Method for mixed operation of a section of railroad line with switch, and section of line and switch

Abstract

In a method for mixed operation of a section of railroad line, the section of line is trafficable by trains equipped with a train control system, and by trains not equipped with this train control system. The section of line is provided with a switch so that in the event that a train not equipped with the train control system is to enter the section of line from the direction of a side track, the section of line is indicated as occupied. The occupied indication is triggered by a first throwing of the switch in the direction of the side track. After the train not equipped with the train control system has passed through, the occupied indication is canceled. The cancelation is triggered by a second throwing of the switch. After throwing of the switch, a clearing run is carried out on the section of line by an equipped train.

Claims

1. A method for mixed operation of a section of railroad line, the section of railroad line being trafficable by trains equipped with a train control system and by trains not equipped with the train control system and the section of railroad line being provided with at least one switch, which comprises the steps of: indicating the section of railroad line as occupied in an event that a train not equipped with the train control system is to enter the section of railroad line from a direction of a side track, wherein an occupied indication is triggered by a first throwing of the switch in the direction of the side track; cancelling the occupied indication after the train not equipped with the train control system has passed through, a cancelation being triggered by a second throwing of the switch in a direction of the section of railroad line; and carrying out a track clearing run at a reduced speed of operation to ensure that the driver of the equipped train can make a visual inspection to allow timely braking in the event of obstacles on the section of line using a train equipped with the train control system, by either: after the second throwing of the switch, carrying out the track clearing run on the section of railroad line using the train equipped with the train control system before the section of railroad line is released for operation by the trains equipped with the train control system; or prior to the second throwing of the switch, carrying out the track clearing run using the train equipped with the train control system from the direction of the side track before the section of railroad line is released for operation by the trains equipped with the train control system after the second throwing of the switch.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises cancelling a released for operation by the trains equipped with the train control system if a position of the switch is not known.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after each throwing of the switch in the direction of the section of railroad line, a derail on the side track is activated which prevents the side track from being traversed.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises controlling an operation on the side track by track safety equipment other than the train control system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the train control system is a communications-based train control (CBTC) system.

6. A section of railroad line, comprising: a train control system where the section of railroad line being trafficable by trains equipped with said train control system and by trains not equipped with said train control system; at least one switch, and an occupied indication for the section of railroad line can be triggered by a first throwing of said switch in a direction of a side track, and cancelation of the occupied indication can be triggered by a second throwing of said switch in a direction of the section of railroad line; said train control system configured to carry out a track clearing run at a reduced speed of operation to ensure that the driver of the equipped train can make a visual inspection to allow timely braking in the event of obstacles on the section of line by either: after the second throwing of said switch, carrying out the track clearing run on the section of railroad line using a train equipped with the train control system before the section of railroad line is released for operation by said trains equipped with the train control system; or prior to the second throwing of said switch, carrying out the track clearing run using the train equipped with the train control system from the direction of said side track before the section of railroad line is released for operation by said trains equipped with the train control system after the second throwing of said switch.

7. The section of railroad line according to claim 6, which further comprises canceling a release for operation by the trains equipped with the train control system if a position of the switch is not known.

8. The section of railroad line according to claim 6, wherein at least one end of the section of railroad line is equipped with a color light signal.

9. The section of railroad line according to claim 6, wherein said train control system is a communications-based train control (CBTC) system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates by way of example a step in an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention using an exemplary embodiment of a section of line according to the invention and an exemplary embodiment of a switch according to the invention, wherein a passage of an unequipped train is shown; and

(2) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates another step in the exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1 using the exemplary embodiment of the section of line according to the invention and the exemplary embodiment of the switch according to the invention, wherein the track clearing run of an equipped train is shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a section of line AC which is equipped with a train control system 12, in particular CBTC, and can be used both by trains Z1 equipped with the train control system (cf. FIG. 2) and by trains Z2 not equipped with this train control system. The section of line AC also has color light signals 15.

(4) The train control system 12 can be e.g. a system which is known commercially as CBTC or Trainguard MT. This system is based on so-called tracking of all equipped trains, i.e. the instantaneous position of these trains is always known. In addition, a necessary braking distance for these trains is allowed for which defines a safety distance from other equipped trains. The length of line required by the train by virtue of its dimensions and the braking distance to be allowed for is also known as moving block. Taking the moving block into account means that no track vacancy indications need to be provided lineside, as long as only equipped trains are present in the section of line AC.

(5) A side track BC branches off the section of line AC. This side track is set by the switch 13. The side track BC has a derail 11 and is equipped with track safety equipment 14. The side track BC also has a subsidiary signal 16. The train control system 12, the track safety equipment 14, the switch 13 and the color light signals 15, 16 are controlled via signal connections 17.

(6) As can be seen from FIG. 1, the unequipped train Z2 is already on the section of line AC beyond the turnout to the side track BC. The unequipped train Z2 has come from the side track BC and will leave the section of line AC at C.

(7) The color light signals 15 are used to block the section of line AC for unequipped trains Z2. In addition, the unequipped train Z2 cannot enter the line section (not shown) following the section of line AC if the color light signal is on “Red”.

(8) FIG. 2 shows the scenario according to FIG. 1 at a later point in time. The section of line AC is now being used by an equipped train Z1. To ensure that the section of line AC is clear, the equipped train Z1 carries out a track clearing run. At this point in time, the color light signal 15 is on “Green”.

(9) The derail 11 is activated so that no unequipped train Z2 can enter the section of line AC. At this time the switch 13 is also reset and the subsidiary signal 16 is on “Red”.

(10) On completion of the track clearing run, the section of line AC is released for equipped trains Z1, so that the train control system 12 can resume unrestricted operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(11) AC section of line BC side track 11 derail 12 train control system (section of line) 13 switch 14 track safety equipment (side track) 15 color light signal 16 subsidiary signal 17 signal connection Z1 equipped train Z2 unequipped train