Application of Modern Microelectronic Technology

in Marshalling Process of Railway Stations

Miсhael A. Gordon, Anton A. Movshin
Chief specialist of the Institute "Giprotranssignalsvyaz" – Head of group of the Institute "Giprotranssignalsvyaz" –
Department of JSC "Roszheldorproject" Department of JSC "Roszheldorproject"
Saint-Petersburg, Russia Saint-Petersburg, Russia
[email protected] [email protected]

Alexey N. Kovkin, Oleg A. Abramov,

PhD, Associate Professor at Senior Researcher of Computer Railway Technology Center at
“Automation and Remote Control on Railway” Department “Automation and Remote Control on Railway” Department
Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University
Saint-Petersburg, Russia Saint-Petersburg, Russia
[email protected] [email protected]

Dmitry V. Sedykh,
Chief engineer of Group of Companies «IMSAT»,
engineer at “Automation and Remote Control on Railways”
Department,
Emperor Alexander I
St. Petersburg State Transport University
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
[email protected]

Abstract — In the contemporary world of global digitaliza- shunting automation systems consist of two parts – hump
tion, a problem arises concerning compliance of the marshalling automatic interlocking and automatic control of uncoupling
process control systems with the modern requirements. To solve speed system. In Russia, the initial hump automatic interlock-
the problem, a Train Breaking-Up Control System “SURS ings appeared in 1946 and automatic control of uncoupling
GTSS” has been developed, which permits to control the hump speed systems in 1961. The systems were relay-controlled. At
automation and remote control devices using microelectronic present, the railways of the world introduce only
technology. The system provides for safety of shunting at a grav- microprocessor-based systems, including the hump ones.
ity hump yard and improves quality of train breaking-up. At the Germany has developed such shunting station control systems
same time, the operating expenses, engineering, construction,
as “ADRS”, “BLR”, “ITS”, and “MSR-32”; France – “Saxbi”;
and commissioning periods and labor hours decrease, and relay
equipment is almost missing. As a result, the preset hump ca-
USA – “ATGS”, “SPM”, “DDC – III”; and Russia – “KSAU
pacity parameters are achieved, service and system trouble- SP”, “GAC-ARS GTSS”, “SKA-SP”. However,
shooting quality improves. The article describes the system the integrated microprocessor-based hump systems use a
structure, provides a description of the system components with relay-operated interface to control the trackside assets (color
their functionality, and shows a block diagram of a hardware light signals, electric switch machines, railcar retarders, etc.)
package of the Hump Microprocessor-Based Interlocking At present, a task arises to shift from the relay-operated
“GMC GTSS” subsystem. Remote control diagrams are also towards microelectronic equipment [5 - 8].
presented for electric switch machines, humping and shunting
signals, hump retarders are presented. A structure of the asset II. TRAIN BREAKING-UP CONTROL SYSTEM “SURS GTSS”
controllers governing the devices is described. In order to reject actually the electromagnetic relays,
a comprehensive Train Breaking-Up Control System
Keywords — microelectronic control of assets, SURS GTSS, “SURS GTSS” has been developed, which permits to control
GMC GTSS, GAC-ARS GTSS, train breaking-up automation. the hump automation and remote control devices employing
microelectronic technology, without using both large-size
I. INTRODUCTION relays as well as micro ones [9 - 10].
Shunting stations are a central component of the railway
complex to process the railcar traffic volumes and make up A microprocessor-based system “SURS GTSS”
freight trains in an optimal mode so that the presence time of consists of the following subsystems:
a railcar at the station is as short as possible and reasonable in • “GMC GTSS” – a safe control system of the trackside
process terms. Shunting stations consist mostly of a receiving assets (railway switches and color-light signals) and
yard, where the trains intended for further splitting arrive, a safe interaction with the electric interlocking devices
gravity hump yard, a marshalling (hump) yard, and a departure to draft in, hump, and break up railway trains;
yard, wherefrom the made-up trains depart further. A gravity
hump yard is a man-made hummock to let down the railcars • “GAC GTSS” – an automatic path point setting
(cuts) uncoupled on a marshalling yard track under gravity subsystem;
[1- 4].
• “ARS GTSS” – a displayed speed subsystem (retarder
To achieve as much efficient freight train making-up as control).
possible, the gravity hump yards of the world employ both
mechanical and automatic equipment. The contemporary train

978-1-7281-1003-5/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE

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 Depending on the requirements for an asset automation • automated workstation of Hump Operator – displaying
extent and the asset specifications of a railcar cut retarding process at the retarder
(gravity hump yard capacity), the system implementation position, displaying of the track occupancy monitoring
options are possible, which offer a different functional set and, device indications.
as a consequence, hardware and software implementation:
• gateway – functions of communication with adjacent
• cut path control process automation as a separate systems.
subsystem;
The supporting equipment of the system is both tower and
• gravity hump yard cut rolling-down speed control trackside assets of the mechanical equipment for the gravity
process automation as a separate subsystem; hump yard [13, 14].
• integrated implementation of path control and cut Ultimately, the system supports communication with any
rolling-down speed control processes within the required adjacent system implemented in the network
structure of one system. structure. Communication is through a dedicated gateway.
Under any implementation option, the system integrates IV. SUBSYSTEM “GMC GTSS”
the control and troubleshooting and recording functions of the
The central purpose of a subsystem “GMC GTSS” is:
system and controlled asset [11, 12].
• safe interaction with the electric interlocking devices
III. SUBSYSTEM “GAC-ARS GTSS” of the receiving park to draft in, hump, and break up
The central purpose of an “GAC-ARS GTSS” trains;
subsystem is:
• safe control of the railway switches and color-light
• implementation of an estimated gravity hump yard signals with a check of key dependencies;
capacity;
• control of the retarder position equipment to provide
• automatic accumulation and implementation of the for required intervals between the railcar cuts;
paths in the course of automatic railcar cut shunting;
• reduction of the tower equipment requirement;
• implementation of a preset speed for railcar exiting
from the interval retarder position; • improvement of the gravity hump yard and operating
staff performance;
• target braking of railcar cuts at the yard retarder
position; • working improvement and safety improvement;

• quality improvement of train splitting; • splitting process control operability improvement.

• running efficiency improvement of the hump yard and A “GMC GTSS” subsystem consists of the following
operating staff; modules implementing the following functions:

• working environment and safety improvement; • automated workstation of Hump Foreman –

displaying of the controlled and monitored assets and
• splitting process control operability improvement. generation of the control actions;
The system has been designed on a modular basis using • data input/output (communication) cabinet from the
dedicated and standard equipment and network data digital devices (Cabinet-I) – control and monitoring of
interactions. the assets offering an digital interface. The following
functions are implemented by means of the equipment:
An “GAC-ARS GTSS” subsystem consists of the
following modules to implement the following functions: a) control of the railcar quantity indicator;
• computer complex control cabinet with galvanic b) control of the breaking-up speed indicator;
isolation modules – data input and processing, railcar c) input of the retarder status and operation data;
cut movement monitoring. d) issue of the braking/release commands to the railcar
retarders;
• displayed speed subsystem cabinet with local
controller modules – automatic railcar cut speed e) input of the data from the weight measuring device;
control in the interval and yard retarder zones; f) input of the data from the environment monitoring
devices;
• process supervision equipment – railcar cut rolling-
down path presetting and railcar cut performance g) input of the data from the rolling stock movement
indication; speed transducers.
• data input/output cabinet from the discrete relay
• automated workstation of Hump Electrician – status devices (Cabinet-RD) – control and monitoring of the
displaying of trackside assets, railcar cut rolling-down assets offering a discrete relay interface. The following
process, input signal logging, automatic shunting list functions are implemented by means of the equipment:
recording and printing;
a) monitoring of the track circuits in the electric
• automated workstation of Hump Foreman – interlocking adjacent zones;
displaying of the controlled and monitored assets and
b) monitoring of the axle counter status;
generation of the control actions;
c) input of the data on marshalling track protection;

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 d) input of an emergency hump light signal turning-off and the transmission through the interface into the
command; central processor cabinet;
e) annunciation and signaling in the breaking-up zone; • implementation of control signals by the power
f) issue of the control actions to the facility cleaning modules;
devices.
• pickup of control signals from the power modules;
• central processor cabinet of hump microprocessor-
based interlocking with two redundant sets of central • monitoring of signal identity within the redundant
hump interlocking processors – implementation of the structure and implementation of the lower-level logic
central dependence subsystem functions; dependencies requiring a high speed of performance.
Such logical dependencies include inhibition of point
• railway switch and light signal control cabinet – switching in case of an equipment failure, abortion of
control and monitoring of the light signals and electric point switching as control is gained, automatic return
switch machines; of the point upon a failure to gain control.
• set switching device installed in the central processor The “KBS-SG” has been designed under a 1oo2D
cabinet – switching between the operating and standby architecture due to availability of two controller modules. This
sets; architecture is allowed for application on Russian Railways.
• automated workstation of Hump Electrician consisting In case one of the controller modules fails in the course of
of a PC system unit, monitor, keyboard, and printer – switching, the initiated point switching will be completed as
status monitoring of the trackside assets, monitoring the controller functions are performed simultaneously by the
and analysis of troubleshooting data on the system both controller modules in the course of point switching.
operation, system performance recording, logging and A “KSB-SG” module structure and a point machine
printing of the generated records; connection diagram are shown in Fig. 2.
• network equipment consisting of two redundant The power modules are responsible for direct interaction
network hubs installed in the Central Processor with the humping electric switch machines, pickup and logical
Cabinet – support of interactions among the central processing of the dynamic control signals from the controller
processor workstations, automated workstations, other modules designed under a 1oo2D architecture, generation of
system cabinet workstations, hardware and software the dynamic signals indicating the switch position and the
packages; switch section status. In addition, the power modules generate
signals for the controller modules, which indicate operability
• server equipment installed in a service cabinet of a power module both in the course of point switching as
(Cabinet-D) – logging and archiving into a database, well as during the time intervals between switching actions. A
safe storage of the system records, archives, and specific feature of the hump KBS power modules is
installation software; availability of the independent functional units for point
• gateway equipment installed in a service cabinet switching in different directions, which permits to return the
(Cabinet-D) – communication with adjacent systems point back in case of a single power module failure. A power
such as an automated shunting station control system, module is capable of commuting a current up to 8A (friction
a hump engine control system, a monitoring system current) and allows for short-time flowing of a current up to
[15 - 17]. 30A (engine starting current). The operation mode of a power
module is an intermittent cycle. Two double-wire inputs have
A hardware package structure of the “GMC GTSS” been provided for monitoring of the point status, where a
subsystem is shown in Fig. 1. rectified voltage is supplied from the signal winding of the
point operating gear proximity transducers. Every power
V. RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROL module contains two switching and position monitoring units
To control the electric switch machines as part of “GMC and an operability and vacancy monitoring unit.
GTSS”, safe interfacing controllers “KBS-SG” are used.
A switching and position monitoring unit consists of a safe
The switch positions are monitored through signal pickup logic cell designed under a 1oo2D architecture, a control
from the proximity sensors being part of humping electric signal generator, a power converter, a position monitoring
switch machines. Interactions between the power and pulse generator. Input signals arrive at the safe logic cell
controller modules are by means of dynamic and potential through optical isolator components from the controller
TTL-level signals transmitted via the parallel bus bars modules. An output signal of the safe logic cell is supplied to
implemented on a “KBS-SG” motherboard. Circuit units the control signal generator as a power supply voltage. The
switching the points to «plus» and «minus» are provided with control signal generator governs the converter power keys.
independent power ports connected to external sources via The power converter generates a constant voltage of 220 V for
separate protection devices . operation of the point motor. The power converter includes a
bridge invertor on IGBT transistors, a rectifier bridge, a
The “KBS-SG” controllers provide for the following: dividing transformer, an isolating diode, and a smoothing
• reception and implementation of commands duplicate capacitor. The position monitoring pulse generator has been
the RS-485 interface from the central processor cabinet designed as a voltage-controlled relaxation generator to
of the hump microprocessor-based interlocking as well generate signals for the controller modules under a full shift
as ensures the collection of the checking information point position.

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Fig. 1. Hardware package structure of “GMC GTSS” subsystem

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 and the transmission through the interface into the
central processor cabinet;
• implementation of control signals by the power
modules;
• pickup of control signals from the power modules;
• monitoring of signal identity within the redundant
structure;
• implementation of the lower-level logic dependencies
according to the light signal type.
Fig. 2. “KSB-SG” module structure and point machine connection diagram The power modules are responsible for control of the light
signal lamps connected through the signal transformers,
An operability and vacancy monitoring unit consists of an pickup and logic processing of dynamic control signals from
operability monitoring circuit and a vacancy monitoring pulse the controller modules designed under a 2oo2 architecture,
generator. The operability monitoring circuit has been generation of the dynamic signals indicating the current value
designed to monitor integrity of the power module and on the output circuit and integrity of the cold lamp filaments.
actuating circuit of the power switch machine, monitor the The output voltage of the power modules is of a rectangular
thermal mode of the module, availability of the required shape [19].
power supply voltages. The vacancy monitoring pulse
generator is the same as the position monitoring pulse A “KBS-SVG” module structure are shown on Fig. 4.
generator [18].
A functional switch control power module diagram is
shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4. “KBS-SVG” module structure

VII. RAILCAR RETARDER CONTROL

To control the railcar retarders, air collectors with
renovated control equipment are used, which apply a principle
of dividing the compressed air flows into a working and
controlling flow.
Brake activation / release commands to the actuators as
well as the operating air collector pressure, current command,
target control equipment performance indicator values are
transmitted via a redundant interface link RS-485. A retarder
Fig. 3. Functional switch control power module diagram control diagram is shown in Figure 5.

VI. COLOR LIGHT SIGNAL CONTROL The manual mode can be applicable to develop
automatically simulators of real train traffic control systems
To control the color light signals, safe interfacing based only on their technical description as well as to monitor
controllers “KBS-SVG” and “KBS-SVM” are used as part of correctness of circuit designs for automatic examination of the
“GMC GTSS”, which are designed for humping and shunting circuit designs of train control systems [20].
light signals, respectively.
VIII. CONCLUSION
The light signal lamps are controlled via a double-wire
circuit. The lamps are connected through signal transformers. Operation of microelectronic intelligent technology for
Interactions between the power and controller modules are by control and monitoring of the trackside assets, including that
means of TTL-level dynamic signals transmitted via parallel on railway humps, supports digitalization of a railcar
bus bars implemented on a light signal KBS motherboard. classification process, which permits to undertake real-time
troubleshooting and monitoring of the devices. The developed
The “KBS-SVG” and “KBS-SVM” controllers provide for by authors comprehensive “SURS GTSS” system permits to
the following: improve the digitalization standard of the marshalling yard
operations. The system using microelectronic technology has
• reception and implementation of commands duplicate
permitted to reject totally relay-based integration with the
the RS-485 interface from the central processor cabinet
controlled sidetrack assets. The system provides for safety of
of the hump microprocessor-based interlocking as well
the hump railcar breaking-up and improves quality of the train
as ensures the collection of the checking information

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