Peter Brackett- Canadian Pacific Railway Robert MacMillan- CSX Railroad

1

Keeping Signals WorkingWhat it Takes!Improving
Standby Power For Railway Signals
Communication Systems

• Peter Brackett- Canadian Pacific RailwayRobert
  MacMillan- CSX Railroad
• Earl Chapman Railway Consultant, (previously CN)

2
Communication And Signals are Up
Against Lightning
3
Blackout Aug 2003
4
Communication And Signals are Up Against
NatureQuebec Ice Storm
5
Communication And Signals are Up Against

• Hurricanes

6
Communication And Signals are Up Against

• Lightning and other surge energy
• AC Power Failures- Short Term
• AC Power Failures- Long Term
• Power Line Faults
• Power Line Induction Problemsenergy coupled
  from adjacent Power lines into the rail
• Keeping Equipment Cool / Warm

7
Communication And Signals Changes

• Relays to Electronics

8
Signals 101
Battery-
Electronics_
9
Signals 101
Battery-
Electronics_
Surge Protection Device
Remote Earth
10
Surge Protection

• First Line of Defence against Surges is
• SPDs- Surge Suppression Devices
• Purpose to clamp the Voltage rise on a
  conductor and hence shunt the incoming energy to
  a safe alternative path rather than through your
  equipment

11
Surge Energy Damage
Surge Protection Devices SPDs
12
To Understand Surge Protection You Need to Know

• The amount of incoming energy is proportional to
  the size of the conductor

13
Surge Energy Conductor Size

• Smallest Conductor22 Gauge Telephone WireHence
  smallest protector

14
Surge Energy Conductor Size

• Medium - AC Power

15
Surge Energy Conductor Size

• Largest Conductor Rail most energydesigned
  for 10,000 Amps Current

16
Surge Energy Conductor Size

• Remote Earth Connection Groundlargest
  exposure
• Energy can go out or come back in through the
  remote earth connection and the AC powers
  Neutral Line

17
Examples of Ground Surge Damage
18
Signals 101
Battery-
Electronics_
SPDs1000V
Remote Earth
19
Metal Reference WallLow Impedance Reference
Plane SPDsLIRP- CPR Initiative
20
Communication And Signals are Up Against Power
Line Faults
21
15,000V Power Line On Rail
22
Recent Improvements for Power Reliability

• Moving off open wire pole lines

23
Standby Switch Power
24
Recent CPR_Improvements for Power Reliability

• Adding transfer switches and external generators
  plugs to buildings to make it
• Easier, Faster and much safer to connect an
  external generator
• Bus Mounted SPD

25
CSX Recent Improvements
AC Power protected by MOV in Faraday Box
26
The Highway Crossing Warning Systems Power Issue

• Crossing Lights are Normally Dark
• Must be lit to indicate a warning to the motorist
• Hence, Standby Power is a crucial part of the
  system when AC power fails
• FRA Stats indicate that power failures are
  concern

27
Required Standby Power for Crossing Warning
Systems

• Required by
• FRA
• Regulation
• 234.215or Transport
• Canada Rail Safety Act 26.1-.2

28
Summary

• Power systems are an important asset
• Batteries are a key element
• Maintenance and testing is necessary to get the
  maximum performance
• Automated Capacity Testing has potential to
  improve power systems reliability

29
Summary How CS Are Addressing

• Lightning and other surge energy
• AC Power Failures- Short Term
• AC Power Failures- Long Term
• Power Line Faults
• Power Line Induction Problemsenergy coupled
  from adjacent Power lines into the rail Blue
  Book-EPRI
• Keeping Equipment Cool / Warm

30
Keeping Signals WorkingWhat it Takes!

• Peter Brackett- Canadian Pacific
  RailwayPeter_Brackett_at_cpr.caChair ARMEA C38
• http//www.arema.org/comm/c38.htm
• Robert MacMillan- CSX
• Robert_MacMillan_at_csx.com
• Earl Chapman Consultant
• earl.chapman_at_sympatico.ca