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Training Report On Telecommunication and Signal-Indian Railways
Training Report On Telecommunication and Signal-Indian Railways
Abstract
This report takes a pedagogical approach in demonstration of communication system and
signal transmission throughout the machinery of railways. An effort to a significant
insight into the working of the devices of railways from view point of communication has
been made. The focus of this detailed study is divided into two aspects:
Telecommunication and Signaling. Besides, various communication systems are currently
being employed in the Indian railways. Factors like safety and reliability concerns are
discussed further. The design and architecture of various information systems are also
furnished. The detailed analysis is directed towards control logic for the railway
interlocking, type of communication protocols upon which the control systems depends.
Telecommunication part has been also discussed to make the report more comprehensive.
A newer improvement towards Centralized Traffic Control has also been highlighted for
the railway system to prove itself a reliable option for its travelers.
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Acknowledgement
We take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude and deep regards to our guide
Rajesh Sharan Sir for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the course of this training. The blessing, help and guidance given by him time
to time shall carry us a long way in the journey of life on which we are about to embark.
We also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to Pramod Sir, for his
cordial support, valuable information and guidance, which helped us in completing this
task through various stages.
We are obliged to V.K. Singh Sir (RRI, Patna Jn.), Mukesh Sir, Rajkumar Sir, Pramod Sir
and also thankful to the staff members of Patna Junction, Hajipur Junction, Sonpur and
Danapur Division for the valuable information provided by them in their respective fields.
We are grateful for their cooperation during the period of our training.
Lastly, we thank Almighty, our parents and our accompanying friends for their constant
encouragement without whom this training would not have been possible.
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Table of Contents
1Introduction...........................................................................................
5
2Telecommunications..............................................................................
6
2.1 Optical Fiber Communications...................................................................................6
2.2 Quad Cable................................................................................................................. 9
2.3 PA Systems................................................................................................................10
2.4 Telephone Exchange..................................................................................................10
2.5 Mobile Communications............................................................................................12
2.6 FOIS...........................................................................................................................18
2.7 COIS...........................................................................................................................20
2.8 Internet....21
2.9 PRS.23
2.10 Control System.24
3Signaling..............................................................................................2
5
3.1 Basic Signaling....25
3.2 Interlocking..26
3.3 PI and RRI28
3.4 EI...29
3.5 Centralized Traffic Control...32
Summary................................................................................................3
3
References..3
4
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1 Introduction
Indian Railways is one of the largest Railways in the world. Introduced in 1853 the
Railway network in India spread and expanded rapidly and has become the principal
mode of transport in the country. It has also absorbed advances in railway technology in
tune with the requirement of moving large volumes of passenger and the freight traffic.
Railways were first introduced to India in 1853 from Bombay to Thane. In 1951 the
systems were nationalized as one unit, the Indian Railways, becoming one of the largest
networks in the world. IR operates both long distance and suburban rail systems on
a multi-gauge network
of broad,
meter
and narrow gauges.
It
also
owns locomotive and coach production facilities at several places in India and are
assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Its
operations cover twenty four states and three union territories and also provides limited
international services to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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2 Telecommunications
Telecommunication in the modern era is the science and practice
of transmitting information by electromagnetic means.
In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such
as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or
audio messages such as coded drumbeats, lung-blown horns, and loud whistles. In modern
times, telecommunications involves the use of electrical devices such as
the telegraph, telephone, and teleprinter , as well as the use of radio, microwave
transmission towers, fiber optics, orbiting satellites and the Internet, which is a vast
world-wide computer network.
A revolution in wireless telecommunications began in the first decade of the 1900s with
pioneering developments in radio communications by Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo
Marconi.
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Pure Glass
An optical fiber is constructed of a transparent core made of nearly pure silicon
dioxide(SiO2), through which the light travels. The core is surrounded by a cladding layer
that reflects light, guiding the light along the core. A plastic coating covers the cladding
to protect the glass surface. Cables also include fibers of Kevlar and/or steel wires
for strength and an outer sheath of plastic or Teflon for protection.
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Enormous Bandwidth
For glass fibers, there are two "optical windows" where the fiber is most transparent and
efficient.The centers of these windows are 1300 nm and 1550 nm, providing
approximately 18,000GHz and 12,000GHz respectively, for a total of 30,000GHz. This
enormous bandwidth is potentially usable in one fiber. Plastic is also used for shortdistance fiber runs, and their transparent windows are typically 650 nm and in the 750-900
nm range.
The light in a fiber-optic cable travels through the core (hallway) by constantly bouncing
from the cladding (mirror-lined walls), a principle called total internal reflection. Because
the cladding does not absorb any light from the core, the light wave can travel great
distances. However, some of the light signal degrades
within the fiber, mostly due to impurities in the glass. The extent that the signal degrades
depends on the purity of the glass and the wavelength of the transmitted light.
Applications
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2.2
Quad Cable
Quadding: Four insulated conductors stranded to form a star quad, two conductors
diagonally opposite forming one pair and the remaining two diagonally opposite
conductors forming the second pairs of the quad.
Laying Up: The quads are assembled to form a symmetrical core with a right hand
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lay. Polyethylene strungs of required diameter may be used as fillers, if necessary, for
proper circular core formation.
Filling and core wrapping: The cable core is fully filled with water resistant
comound which is compatible with the polythene insulation of the conductors. The
filled cable core is wrapped with at least one helical or longitudinally polythene
tape.
2.3 PA Systems
A public address system (PA system) is an electronic sound amplification and distribution
system with a microphone, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to allow a person to address
a large public, for example for announcements of movements at large and noisy air and
rail terminals.
The term is also used for systems which may additionally have a mixing console, and
amplifiers and loudspeakers suitable for music as well as speech, used to reinforce a
sound source, such as recorded music or a person giving a speech or distributing the
sound throughout a venue or building.
Simple PA systems are often used in small venues such as school auditoriums, churches,
and small bars. PA systems with many speakers are widely used to make announcements
in public, institutional and commercial buildings and locations. Intercom systems,
installed in many buildings, have microphones in many rooms allowing the occupants to
respond to announcements.
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2.4
Telephone Exchange
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m) Documentation
n) Lightning protection and Earthing arrangement
The man machine language must be in English and user friendly. A VDU, keyboard
and a printer alongwith a PC must be available for interaction with the Exchange.
The exchange shall be worked with batteries on float. The capacity of the batteries
shall be to provide minimum 8 hours back up. One set of battery, two chargers and a
change over panel are to be provided for supplying power supply to exchange. The
capacity of power supply arrangement shall be 30% higher than the exchange load.
The charger shall be preferably SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply) type.
Intermediate Distribution Frame:
The IDF (Intermediate Distribution Frame) shall have disconnecting type connectors
with facility for isolating exchange indoor and outdoor side. The cable terminals shall
be installed on a rack. Protection arrangement shall be available on IDF. All testing
for line side shall be done from IDF. The IDF may be accommodated in exchange
equipment room.
Main Distribution Frame:
All outdoor cable shall be terminated on a rack forming the Main Distribution Frame
(MDF). This shall provide connectivity between outdoor cable and indoor switch
board cable. The Main Distribution Frame shall be installed in a separate room but not
in the exchange room. An earth is connected across the frame for its entire length and
preferably this shall be a copper strip clamped to the frame..
The outdoor cables shall be jelly filled underground type. The indoor cables shall be
switch board cables. The outdoor cables shall be 20 pair, 50 pair and 100 pair
capacity. The indoor cable shall be 5 pair, 10 pair, 20 pair and 50 pair. The outdoor cable
shall have outdoor Termination Box/Location Box with terminals
for proper termination of the cable. The indoor cable shall be terminated on CT boxes
of appropriate size. The cables, cable Terminals in CT Boxes shall be planned with
30% spare capacity. All outdoor cable sheath shall be earthed while entering the
exchange at MDF.
Lightning protection and Earthing arrangement:
The earthing arrangement shall be consisting of
- Earth pits minimum four with Earth electrodes connected in a ring
- Two earth wires connecting Earth Electrodes to Earth Distribution Frame
- Earth wires from each equipment to Earth Distribution Frame
(Exchange rack, IDF, MDF, Charger, Battery, Gen set, Power panel, Cables)
Electrical Supply :
230 V AC single phase shall be available. With power lines suitable for taking the
load, Alternate supply shall be provided either traction supply or DG set. The power
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supply shall enter the room through MCB and changeover switch with proper earthing
arrangement.
2.5
Mobile Communication
Emergency call
Functional addressing
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Uplink
( MS To BTS)
907.8 MHz
908.0 MHz
908.2 MHz
908.4 MHz
908.8 MHz
909.0 MHz
909.2 MHz
Dnlink
952.8
953.0
953.2
953.4
953.8
954.2
954.2
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
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System Specification :
- 48 V
Power Supply =
DC.W.
PA Tx Power =
30
-110
Rx Sensitivity =
dBm.
Power Supply:48V/16 Amp. DC supply i48 V/16 As provided for the BTS cabinet.
Low Maintenance lead-acid battery with capacity 300AH with a Battery Charger
(230V AC/48V 50 Amp. DC) shall be kept in float condition with load for this
purpose.
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BTS supervision
Radio channel allocation
Radio channel Monitoring
Traffic management
TCU management
OMC-R link management
Handover procedures
Operation and maintenance request from the OMC-R processing
BSS configuration data and software storage
BSS performance counters management
Failure detection and processing
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Functional Overview :
It performs the following main tasks related to communication switching and
transcoding:
Switching: the TCU manages a time division multiplexer connecting the BSC
and MSC.
PCM link management: Using the configuration data provided by the BSC,
the TCU configures and monitors the PCM links on the A and Ater interfaces.
Transcoding and rate adaptation: Coding/decoding of the speech frames
and rate adaptation of data frames.
TCU equipment management: OA&M functions: initialization , startup, clock
synchronization from A-interface links, supervision , fault management,
software and configuration management.
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Power Consumption :
The average power consumption is 18W. If the device in the idle made, the maximum
power consumption is 3W i. e. dark display.
Power supply arrangement of GSM-R system:
MSC (D.C. Supply)
IN (A.C. supply)
OSS (OMC-R and OMC-S) (A.C. supply)
Dispatcher (A.C. Supply)
All the equipments are run by a uninterrupted (-)48V DC supply and 230V AC supply.
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2.6 FOIS
Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) was implemented in Indian Railways as an
initiative to leverage the use of Information Technology in the freight segment as an aid to
decision making and to ultimately improve the freight services. After successful
completion of trials and its implementation in Northern Railway, the system comprising
two modules- Rake Management System and Terminal Management System- was rolled
out to all the zones over Indian Railways. This was introduced, inter alia, to enhance the
accuracy and reliability of operating data to provide a real time view of transactions and
to serve as a decision making tool in allotment of rakes to customers and improved asset
turnaround.
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2.7
COIS
Dispute Resolve
Yard Position
Rake formation
Modify consist
Rake Examination
Search Feedbacks
Departure Reporting
Send Feedbacks
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Generate memo
Arrival Reporting
2.8 Internet
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LAN:
Despite the growth of the Internet, the characteristics of local area
networks ("LANs" computer networks that do not extend beyond a
few kilometers in size) remain distinct. This is because networks on this
scale do not require all the features associated with larger networks and
are often more cost-effective and efficient without them. When they are
not connected with the Internet, they also have the advantages of
privacy and security. However, purposefully lacking a direct connection
to the Internet will not provide 100% protection of the LAN from
hackers, military forces, or economic powers. These threats exist if
there are any methods for connecting remotely to the LAN.
WAN:
There are also independent wide area networks ("WANs" private
computer networks that can and do extend for thousands of kilometers.)
Once again, some of their advantages include their privacy, security,
and complete ignoring of any potential hackers who cannot "touch"
them. Of course, prime users of private LANs and WANs include
armed forces and intelligence agencies that must keep their information
completely secure and secret.
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2.9 PRS
Reserved travel by Indian Railways is facilitated by the Passenger Reservation System
(PRS). PRS provides reservation services to nearly 1.5 to 2.2 million passengers a day on
over 2500 trains running throughout the country. The Indian Railways (IR) carries about
5.5 lakh passengers in reserved accommodation every day. The computerised Passenger
Reservation System (PRS) facilitates booking and cancelling of tickets from any of the
4000 terminals (i.e PRS booking windows) all over the country. These tickets can be
booked or cancelled for journeys commencing in any part of India and ending in any other
part, with travel times as long as 72 hours and distances up to several thousand kilometers.
The PRS Application CONCERT (Country-wide Network of Computerized Enhanced
Reservation and Ticketing) is the worlds largest online reservation application, developed
and maintained by CRIS. The system currently operates from 5 Data centers. The server
clusters are connected together by a core network that enables universal terminals across
country, through which the travelling public can reserve a berth on any train, between any
pair of station for any date and class.
3 Signaling
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Signaling is one of the most important aspects of Railway communication. In the very early days
of the railways there was no fixed signaling to inform the driver of the situation of the line ahead.
Trains were driven on sight. But several unpleasant incidents accentuated the need for an
efficient signaling system. Earliest system involved the Time Interval technique. Here time
intervals were imposed between trains mostly around 10mins. But due to the frequent breakdown
of trains in those days this technique resulted in rear-end collisions. This gave rise to the fixed
signaling system wherein the track was divided into fixed sections and each section was
protected by a fixed signaling. This system is still being continued although changes have been
brought about in the basic signaling methods. Earlier mechanical signals were used but today
block signaling is through electric instruments. In the mid 19th century mechanical interlocking
was used. The purpose was to prevent the route for a train from being set up and its protecting
signal cleared if there
wasalready another conflicting route setup. The most modern development in signalinterlocking
is SSI- a means of controlling the safety requirements at junctions using electronic circuits which
replaced the relay systems supplied up to that time. In Indian Railways, first trial installation of
SSI was provided at Srirangam Station in 1987. Nowadays Track Circuits are used wherein the
current flow in the track circuit will be interrupted by the presence of wheels and a stop signal
will be shown. A proceed signal will be displayed if the current flows.
train protection) as well. Automatic train stop systems were tried on some main lines in the
1960's but were given up following excessive vandalism and pilferage of equipment and
maintenance problems.
Points and interlockings may be worked mechanically (rod or pipe linkages are common, but
earlier, double-wire systems were also used) or electrically (motor driven). Many points exist
which have to be manually operated at the location of the points after using a key to unlock the
points.
3.2
Interlocking
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Mechanical Interlocking
Detector
A Detector is a very basic mechanical interlocking device that ensures that a signal can be pulled
off for a route only after the points have been set correctly for it. It also ensures that the tongue
rails for the points are positioned correctly (i.e., not warped to one side or another, for instance
because of being damaged in trail-throughs). The detector consists of a a set of signal slides that
operate perpendicular to the a blade connected to the points which determine the route. The blade
connected to the points has a number of notches, matching the number of signals. Each signal
slide has just one notch. The notch on the signal slide fits into the notch of the point blade only
when the points are correctly set for the route of the corresponding signal. When the signal slide
is positioned in this way, it frees the signal to be pulled off. Then when the signal is pulled off, it
moves the signal slide such that the points cannot be changed because the notch of the point
blade fouls the signal slide.
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Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) is the system used in large and busy stations that have to
handle high volumes of train movements. In this, an entire route through the station can be
selected and all the associated points and signals along the route can be set at once by a switch
for receiving, holding, blocking, or dispatching trains.
Interlockings effected purely electrically (sometimes referred to as "all-electric") consist of
complex circuitry made up of relays in an arrangement of relay logic that ascertain the state or
position of each signal appliance. As appliances are operated, their change of position opens
some circuits that lock out other appliances that would conflict with the new position. Similarly,
other circuits are closed when the appliances they control become safe to operate. Equipment
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used for railroad signalling tends to be expensive because of its specialized nature and failsafe design.
Interlockings operated solely by electrical circuitry may be operated locally or remotely with the
large mechanical levers of previous systems being replaced by buttons, switches or toggles on a
panel or video interface. Such an interlocking may also be designed to operate without a human
operator. These arrangements are termed automatic interlockings, and the approach of a train sets
its own route automatically, provided no conflicting movements are in progress.
Regardless of whether the mechanisms are controlled manually or by electronic circuits, and
whether they are operated mechanically or electrically, all interlocking schemes usually enforce
several or all of the following rules:
No signal can be pulled off unless corresponding points are set correctly.
Facing points are locked to the corresponding route when a signal is pulled off.
Trailing points are locked to the rear when a signal is pulled off.
Distants, warners, repeaters, etc. cannot be pulled off unless the corresponding stop
signals are pulled off.
Gate stop signals cannot be pulled off unless level-crossing gates are blocked to road
traffic.
RRI and PI equipment is from Siemens and British manufacturers. In recent years interlocking
accomplished by modern integrated electronic circuitry instead of electromechanical relay
systems has come into use- Solid State Interlocking (SSI). SSI is in place at 14 stations
inIndia.SSI equipment is manufactured by RDSO. 210 stations have RRI installations, and 1970
have Panel Interlocking. 247 stations now have RRI installations and the number of stations with
Panel Interlocking has risen to 2,426.
3.3 EI
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In the more advanced electrical or electronic interlocking schemes, the points and signals are
worked from one integrated mechanism in a signal cabin which features a display of the entire
track layout with indications of sections that are occupied, free, set for reception or dispatch, etc.
The interlocking is accomplished not by mechanical devices but by electrical circuitry -- relays
and switches in older electrical or electropneumatic systems, and computerized circuits in the
newer electronic systems.
Electrical Interlocking
Electrical equipment of some kinds may be used even in the mechanical interlocking systems
described above (e.g., electrical relays that operate slotting). However, the basic operation there
remains mechanical in nature. In electrical interlocking, the fundamental mechanisms use
electric control extensively. Electrical interlocking often goes hand in hand with power signaling,
although there are or were installations with electrical interlocking provided for semaphore
signals.
Relays
Relays of various sorts are used to turn on or turn off circuits that control signals, points, slots,
level crossing gates, etc. Track relays are used for track circuits. Signal relays control signals.
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Track Circuits
Track circuits are electrical circuits that are formed including the running rails. They are set up in
such a way that when a train is on the tracks that are part of the track circuit, the circuit is altered
in some way (usually, by current that normally flows in the track circuit being shunted through
the conductive body of the train), thereby activating a detector which may then be used, e.g., to
set signals at danger for the section.
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Axle Counters
Axle counters are devices that can count the number of axles of vehicles passing by them on the
track. Axle counters are installed at either end of the section of track of interest; when the
number of axles counted at entrance to the section is the same as the number of axles counted
exiting the section, it means the train has passed through the section intact. Axle counters are
used in some cases where track circuits are hard or impossible to operate (e.g., where metal
sleepers are provided, making track circuit operation impossible without re-installing the track,
or where conditions are such that there is too much electrical noise and conductivity problems
that make track circuits unworkable).
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Train dispatchers cannot directly control intermediate signals and so are almost always excluded
from the dispatcher's control display except as an inert reference.
Summary
Railways transport is an important and inexpensive mode for travel in India.
In order to meet Indian Railways demands for extreme reliability, many developments in the
area of signal and telecommunication has been done in order to provide the most technicallyeffective solution.
Modern signalling systems using solid state interlocking auxiliary warning systems for
enhancing and ensuring safety, heavier rails, concrete sleepers, elastic fastenings, long span
bridges in pre-stressed concrete, improvements in overhead electric traction, use of information
technology in all area of railway working etc. are the other areas where Indian railways are
utilising modern technology to meet the combined needs of traffic and safety. Still, there is a
great scope ahead for further improvements in the arena for efficient communications in the
railways on which engineers are pondering over for a better future in the Indian Railways.
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References
The following references have been helpful for preparation of this technical report along with the
guidance of our mentors and guides.
www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/.../telecom-man-idx.htm
Indian Railways-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
East Cental Railway,hajipur
Patna railway station & Hajipur railway station
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