Canadian Rail Traffic Control Fundamentals Sean Robitaille - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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William W. Hay Railroad Engineering Seminar

“Canadian Rail Traffic Control Fundamentals”

Sean Robitaille

Transportation Engineer CN

Date: Friday, April 10, 2015 Time: Seminar Begins 12:20 Location: Newmark Lab, Yeh Center, Room 2311 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Canadian Rail Traffic Control Fundamentals

Sean Robitaille CN Transportation Engineer University of Illinois William W. Hay Railroad Engineering Seminar April 10, 2015

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Presentation Overview

• The framework for Canadian control

systems

• Control without signals
• Automatic Block Signals
• Centralized Traffic Control
• Interlocking
• Questions

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Rail Traffic Control Framework

• Canada: Canadian Rail Operating Rules, as
• verseen by Transport Canada
• Complete document available on web

http://www.railcan.ca/assets/images/regulations/rules/CANADIAN_RAIL_OPERATING_RULES__ENGLISH__TC_O_0-167.pdf

• Provides the parameters

by which to operate all railways in Canada

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Rail Traffic Control Framework

• How did a single rule book evolve for an

entire country?

– Early amalgamation into two transcon networks – CP network effectively complete by 1915 – CN created from bankrupt roads by 1924 – Individual railroad rulebooks approved by Canadian Board of Transport Commisioners until... – Uniform Code of Operating Rules 1962

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Rail Traffic Control Framework

• Railway Specific Instructions

– Company-tailored rulebook – Employee Time Table

• Provides specific instruction for
• peration on a rail company’s

individual lines of track

– “Subdivisions” – Yards/Terminals

• Identifies method of control

and who oversees the application of rules

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Rail Traffic Control Framework

• Sample Subdivision page from time table

Traffic Control Method Number of Main Tracks Station Names Siding Location and Length Direction

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Basic Control – Non Main Track

• Movement governed by CROR 105
• Trains operate at ‘reduced’ speed, being

able to stop in half the range of vision of equipment, red flag or end-of-track

• A ‘main track’ can be designated as

Cautionary Limits (CROR 94) and be

• perated as yard track
• Typical application:

– Yards – Spur tracks – Customer sidings

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Basic Control – Non Main Track

• Non main track switches identified by

yellow targets

• ‘Subdivision Track’ used to denote ‘through

track’ at a location instead of yard limits

Yellow target indicates switch is lined for diverging route

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Basic Control – Main Track

• Rail Traffic Controller (RTC) supervises and

directs traffic on specified territory

• Most basic CROR system for main track

authority is called “Occupancy Control System” (OCS)

• Similar to ‘Track Authority’

method of operation on CN in US, or TWC territory elsewhere

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Provision to operate OCS

using CROR 301 – 315

• Authority to use main

track in effect until clearance:

– Fulfilled – Cancelled – Superseded

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Procedure to operate trains at main track

speeds without any signal protection

• Each train movement and trackwork

personnel must have authority to occupy the main track

• Rail Traffic Controller (RTC) oversees the
• peration and issues authority to use main

track

OCS Control Screen

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Main track authority limits defined by

identifiable railway features:

– Milepost – Station Sign – Marked turnouts (ends of sidings, junctions)

Milepost Station Sign

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

Addressed to Wait instruction Direction to operate Bidirectional authority Instruction regarding

• ther authorities

Turnout Status Turnout Permissions Authority Completed Authority Cancelled

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Turnouts generally

manually operated – some may have push button

• r radio controls
• Efficiency of system dependent on:

– Forward thinking by train crew – Workload/responsiveness of Rail Traffic Controller – Effectiveness of radio tower communication system

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Example of OCS operation – time table

station table

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Main Track – Occupancy Control System

• Example of OCS operation – track diagram

Station Sign ‘other track’ Train (authorized to ‘Work’) Siding East Switch Kitchener Siding 13,550’ Switch Station Sign Switch Main Track Siding West Switch Kitchener

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Signal Overlay for Main Track

• CROR provides for three methods of

movement utilizing signals:

– ABS (CROR 505-515) – CTC (CROR 560-578) – Interlocking (CROR 601-620)

• ABS and interlocking common

since WWI

• CTC first installed in early 1920s in USA

with first significant installations implemented during WWII

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Signal Overlay for Main Track

• Signal Aspects & Indications provided by

CROR 405-440 – speed signal system

Letter Markers (“L”, “DV”, “R”) used to upgrade certain indications

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Automatic Block Signals

• ABS currently only utilized by CP

– Single track in Ontario and Alberta – Double track in Ontario and Quebec

• Application essentially identical to US

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Automatic Block Signals

• ABS usage covered by CROR 505-515
• Used in conjunction with OCS Rules

– ABS provides the broken rail and following/head

• n train protection

– OCS provides the authority for movement/occupancy

• All signals identified with

number plates for identification

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Centralized Traffic Control

• Canadian implementation of CTC followed

the experiences of the US roads from 1920- 1940

• First installation on CP Medicine Hat –

Dunmore (Alberta) 6-mile hill in 1928

• CN commissioned first

long distance (185 miles) single track CTC Moncton- Halifax during WWII to help with war effort

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Centralized Traffic Control

• CTC installed on the core main lines and by

the two heavy haul iron ore railroads in Quebec / Labrador

Western Canada (CTC highlighted) Eastern Canada

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Centralized Traffic Control

• Example of CN RTC-II panel track layout

Main Track Station Name Controlled Signals Power Switches Trains

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Centralized Traffic Control

• Typical plan view of a single track CTC

arrangement – basically identical to US installations

Controlled Locations Intermediate Signals Station Name (identifier only) Industry track Manual Entry/Exit

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Centralized Traffic Control

• Canadian railroads have physically

identified all signals with number plates to facilitate written authority procedures

Provides unique and efficient method to identify signals Controlled Signals Signal Number plate

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Centralized Traffic Control

• Written authority required:

– To pass a controlled signal at stop (CROR 564) – To work between defined signals – To enter main track at hand-operated switch

CN CTC Authority document

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Interlocking Control

• CROR 601-620 govern interlocking
• peration
• Four main types of interlockings in CROR:

– Manual – by special instruction only – Locally controlled – local tower operation – Remotely controlled – by RTC at control center – Automatic – simple diamonds

• CROR 620 provides for non-interlocked

crossings or movable bridges

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Interlocking Control-Evolution

• West Toronto interlocking

circa 1923 – locally controlled CN/CP crossing

• West Toronto circa 2012

remotely controlled interlocking (CP RTC)

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Interlocking Control

• Locally controlled interlocking

– Toronto – Scott Street Tower

Opened June 1931 78 signal levers 84 switch levers 192 levers total

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Future Control Systems

• CROR provides for “Special Control System”

(SCS)

– Basic framework provided by CROR 351-353 – Will be used to implement new methods of control as they are developed – OCS was originally implemented through this method

• Currently no mandate or requirement to

implement PTC in Canada

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Conclusion

• Canadian railroads continue to make a

single-rulebook methodology work

• Hardware effectively identical to US
• Canada-US procedural differences for
• perating authorities will likely remain in

force