RPC Application on Horton and Model Railway Computer Control Centre

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RPC Application on HortonandModel Railway
Computer Control Centre

• Stephen Parascandolo M1161
• Paul Durell
• Beckenham and West Wickham MRC

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Contents

• About Us
• Horton
• Crash Course in UK Railway Signalling
• RPC Application on Horton
• MRCCC Software
• Automatic Train Protection
• Computer Assisted Cab Control
• Future Developments
• Questions / Discussion

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Stephen Parascandolo

• Brunel University Graduate
• BEng (Hons), First Class, Computer Systems
  Engineering, 2003
• Senior Signalling Engineer
• GE Transportation Systems
• Design and configuration of modern VDU based
  signalling control centres and train describers
• Database Manager
• Member of Beckenham and West Wickham MRC
• Developed Horton since 1993
• Introduced signalling and electronics
• Webmaster of www.tramlink.co.uk
• MERG Member since 2000

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Paul Durell

• Senior Signalling Engineer
• British Rail/Amec/Balfour Beatty/Network Rail
  1987 to present
• Maintenance and Rapid Response to signalling
  systems, including On track points, track
  circuits and signals. Relay Room based control
  systems including Relay and electronic remote
  control via FDM and TDM
• I.R.S.E. Licensed Team Leader, Maintainer Fault
  Finder.
• Member of Beckenham and West Wickham MRC
• Involved in rebuild of Horton since 2003
• Developed CACC, PSUs and Controllers
• Wired Panel, Relay Room and some baseboards
• Requires MERG Membership Form!

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Horton

• 32 x 10 Modern Image OO
• All Round Viewing
• 6 Controller Cab Control
• 31 Main Signals (12 Shunt Signals)
• 68 Point Ends
• 142 Track Sections (88 Track Circuited)

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Modern UK Signalling Crash Course!

• Signals provided to protect against collisions
• Protecting Junctions
• Protecting the train ahead
• Drivers to obey signals
• Signallers to ensure safety and correct routing
  of trains

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Routes

• Exist from an Entry Signal to the next signal the
  train will come to, the Exit signal.
• Four Types
• Main
• Warner
• Shunt (Permissive)
• Call On (Permissive)
• Named after Entry Signal
• Letters for each destination, starting from the
  left

Route Entry Exit Line Indication
R1A(S) HN1 Sdg Siding PL
R1B(M) HN1 HN3 Main
R1C(M) HN1 HN11 Branch Pos 4
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Routes

• Signaller Calls Route by pressing ENtry Signal,
  followed by EXit signal (NX).
• Interlocking checks
• Route exists between Entrance and Exit
• No Conflicting Routes
• Any Points Required to move are Free
• Route is Clear using Track Circuits (unless
  permissive)
• Route then Calls Points
• Route Locks (White Lights displayed on line of
  route)
• Signal may clear but that is up to the signal!
• Signaller Can Cancel (Pull the Entrance Button)
• or
• TORR (Train Operated Route Release) Route
  Releases automatically as train traverses Route.
• Operation of an Auto Button, prevents TORR from
  taking place

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Signal Types

• Main
• If showing proceed aspect (not Red), line is
  clear to the next main signal.
• Subsidiary/Shunt
• Line may be occupied driver to be able to stop
  within distance that can be seen

• Controlled
• Route must be set by signaller before clearing
  and track circuits clear
• Automatic
• Will clear if track circuits are clear
• Main signals only

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Points

• Lie
• Normal
• Usually the main route, or the safest position.
• Points always drawn in the Normal Position on
  plans and panels.
• Reverse
• The opposite of Normal

• Point Key
• Normal
• Point Locked Normal
• Centre
• Point free for Route Setting
• Reverse
• Point Locked Reverse

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Track Circuits and Signals

• Track Circuits are used for train detection
• Track Circuits prove a section of track is clear.
• For Model Railways, we have the FTC

• Track Circuits used to control signal aspects
• Signal spacing designed to ensure a driver can
  run at line speed under green signals.
• Distance from sighting the first cautionary
  signal to the Red signal must be at least Braking
  Distance.

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RPC Application on Horton

• See Technical Bulletin G16/81

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Design gt Install gt Test

• A fully signalled model railway is complex. Dont
  build it before designing it!

• Track Layout Consider Operations
• Signalling Plan
• Cab Switching Requirements
• System Design
• RPC Stack
• RPC Addresses
• Cable Schematics (finalise what is on each
  baseboard first)
• Tag Strips
• Control Panel Design
• Documentation
• Control Centre Data
• Build / Install
• Test
• Rework

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Extract of Horton Signalling Plan
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Extract of Horton Relay Room Tagstrips
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Extract of HortonRPC Stack Design
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Model Railway Computer Control Centre

• History
• Started as a Brunel University Project in 2002-3
• Received a Final Year Project mark of 76 for
  MRCCC
• Enhanced the application since, following the
  expansion of the Horton RPC application
• Written in MS Visual Basic .NET 2003
• Open Source
• Three Modes
• Design Mode
• Test Mode
• Operate Mode
• Basics
• Grey Track Normal
• White Track Route Locked
• Red Track Track Occupied
• Indication and Control almost compliant with
  Network Rail Standards GK/RT/0025 and
  RT/E/S/17504 for VDU based control systems

MRCCC Website http//www.bwwmrc.co.uk/mrccc
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Model Railway Computer Control Centre

• Current Features
• VDU control of Model Railway signalling on a PC.
• User Configurable screen layout and interlocking
  conditions. Configuration is via Windows dialog
  boxes, which should be understood with a little
  signalling knowledge, and not with any kind of
  scripting language requiring computing knowledge.
• Full and comprehensive validation of all
  user-configured data with feedback at each stage
  on exactly why a layout is invalid or what is
  wrong with an entry just made.
• Test Mode provided for offline testing (without
  connecting the layout) of the full interlocking
  including the ability to simulate user and layout
  inputs and monitor all states within the system.
• Entry-Exit (NX) Route setting by mouse, calling
  all points as required.
• Auto Working buttons.
• Full automatic aspect sequencing for 2-, 3- and
  4-aspect colour light signalling (only basic
  sequencing provided, e.g. no flashing aspects).
• Point Keys.
• Call On/Shunt Exits buttons and position light
  aspects.
• Shunt Signals and permissive working.
• Facilities for Slots or Emergency Replacement
  controls.
• Real time display of track occupation, aspect and
  point position (detection not provided).
• Train Operated Route Release (simplified).
• Route Release (simplified).
• Full interlocking of conflicting Routes or
  occupied track circuits with comprehensive
  feedback to the signaller of why the interlocking
  has rejected a command.
• Multi-User support for large layouts.

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Model Railway Computer Control Centre

• Documentation Technical Bulletins
• G16/85 MRCCC Overview
• G16/86 MRCCC User Guide
• Obtaining MRCCC
• Download from www.bwwmrc.co.uk/mrccc
• .NET Framework required 20Mb from Microsoft
• Provide me with a CD-R and SAE
• System Requirements
• Dependent on .NET framework
• Works fine with Windows 2000 or XP
• Some problems reported with 98.
• Faster PC improves performance, especially for
  large layouts
• Older PCs, providing .NET framework runs, can run
  Client Application
• See the User Guide for more details
• Demonstration

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Computer AssistedCab Control

• Horton has Conventional Cab Control (6
  controllers) with Rotary Switches feeding section
  switches within each Cab Control Area
• Complex Layouts have problems with bi-directional
  lines and complex pointwork you have to select
  a lot of cabs to traverse junctions, and remember
  to put them back for straight running.
• CACC is the solution

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Computer AssistedCab Control

• Conventional Cab Control with Cab Rotary's on
  plain line outside the station.
• Left/Right switches in the platforms to choose
  which end of station to get power from.
• Computer picks relays for each point to route
  power through junction.
• Controller allocated automatically as the route
  is set

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Computer AssistedCab Control

• A big improvement, but we forgot to set the
  left/right switches correctly each time.
• They have been replaced with left/right relays,
  operated by the MRCCC software on the PC, based
  on the route setting.
• The following logic was implemented in MRCCC
  data, and has ATP and ATP logic for the
  platforms built in.
• Entry-Exit Route setting now allocates all the
  power automatically. Demonstration!

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Automatic Train Protection (ATP)

• To prevent a train from passing a critical signal
  at danger, sections approaching signals have an
  ATP relay in their feed.
• The computer picks this relay if
• The signal is not Red, or
• A route is set through the section in the reverse
  direction, or
• The signal is red, a route is set from the
  signal, and the berth and replacement track
  circuits are occupied (i.e. train passing
  signal), or
• The Override Push Switch is depressed.

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Automatic Train Protection (ATP)

• With multiple powered bogies, or motors in the
  middle or rear of a train, ATP can be
  ineffective.
• The train can be pushed past the isolated
  section.
• The ATP relay isolates several sections (UA in
  the example) approaching a signal, once the berth
  track circuit (UB in the example) becomes
  occupied.
• This allows a train to approach a signal at red,
  but then isolate the whole train until it clears.
  

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Traction Power Wiring

• Bringing all these features together
• Extract of complete Traction Power Wiring diagram
  for Horton

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Future Development Ideas

• Train Describer
• MRCCC Client ported to wireless Pocket PC
• Transmission of signal aspects to drivers via
  Pocket PC.
• DCC for Traction Power. DCC brake command issued
  if ATP relay not energised smoother stopping.
• Speed Profile generation for each train in MRCCC
• Automatic operation of selected trains MRCCC
  talks to DCC Command Station
• Supervision of manually driven trains to keep
  within safe speed profile
• Hours of fun ahead

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Questions and Discussion

• Fire Away!