Euro-Interlocking needs a real validation by simulation

Based on some conclusions elaborated within Euro-Interlocking Business Case, the railway infrastructure organisations are spending over EUR 4 Billion per year on investments and maintenance of interlocking systems. Likewise, organisations are also investing a lot of resources for data preparation work.
The data project for the euro-interlocking preparation contributed to the development of the folders exchange standardisation for the interlocking applications.

Euro-Interlocking standards describe a common European structure and a framework for projects and the configuration of data transfer between railway companies and suppliers.
Differences between networks in terms of the logical and physical functionality of the interlocking systems, the operation regulation and the requirements determine the design mode and the system functionality.
In simulating some cases, the model of each element and each concept need repeated testing for the performance registration.
Implementing a new interlocking is a procedure requiring a large number of steps and processes.
It is much more secure to suppose that, when each of the requirements of the railway elements could be completely different, consequently the elements could become unitary. The only aspect remaining constant is the graphical representation of these requirements on the user interface.
But, without the possibility of testing on a specific simulator, no meaning validation could ever take place. To this end, it was decided to adopt a method which resulted in the creation of a template according to which route information could easily be accessed. The chosen format for the method was an Excel template, with three constituent parts.
In the first part, information can be entered concerning element types which should be positioned (location in the layout); this section offers most of the choices: for instance, it allows placing a line block signal in the middle of a station.
In the second part, information is given for logical and compound concepts, such as routes and local shunting areas. In addition to such generic information, each route’s entry and exit signal, the track destination can be configured. This enables each railway to configure how its requirements are to be used in any given scenario.
The third part of the Excel document consists of the physical components. It is important to understand that the context diagram of the Euro-Interlocking functional requirements do not include any interfaces which do not include necessary equipments. The model works on the assumption that if a signal reports itself as being lit, then it is lit. It is in this way that one can specify the functionality of the outside elements by simulating their behaviour.
By the completion of this template, which includes all necessary elements, one can automate the simulation of some requirements specific to railways, rail elements and route details and information can be rendered in a graphic format through the user interface.

[ by Pamela Luică ]
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