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Low Cost Signalling (2017)

This paper formed part of the Presidential Programme of technical papers for 2016-2017, and was published in IRSE NEWS February 2017. It was presented by Andy Stringer and Graeme Christmas in London.

This paper explores what makes signalling expensive, and by implication, what might be done about it, and how to make signalling systems offer better value and usability (for instance, with greater use of bi-directional signalling, closing up signals etc).

The paper looks at different types of signalling systems, and some of the drivers of costs, such as the quanitity of materials (concrete and steel) used in signal structures, complex junctions etc.

The paper sets out to make you think differently about what you do and about how you approach whatever involvement it is that you have with railway signalling. It is not a technical paper packed with complex principles, or a catalogue of the industry’s issues. It is an alternative point of view, that we hope will lead to positive conversations which develop into tangible actions. The views expressed are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of their employers.

Low cost signalling means many things to many people. It would have been easy to give a technical briefing on the latest developments on low cost architectures for secondary routes, but that would be to miss an opportunity to discuss some of the really big issues that will affect the future of railway signalling, particularly in Great Britain. There is a harsh reality that we have been managing to avoid for a few years now, but that we really need to stand up and address: we can no longer afford to pay for signalling systems at current rates.

"Have we forgotten the driver" is perhaps one of the most iconic papers in the Institution’s 100-year history. Positive plagiarism being the whole point of a learned society, we thought we would take the concept one step further; "Have we forgotten the customer?"

Author(s):Andy Stringer (Siemens, UK); Graeme Christmas (Network Rail, UK)
Keywords:capacity; cost
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(Click to copy the Topic URL to the clipboard) Page created: 01/02/2017
Last modified: 26/05/2019
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