Upgrading from a CTC into a CBTC system in a dense traffic heavyhaul

Transcription

1 Upgrading from a CTC into a CBTC system in a dense traffic heavyhaul railroad 1. Vieira, Paulo Train Control Systems Expert (MRS Logística S.A.) 2. Bittencourt, Paulo Roberto Senior Project Manager (MRS Logística S.A.) 3. Fonseca, Sérgio - Senior Signaling Engineer (MRS Logística S.A.) 4. Mathias, Ivaldo Lopes - Senior Train Engineer Supervisor (MRS Logística S.A.) Summary: MRS Logistica S/A, a large Brazilian heavy haul railroad that connects the three largest Brazilian cities - São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte - has started to deploy in 2007 a recently acquired CBTC (Communications Based Train Control) system, known as SIACO (Integrated Operations Control and Automation System), to replace existing signaling and control systems that are based on a CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) architecture. As a premise, the new system should have a deployment plan where the new system would have to coexist with the existing CTC system, in a way that the deployment process would be transparent to the railroad operation (no impacts, no unsafe operation). This paper presents the most important challenges faced so far along the development and deployment of the SIACO system, describing the engineering solutions designed to overcome them, like the strategy for a gradual deployment, the coexistence with the existent CTC system and the operation of non-equipped trains in a CBTC area. The SIACO system has started to operate in a Pilot area in May of 2008 and it s expected to be fully deployed at all the railroad extension by Index Terms: CBTC, Train Control, Heavy Haul operation. 1. INTRODUCTION MRS Logística is a concessionary that controls, operates and monitors the Brazilian Southeastern Federal Railroad Network, formerly owned by the government, as a branch of the National Railroad Network. The company has been in operation in cargo railway transportation since It interconnects the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The company has 1,674 km of railways that make the transportation process easier in a region that concentrates approximately 65% of Brazil's gross domestic product and is home to the largest industries in the country. Through MRS' railways you can also reach the ports of Sepetiba and Santos (the most important in Latin America). Four main railroad lines compose MRS as shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Simplified Map of the MRS railroad lines 1.1 Description of MRS Lines

2 MRS Logística railroad is composed of four major lines as described below: Center Line (Linha Centro): It starts in Belo Horizonte and goes to Rio de Janeiro passing through Juiz de Fora, in Minas Gerais State (566 km). Besides transporting goods to the Rio de Janeiro port area, it also transports steel manufactured products from the CSN steel plant in the city of Volta Redonda (RJ) and cement from other cities in Minas Gerais. This line is also used to run empty iron ore trains to the Belo Horizonte area; Steel Line (Ferrovia do Aço): It starts in the city of Itabirito, at Minas Gerais State, crosses the Center Line and goes to the city of Barra Mansa, at Rio de Janeiro State, connecting to the São Paulo Line (370 km). This line is used mostly to transport iron ore from the Belo Horizonte area to the Guaíba and Sepetiba ports, at the Rio de Janeiro area and also to the CSN plant in Volta Redonda and COSIPA plant in the city of Cubatão (SP); São Paulo Line (Linha de São Paulo): It's located between the cities of Barra do Piraí, at the Rio de Janeiro State and the city of São Paulo (400 km). This line is used to transport mostly steel manufactured goods, cement, containers and iron ore to/from the Santos- Jundiai Line; Santos-Jundiaí Line (Linha Santos-Jundiaí): It starts in the city of Jundiaí (SP) to the Santos port area, crossing the city of São Paulo (139 km). This line is used for general freight transport (like grains and Soya beans and containers with mixed goods) from the São Paulo country side areas to the Santos port area. It also runs the iron ore trains that have final destination at the COSIPA plant in the city of Cubatão (SP). 1.2 The acquisition of a new Train Control System After some studies, MRS concluded, in 2004, that it was mandatory to replace its existing signaling systems, that were based on a CTC architecture from the 60 s and 70 s, as those were not capable anymore to expand and to handle the traffic density that MRS would have to face in the upcoming years, due to the aggressive transportation demand. At the end of eighteen months of a tender process, MRS signed a contract with a consortium formed by Alstom Transportation and EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) as main providers of a new Train Control system the SIACO (Integrated Operation Control and Automation System) [1]. 1.3 The SIACO system The SIACO system is a CBTC system, equivalent to ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 2, even though it s not fully compliant to ETCS. Figure 2 below depicts the system and its components. Figure 2: Architectural diagram of the SIACO System The SIACO system is composed of four major components: Integrated Operational Control Center (CCOI, in Portuguese). Responsible for the integration of the information coming from all systems involved with the railroad traffic control operation and the corporate systems. It also provides tools to control and optimize train traffic along the railroad to train Dispatchers, Supervisors and Maintenance personnel among other users in the Control Center; Signaling and Control System (SSC, in Portuguese). Responsible for the signaling system of the railroad. It is composed of a Safety Logic Subsystem (SLS) component in the Center side, and Object Controllers (OCs) in the field. The OC interfaces with physical signaling components such as switching machines, track circuits, derailment detectors and grade crossings. In the final system configuration, all the signal aspects of the existing CTC system installed along the line will be removed as the

3 new signaling system interacts with the onboard component of the locomotives; Onboard Control System (SCB, in Portuguese). Responsible to provide a human machine interface (HMI) - essentially a conventional computer device (OBC Onboard Computer) that allows Train Conductors to interact with the system. The SCB shall also guarantee the safe movement of trains through a vital component - the ATC (Automatic Train Control) - that enforces train movements according to the SSC authorizations. The SCB also provides non-vital features that implement operational procedures and monitors train operations, increasing the efficiency, safety and predictability of the railroad operation. Another component of the SCB - the Event Recorder - is responsible to acquire locomotive data in real time for telemetry purpose. Wireless Data and Voice Communication System (STT, in Portuguese). Responsible to provide wireless data services along the entire railroad. The STT must guarantee sufficient coverage, reliability, and availability levels so that, efficient dispatching and monitoring of circulating trains can occur. The MRS s fiber optic backbone provides the physical means of communication along the entire railroad network. Radio Base Stations (RBS) installed along the line provide the communication coverage. The STT provides voice communication as well. STT uses a TETRA (Terrestrial Trunking Radio) technology. 2. THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIACO SYSTEM The project team was assigned to handle a very challenging task deploy the new system in a safe manner, without interfering with the production of the railroad. Many issues make it a complex task, as listed below: The railroad operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; Very intense traffic density; Extension of the railroad line (1,674 kilometers long); Heavy field deployment (new signaling and telecommunication components being installed in the field); Deployment of SCBs at all the railroad fleet (locomotives and service units); Training of all the Train Conductors, CCOI Operators and Maintenance Staff; Development/acquisition in time of hardware and software components. A first and obvious conclusion was that the system couldn t be deployed all at once. Deployment would have to be done in gradual steps, as progress is made in the field (installation of RBSs and OCs) and onboard of locomotives and service units. It would also demand a tight coordination with the training of the system operators and with the software development. Once this strategy had been set, major technical questions had to be properly addressed: Define and coordinate a logical deployment sequence in the field; Be able to operate trains equipped and nonequipped with the SCB in a CBTC controlled area; Handle the boundary between CTC and CBTC territories so trains move safely and continuously from one territory to another. 2.1 Staging the deployment in gradual steps The deployment of the SIACO system was driven by the following guidelines: Define a sequential deployment along the railroad line, to avoid fragmentation of the operation; Start the deployment in more critical areas of the railroad, e.g., areas where the density of trains was higher. The second aspect was somehow controversial there were some debate on where to start the deployment of the system. Initially, the project team thought it would be better to start the deployment in lower density areas as it would reduce the risk of interrupting the production of the railroad, however, the pressure to increase the production of the railroad made this decision to change to the highest density area of the railroad, even being riskier. In the final arrangement, the deployment of the system in the field was split into five sections, as shown in Figure 3.

4 The Pilot Track was strategically selected for the following reasons: The line is doubled - in case of contingency, trains could run in one direction in one line and at the other direction at the other line, so the railroad production would suffer less impact; The topography of the line is favorable (flat track) it would bring less risk specially to the communication system; The access to the railroad lines is easy it would make support services more agile when needed. All the other four Sections of the railroad were also split into Deployment Groups, keeping the strategy of a continuous deployment of the project. Figure 3 Sequence of Deployment of the SIACO system The First Deployment Section was still a large piece of the railroad it contained 4 huge yards and more than 20 sidings. Then, it had also to be split into smaller areas - Deployment Groups formed by a set of sequential yards that the operational staff considered comfortable to handle at once when switching to the new system. Smaller areas would also be more favorable to be better assisted by the project team. The First Section was split into four Deployment Groups, as shown in Figure Coexisting with the existing CTC Signaling System the Overlay solution The installation of the SCBs at all the MRS fleet would demand a long time to happen as locomotives and service units couldn t be equipped all at once. Even with an aggressive deployment schedule, where many installation sites were set, locomotives couldn t be taken from the production line only for the purpose of installation of onboard equipment the full onboard installation takes 7 working days. It was, then, necessary to synchronize the onboard installation with the locomotive s maintenance plans, so when a locomotive stops for maintenance, the installation is performed in parallel. It was also necessary to design a deployment strategy that could be split so, if a train stops just two days at a shop, the installation starts and stops unfinished when the locomotive has to leave the shop, to be finalized next time the locomotive returns to a shop. So, at the beginning of the operation of the Pilot Track, just a few locomotives would be fully equipped to operate in CBTC mode and then, as most of the trains entering the Pilot Track wouldn t have a fully equipped locomotive as leader, the system would have to accommodate both operations CTC and CBTC. Figure 4 Breakdown of the First Deployment Section The First Deployment Group of the First Section was also defined as the Pilot Track of the project. At the Pilot Track, the project team performed all the field tests before the new system was released to start being operated. Figure 5 below illustrates how equipped and nonequipped trains would have to operate simultaneously at a CBTC controlled territory.

5 decommissioned and the Overlay solution will not be necessary anymore. 2.3 Handling Boundary Transition Issues Figure 5 Coexistence of equipped and non-equipped trains in a CBTC territory To make this operation possible, it was necessary to implement an Overlay solution, in a way that, even in a CBTC controlled territory, the CTC system would be still somehow alive, at least when concerning the signal aspects in the field. As the new signaling system would still rely on the existing track circuits (the new CBTC system is fixed block based [1]), the simplest solution was a direct vital interface between the OCs and the existing CTC relays that control the signal aspects. Overall, the system works according the following steps: The Dispatcher at the Control Center issues a train movement authorization; The CCOI component sends a route command to the SSC; The OC checks the interlocking and commands the switching machine; Once the switching machine is locked, the OC issues a command to the CTC Relays to actuate the signal aspect; The SSC returns to the CCOI the indication of the aligned route; If the train is equipped with a SCB, the SSC sends to the ATC the information of the movement authorization issued; The ATC receives the movement authorization and informs it to the OBC, that display the instructions regarding the movement authorization to the Train Conductor. The ATC enforces the train movement accordingly. In fact, while the Overlay solution is still operational, the signal aspects will always display the aspect according to the route issued, regardless the train has a SCB or not. The Overlay solution will have to remain operational until the entire locomotive and service unit fleets (or at least the majority of these fleets) is equipped with the SCB. Once it happens, the signal aspects can be Operational interfaces in a railroad are always a concern, especially when it regards train operation. The interface designed at the SIACO to handle the boundary from CTC to CBTC territories and viceversa combined human operation and system automation so, trains are allowed to move safely from one control territory to another without stopping or even reducing the train speed. The sequence of events designed in the SIACO system to handle the CBTC boundary works as the following: At Step 1, the train is still in a CTC controlled territory. The SCB is already turned on, but, as the system has not yet entered the Transfer Zone, the ATC is in a Deactivated Mode, e.g., ATC cannot yet enforce train movements and no instructions are prompted to the Train Conductor at the SCB; When the train enters the communication area (STT Coverage), the SCB starts a system validation process, communicating with the CCOI; At Step 2, when the SCB identifies, through the GPS position, that it has entered the Transfer Zone, the ATC switches to Permissive Mode. At a Permissive Mode, the ATC requires the Train Conductor to acknowledge this condition periodically; otherwise it penalizes the train; According to operational procedures and also guided by physical indication in the field, the Train Conductor is required to announce the train to the Control Center, through the SCB; The Dispatcher issues a train movement authorization, allowing the train to enter the CBTC territory; At Step 3, when the train occupies the first CBTC controlled block, the ATC switches to a Normal Mode. At a Normal Mode, the ATC enforces train movements according to the authorizations it has received. Figure 7 illustrates how an equipped train moves from a CTC to a CBTC territory.

6 If these people-related issues are not handled properly, even a great technical solution may not succeed. 3.1 Change Management Project To get people and actually the whole company ready for the new system, MRS decided to start a Change Management Project in parallel with the technical development of the system. Figure 7 Boundary Transition from a CTC to a CBTC controlled territory Some notes on the Boundary Transition process described above have to be stated, for completeness: Non-equipped trains don t require any special procedures to be followed by Train Conductors during the transition, as they have to rely on the signal aspects along the line; The transition from a CBTC to a CTC controlled territory is slightly different, but follows the same principles system automation processes triggered mainly on the train position and operational procedures that operators have to follow; The system has protections in case procedures are not followed properly. For instance, if a Dispatcher doesn t authorize a train to enter a CBTC territory and the train tries to enter the CBTC territory unauthorized, the system issues alarms at the CCOI and, if the train is equipped with an SCB, it issues alarms onboard and also penalizes the train. 3. PREPARING PEOPLE FOR TRANSITION The deployment of such a complex and comprehensive system is much more than just a technical challenge. Maybe as hard as or even harder than overcoming the technical challenges, is preparing people for a new way to operate the railroad. Relations among areas and people will change, new technology will be deployed and processes will also change. People must also be trained in the new technology and in the new tools of the new system. Specific resources were allocated to develop a Change Management Project, defining strategies and goals to be achieved simultaneously with the technical development of the SIACO system. The strategy adopted used a progressive involvement process, where people were initially introduced to new technological concepts and oriented to a new process view and advanced to a point where roles and relations were redefined and processes were fully redesigned by the final users themselves, once they felt they were already able to envision all the potential capabilities and resources the new system would provide them. 3.2 Training Program Besides understanding the new concepts, redefining roles, relations and processes, people would ultimately have to pass through specific and detailed technical training sessions with the new tools and technology, to be able to operate and maintain the new system. As the new system essentially touches all the operational areas of the railroad, a huge training program had to be planned. The training program also had to be coordinated with the system deployment, once it happens in gradual steps, e.g., the system is not deployed all at once at all the railroad lines. It also demanded a huge effort to get operational people in the field involved and operational schedules organized with the training needs. 4. CURRENT STAGE OF THE PROJECT AND CONCLUSIONS As of February, 2009 the system is operational in the first two groups of the First Deployment Section, where it started to be deployed in May, The Overlay and the Boundary Handling implementations are working perfectly fine as

7 designed. The deployment of the project is still following the strategy described in this paper and the system is expected to be fully deployed by The good results obtained with the actual operation of the system using the solutions and strategies presented in this paper, have shown that they can be, at some extent, applied to similar projects. 5. REFERENCES [1] Vieira, P. et al, MRS Railroad Integrated Control and Operations System SIACO - an approach to a CBTC Project for a Heavy Haul Railroad, International Heavy-Haul Association Conference Proceedings, 2007.