INSTITUTION OF RAILWAY SIGNAL ENGINEERS

2020 EXAMINATION

MODULE 3 - SIGNALLING PRINCIPLES

TIME ALLOWED - 1 1/2 HOURS

ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS, ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS

WRITE ON ONE SIDE OF THE PAPER ONLY, AND NUMBER EACH SHEET THAT
YOU USE CONSECUTIVELY

COMMENCE YOUR ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION ON A NEW SHEET OF PAPER

ANSWER SHEETS WILL BE PHOTOCOPIED – PLEASE USE ONLY BLACK INK

Question 1

Please read these notes carefully if you choose to answer question 1:

If you have brought your own blank control tables to use for question 1 then these must be
checked by the invigilator prior to use.
If your control table entries include numbered ‘standard’ notes, then you must show the
examiner that you know the meaning of the numbers you have used, a reference to where you
found them is not sufficient.
Control table entries involving time are more likely to get marks if the value is reasonably close
than if it is entered as just ‘t’. You won’t lose marks for a difference of a few seconds but you
should show that you know the difference between 5 seconds and 30.
You are not required to include a drawn/checked/issued and date box.
If your interlocking is part electric/electronic and part mechanical, the locking for both should
be shown.

Using layout 3:

a) Give the full interlocking and controls for the following signalled routes:
107C(M) and 122C(C)

b) Give the full interlocking and controls for the following points:
506 [22 marks]
c) State which railway’s practice you have followed and any assumptions you have made.
[3 marks]

Paper continues on next page.

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Question 2

A Railway Administration which uses a cab signalling system with fixed balises or beacons is
seeking to replace the physical assets (balises/beacons) by generating the equivalent messages
based on GNSS (such as GPS) locations.

a) List potential problems with reliance on GNSS and describe how these may affect the
reliable and accurate triggering of the virtual balise/beacon messages. [8 marks]

b) The railway concerned starts at a five track terminal station with an overall roof. It is
then a two track railway over 100km with a number of passing loops and a tunnel.
Discuss any challenges such a railway may present to the use of GNSS. [8 marks]

c) Propose how the issues might be minimised through good design, alternative systems or
the retention of limited physical assets. [9 marks]

Question 3

A railway uses Automatic Train Operation (ATO) with a driver in the leading cab of the train.
Drivers experience long periods of automatic operation without needing to undertake any
driving or station stop management.

a) Identify the risks associated with this form of operation when the driver needs to take
control of the train. [5 marks]

b) Propose a design philosophy for the use of ATO into an occupied platform where trains
need to combine, explaining your rationale. [10 marks]

c) Describe the measures you would take to be confident that the railway could be
operated safely in event of failure of the ATO system. [10 marks]

Question 4

A railway administration plans to build a new train control centre with a fully integrated traffic
management system.

a) List the key functions/capabilities of the new traffic management system within the train
control centre. [8 marks]

b) Discuss the benefits and dis-benefits of centralised control compared to local signal
boxes. [8 marks]

c) What are the potential issues when migrating the control of existing legacy systems to
the new traffic management system and how these can be resolved? [9 marks]

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Question 5

A set of points is controlled by a local object controller which causes the points to move in
response to commands from the interlocking and reports the status of the points.

a) The local object controller stores the required position of the points and applies power
to restore the point position if detection/proving is lost. List, with brief reasons, the
advantages and disadvantages of such an arrangement. [8 marks]

b) The local object controller has a facility for a site technician or operator to command the
points to move to either position. What precautions, and why, would you put in place
around the use of such a facility? [9 marks]

c) In the event that the communication with the interlocking is lost, there is a desire, for
performance of the railway, that an auxiliary system can command the points. As the
principles engineer for this proposed change discuss any issues that need to be
addressed and the controls you would expect to be in place. [8 marks]

Question 6

A level crossing exists where a minor road crosses a rural, two track railway. The train service
is typically one train an hour in each direction.

a) Describe the features and equipment for the level crossing which you consider to be
appropriate for such a situation, with reasons. [10 marks]

b) Due to engineering works on another route, four extra trains in each direction will be
required to run on some days. Discuss any new or changed risks associated with the
level crossing. [8 marks]

c) List some potential mitigations to manage the new or changed risks and discuss their
effectiveness. [7 marks]

Question 7

Locking of a route for an approaching train prevents conflicting routes being set or points
moved.

a) Discuss whether this approach locking should be proved to be applied before the train is
authorised to take the route. [7 marks]

b) Describe how a relay based system might prove the locking has been applied. [6 marks]

c) The locking needs to be released for a train which is no longer going to enter the route.
Describe two alternative sets of principles for this release explaining how they manage
any risks. [12 marks]

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Question 8

There are many signalling systems in use including semaphore, colour light 3-aspect, 4-aspect,
distance based, speed based and cab signalling.

a) For two signalling systems/arrangements you are familiar with describe how a transition
between them should be arranged (in both directions) giving reasons. [10 marks]

b) A railway is progressively introducing cab signalling. Considering particularly drivers

and signallers, what issues need to be considered where train journeys are mainly in a
cab signalled area? [7 marks]

c) In an area of lineside signalling adjacent to the cab signalling area, the frequency of
signals passed at danger rises. List possible reasons for this and discuss potential
mitigations. [8 marks]

Question 9

A railway comprises a line where trains operate at speeds up to 200km/h.

a) For a signalling system you are familiar with, describe the lineside aspects displayed to
the driver, their meaning and the rules regarding their relative positioning along the line.
[5 marks]

b) Discuss the risks that the positioning rules are designed to address. [6 marks]

c) A new diverging junction is introduced into the line with a turnout speed of 60km/h.
Describe the risks that need to be managed as a result. [6 marks]

d) Describe what lineside aspects would be provided to the driver for all routes through the
new junction and discuss how effective they are at managing the risks. [8 marks]

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Question 10

A cab signalling system is being introduced that provides speed information in the cab of some
trains. Lineside signals are retained for trains not fitted with the cab signalling system. Three
options are proposed for the display on the lineside signals when a cab signalling system fitted
train is approaching:

Option 1 the normal signalling aspects are displayed

Option 2 the signals will show aspects consistent with the movement authority but no
route indications and no approach release conditions
Option 3 the signals will show a different coloured aspect not used for normal trains that
will be lit when a cab signalling system fitted train is approaching but gives no
movement authority.
a) List the advantages and disadvantages for each of the above options. Your answer
should consider staff other than drivers who may use signals as part of their duties.
[9 marks]

b) Selecting one of the dual signalling options above, describe how a cab signalling fitted
train could transition from an adjacent section of railway which is conventionally
signalled to cab signalling in the dual fitted area. Your answer should describe the
signalling aspects shown, any additional signage required, and the actions required by
the driver both in normal circumstances and in the event of a train failing to
communicate with the cab signalling system. [8 marks]

c) For the same option you described in b) describe the transition for trains leaving the cab
signalling in the dual fitted area to enter a conventionally signalled area. [8 marks]

End of paper

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