Law Number 22 of 2009, which discusses Traffic and Road Transportation, it is stated that Government Regulation 56 of 2009 discusses the Implementation of Railways and Government Regulation Number 72 of 2009 concerning Railway Traffic and Transportation. Conclusion: The law of crossing a railroad plot according to positive law in Indonesia has a position as a reference for travelling a railroad plot as has been written based on: Article 124 of Law Number 23 of 2007, Article 78 of Government Regulation Number 56 of 2009, Article 110 paragraph (1) Government Regulation Number 72 of 2009 & Article 114 of Law Number 22 of 2009.

Human Factor Analysis of the Railway Traffic Operators

The human factor is an essential aspect of the operability and safety of many technical systems. This paper focuses on the analysis of human errors in the railway domain. The subject of human reliability analysis is the behavior of operators of station-signaling systems responsible for rail traffic management. We use a technique for human-error rate prediction as the 1st generation human reliability analysis to deal with task analyses, error identification and representation, and the quantification of human error probabilities. The paper contributes to the comparison of three technologically different railway traffic control systems, having different degrees of automation—from the manually operated (electro-mechanical), through semi-automated (relay-based) to almost fully automated (computer-based) station-signaling systems. We observe the frequency of individual operations performed in time intervals and calculate human error probability and human success probability values for each operation. Thus, we can analyze human reliability and compare the workload of operators working with control systems of different degrees of automation.

Railway Traffic Emergency Management Relying on Image Recognition Technology in the Context of Big Data.

With the full popularity of China's railwayization process, it has brought about the problem of the management ability of railway traffic safety. Railway traffic safety emergency management capabilities are low. When an accident occurs, clearer data cannot be obtained in the first time to have a general understanding of the accident. Therefore, the problem of organizing rescue has always plagued relevant railway workers. This study aims to study the improvement of railway traffic emergency management based on image recognition technology in the context of big data. To this end, this study proposes image recognition technology based on deep learning, and through the relayout of the railway traffic emergency management system, so that the railway traffic problems can be dealt within time as soon as they occur, and designed an experiment to explore the ability of image recognition. The results of the experiment show that the efficiency of the improved railway traffic emergency management system has increased by 27%, and the recognition capability has increased by 64%. It can very well help current railway workers to carry out emergency management for railway traffic safety.

Effective train routing selection for real-time traffic management: Improved model and ACO parallel computing

The real-time Railway Traffic Management Problem (rtRTMP) is the problem of detecting and solving time-overlapping conflicting requests made by multiple trains on the same track resources. This problem consists in retiming, reordering and rerouting trains in such a way that the propagation of disturbances in the railway network is minimized. The rtRTMP is an NP-complete problem and finding good strategies to simplify its solution process is paramount to obtain good quality results in a short computation time. Solving the Train Routing Selection Problem (TRSP) aims to reduce the size of rtRTMP instances by limiting the number of routing variables: during the pre-processing, the most promising routing alternatives among the available ones are selected for each train. Then, the selected alternatives are the only ones used for the rtRTMP. A first version of the TRSP has been recently proposed in the literature. This paper presents an improved TRSP model, where rolling stock re-utilization timing constraints and estimation of train delay propagation are taken into account. Additionally, a parallel Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm is proposed. We analyze the impact of the TRSP model and algorithm on the rtRTMP through a thorough computational campaign performed on a French case study with timetable disturbances and infrastructure disruptions. The presented model leads to a better correlation between TRSP and rtRTMP solutions, and the proposed ACO algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithm.