S~2PTC: A new track circuit based on software without electrical or mechanical isolating components

摘要

Following the development of the ERTMS system, we think it is interesting to develop another software-based track circuit system which would fit secondary railway lines with an easy-to-work implementation and a low sensitivity to rail-wheel impedance variations. We called this track circuit "Software and Signal Processing based Track Circuit". To be internationally implemented, this system must not have any mechanical component and must be compatible with existing track circuit systems. For example, the system is independent from the French "Joints Isolants Colles" that isolate track sections from one another, and it is equally independent from component used in Germany called "Counting Axles", in French "compteur d'essieux". It equally avoids the electrical isolating filters called "Joints Electriques de Signalisation". This track circuit is fully interoperable.-Train space localization is precisely defined by a calibration system. The operation bypasses the GSM-R radio system of the ERTMS system. Moreover, the track circuit is naturally protected against radio-type jammers. After the calibration operation, the track circuit is autonomous. Track sections are numerically defined and can be modified with a software update-The system was numerically simulated and results were beyond our expectations. We achieved a precision of one meter. Rail-ground and rail-wheel impedance sensitivity analysis gave excellent results. This work was initialised as a research project of the French Railways developed by the Pi-Ramses Company under SNCF contract and required five years to obtain the results. This track circuit is already at Level 3 of the ERTMS system and it will be much cheaper to implement and to work.