International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)

POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL

Suresh Badugu1, Anoosha Movva2
1
Assistant Professor ( ECE Dept.), K L University
2
B-Tech (ECE), K L University
Abstract— Positive train control (PTC) is a modern system When deployed, PTC will provide interoperability
of monitoring and controlling train movements to provide between all the participating railroads. Trains from any
advanced safety. This system uses the latest technology in railroad will be able to operate on the tracks of any other
mobile wireless communication. In Sept 2008, the US railroad, without ever losing contact with their own
Congress considered a new rail safety law that sets a deadline
network operations center. There are several similarities
of 2015 for implementation of positive train control (PTC)
technology across most of the U.S. rail network. The bill was between wireless PTC and automated air traffic control
developed in response to the collision of a Metro link systems managing air traffic today.
passenger train and a Union Pacific freight train Sept. 12 in Wireless PTC will provide a "safety shield" around all
California, which resulted in the deaths of 25 and injuries to trains and other equipment to monitor the proper
more than 135 Metrolink passengers. functioning of all existing signal systems, and human
operation 20 of these systems. If existing equipment
Keywords---PTC(Positive Train Control), locomotive, GPS( malfunctions or ceases to operate, or if human factors result
Global Positioning System ), TMC(Train Management in a potential safety/rules violation, PTC can immediately
System), control center, LoMA (Limit of Movement
Authority).
intervene slowing down or stopping one or more trains.
PTC can replicate all signals and other critical information
I. INTRODUCTION inside locomotive cabs, providing additional information to
engineers.
A. Why signals are required?
 To indicate to the driver his place of stopping.
 To protect train from collision with another train.
 To protect the level crossing gates.
 To protect the points (or to protect the trains at
points).
 To improve the efficiency of train running.
B. The main concept in PTC is that the train receives
information about its location and where it is allowed to
safely travel. The following are the basic functions of PTC:
 To manage track occupancies through centralized In the future, wireless PTC may be used as the only vital
route and interlocking logic signaling system, with no need for external block systems,
 Issue movement authorities via wireless data links to signals or other equipment currently used in signaling
trains and work vehicles systems. PTC can establish moving blocks around trains,
 Determine the position of trains providing sufficient separation between moving trains to
ensure maximum track utilization. All signals will be
 Enforce permanent and temporary speed limits displayed inside the locomotives.
 Enforce Limits of Movement Authority (Lo MA) for
trains

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
C. How safety is achieved by signaling? C. Signals: The aspect of all signals on the tracks will
be to an onboard computer display showing all signals
Reason for train accident How it is avoided by ahead of the train, including those that are not physically
signalling visible due to terrain, curves or visual distance. If a signal
is not observed, PTC will immediately apply corrective
 Collisions of trains  Separate the train by action programmed for that event, from slowing down the
signals train to a safe speed to the application of full emergency
 Signals wrongly given
brakes to stop the train in the shortest possible distance.
by station master  Detect the train by
track circuit At the same time it will visually and audibly warn the
 Driver passes the engineer and report the event to the dispatcher and the
signal at danger by  Provide automatic train control computers.
mistake train protection(
D. Interlocking Systems: The PTC System will work
ATP) i.e. train brakes
are applied with the dispatcher, train control computers and TMC to
automatically based continuously monitor and identify potential conflicts
on the signal aspect between signals and switches, train orders issued to the
ahead train, and train orders other trains are using, authorized
speed and maximum speed possible on that sector of
Derailment due to point not Lock and detect point and track. If any conflicts or potential conflicts would be
properly set interlock with signal detected, PTC will immediately apply corrective action as
programmed for that event, slowing down or stopping the
Derailment due to over speed ATP train, and notifying the engineer, dispatcher and train
control computers.
Accidents at level crossings  Provide gate signal
E. Wayside Equipment and Fault Equipment Detectors:
 Provide ATP All wayside equipment will be continuously monitored
by PTC. PTC will issue alerts in cases such as when an
automatic crossing gate is not working or a hot box
II. FUNCTIONALITY OF P T C detector reports some axles slightly above a certain
PTC will directly support, monitor, control and include temperature level. It will also apply corrective action in
the functionality of: cases such as when a track integrity monitor reports a
possible track breakage due to floods or extreme heat, or
A. Train Control: PTC will continually monitor trains, a hot box detector reports an axle in the train with a
exchanging information with Train Management temperature exceeding safe operating levels, or a flood
Computers (TMC) and gathering precise speed and warning sensor detects the presence of water on the
position information from PTC will have a copy of train tracks.
orders, number of cars, weight, route and track
characteristics along the route, including speed F. Advanced Train Control Systems: Advanced train
restrictions, curves, grades and crossings. Track authority control systems can be indirectly queried by the wireless
(permission to occupy and move on a sector of track) will PTC system through the train management computer at
be continuously updated as train dispatchers and train the network operations center (ATCS and PTC radios are
control computers at the network operation center issue on different Radio Bands and each operates with its own
and modify train orders and operate signals. protocol). This will be done as part of normal queries
ahead and behind the train that PTC makes to track
B. Track Circuits: In addition to information provided circuits, signals and switches, to enforce the interlocking
from track circuits PTC will provide dispatchers and train principle as it was described above under "Interlocking
control computers precise, real time position of the train Systems".
on the track. In "dark territory", where there are no track
circuits, PTC will be the only real-time train location
information source.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
III. BASIC OPERATION While some PTC systems interface directly with the
A typical PTC system involves three basic components: existing signal system, others may maintain a set of vital
 Equipment on the locomotive computer systems at a central location that can keep track
of trains and issue movement authorities to them directly
 Equipment at the control center
via a wireless data network. This is often considered to be a
 Bi-directional wireless data link between the train and
form of Communications Based Train Control and is not a
the control center
necessary part of PTC.
Optionally, two additional components may exist:
 Wayside equipment VI. BI- DIRECTIONAL WIRELESS LINK
 Unidirectional data link between wayside equipment A wireless communications link allows required data to
and train be passed between the control center and train. A
traditional point-to-point data link is a communications
IV. EQUIPMENT ON THE LOCOMOTIVE medium with exactly two endpoints and no data
A GPS receiver on the locomotive receives position or packet formatting. The host computers at either end had
information. Alternatively, a transceiver is used to read to take full responsibility for formatting the data
transponders located on the track to locate the train's transmitted between them. When connected at a distance,
position. A data radio provides communications between each endpoint would be fitted with a modem to convert
the train and the control center and, optionally, with analog telecommunications signals into a digital data
wayside devices. An onboard computer and display device stream.
displays information to the locomotive engineer (driver).
The equipment on board the locomotive must VII. HOW IT WORKS- BASICS
continually calculate the train’s current speed relative to a The train reports its position to the control center via the
speed target some distance away governed by a braking wireless data link. The control center's safety interlocking
curve. If the train risks not being able to slow to the speed logic uses the data from all trains to issue limits of
target given the braking curve the brakes are automatically movement authority (Lo MA) and speed limits to each
applied and the train is immediately slowed. The speed train, being careful to keep safe separation between trains.
targets are updated by information regarding fixed and The train's onboard computer monitors the Lo MA and
dynamic speed limits determined by the track profile and speed limit data against actual train location and speed to
signaling system. determine potential and actual unsafe conditions. If the
Most current PTC implementations use the speed control train is approaching the end of its Lo MA or it is nearing its
unit to also store a database of track profiles attached to speed limit, the onboard computer warns the engineer, who
some sort of navigation system. The unit keeps track of the is expected to take appropriate action. If the train passes the
train's position along the rail line and automatically end of its Lo MA, the onboard computer automatically
enforces any speed restrictions as well as the maximum signals for a safety brake application to bring the train to a
authorized speed. Temporary speed restrictions can be stop. Similarly, if the train exceeds its allowed speed limit,
updated before the train departs its terminal or via wireless the brakes are applied to stop the train. The onboard
data links. The track data can also be used to calculate computer also monitors various locomotive systems such as
braking curves based on the grade profile. The navigation power and brakes, and automatically sends diagnostic and
system can use fixed track beacons or differential GPS alarm data to the control center when appropriate.
stations combined with wheel rotation to accurately The train may be able to detect the status of (and
determine the train's location on the line accurately within a sometimes control) wayside devices, for example switch
few feet. positions. This information is sent to the control center to
further define the train's safe movements. Text messages
V. EQUIPMENT AT THE CONTROL CENTER and alarm conditions may also be automatically and
A data radio provides communications between the manually exchanged between the train and the control
control center and the train. Microprocessor-based central center.
interlocking equipment performs safety logic.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
VIII. PTC: TECHNICAL LIMITATION From a purely technical standpoint, PTC will not prevent
Even where safety systems such as cab signaling have certain low speed collisions caused by Permissive block
been present for many decades, the freight railroad industry operation, accidents caused by trains "shoving" in reverse,
has been reluctant to fit speed control devices due to the derailments caused by track or train defect, grade crossing
often heavy-handed nature of such devices having an collisions, or collisions with previously derailed trains.
adverse effect on otherwise safe train operation. Wherever PTC is installed in absence of track circuit
The advanced processor-based speed control algorithms blocks, it will not detect broken rails, flooded tracks, or
found in PTC systems claim to be able to properly regulate cars that have been left or rolled onto the line.
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