2014

RDSO Industrial Training

Report

Rajat Kumar Singh

1202931121
E.C.E.
Krishna Institute Of
Eng. & Tech.
Ghaziabad
July 10, 2014

ABSTRACT

SKILLS ACQUIRED
By virtue of the training I received and exposure, I have acquired the following skills
from the R.D.S.O. workplace .
Proficiency in the use of Sensors in Indian Railways and their calibration.
Proficiency in the testing of Transducers and their calibration.
Ability to verify the meaning of various signals used in INDIAN RAILWAYS.
Proficiency in the WILD project running under INDIAN RAILWAYS.
Ability to work effectively in a team, and to communicate effectively with others

ACKNOWLEDGEMEN
T
I am extremely thankful and indebted to the technical
staff of E.LAB/RDSO LKO who provided me vital
information and knowledge.
I am indebted to Mr. Neelabha Mahesh, DIRECTOR
/S&T/RDSO for providing me the opportunity to
undergo this training. I am thankful to all technical
personnel for giving me their valuable knowledge and
helping me grasp the various concepts.
A special thanks to Mr. R.G. Gupta, ARE /EL & P.S.
Shukla SSRE/EL for their continuous support throughout
the course of the training.

Table Of Contents
S.No.

Contents :

1.

Cover Page

2.

Abstract

3.

Acknowledgement

4.

R.D.S.O
a) About R.D.S.O
b) Organisation
c) Infrastructure
d) Quality Objectives
Technology Mission on Railway safety

5.
6.

Electronics Lab
a) Role of Transducer in E. Lab
b) L.V.D.T
c) Accelerometer
d) Recorders
e) Strain Gauge
f) Oscillation Monitoring System
g) Data Acquisition System
h) Signal Conditioners

Page No:

2
3
5
7
8
12

i) Calibration Of Measuring Instruments

j) Wheel Load Impact Detection
k) Hot Axle and Hot Bar Detector
l) Track Side Bogie Monitoring System
m) Indian Railways Signalling System
7.
8.

Conclusion
References

41
42

About R.D.S.O

INTRODUCTION
Railways were introduced in India in 1853 and as their development progressed through to the
twentieth century, several company managed and state-owned railway systems grew up. To enforce
standardization and co-ordination amongst various railway systems, the Indian Railway Conference
Association (IRCA) was set up in 1903, followed by the Central Standards Office (CSO) in 1930, for
preparation of designs, standards and specifications. However, till independence, most of the designs
and manufacture of railway equipments was entrusted to foreign consultants. With Independence and
the resultant phenomenal increase in countrys industrial and economic activity, which increased the
demand of rail transportation - a new organization called Railway Testing and Research Centre
(RTRC) was setup in 1952 at Lucknow, for testing and conducting applied research for development
of railway rolling stock, permanent way etc.
Central Standards Office (CSO) and the Railway Testing and Research Centre (RTRC) were
integrated into a single unit named Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) in 1957,
under Ministry of Railways at Lucknow.
4

ORGANISATION

RDSO is headed by a Director General. The Director General is assisted by Additional Director
General, Sr. Executive Directors and Executive Directors, heading different directorates. RDSO has
various directorates for smooth functioning:
Bridges & Structures
Carriage
Defence Research
Electrical Loco
EMU & Power Supply
Engine Development
Finance & Accounts
Geo-technical Engineering
Quality Assurance
Metallurgical & Chemical
Motive Power

Psycho-technical
Research
Signal
Telecommunication
Track
Testing
Track Machines & Monitoring
Traction Installation
Traffic
Wagon

All the directorates of RDSO except Defence Research are located at Lucknow. Cells for Railway
Production Units and industries, which look after liaison, inspection and development work, are located
at Bangalore, Bharatpur, Bhopal, Mumbai, Burnpur, Kolkata, Chittaranjan, Kapurthala, Jhansi, Chennai,
Sahibabad, Bhilai and New Delhi.

QUALITY POLICY
To develop safe, modern and cost effective Railway technology complying with Statutory and
Regulatory requirements, through excellence in Research, Designs and Standards and Continual
improvements in Quality Management System to cater to growing demand of passenger and freight
traffic on the railways.
5

FUNCTIONS
RDSO is the sole R&D organization of Indian Railways and functions as the technical
advisor to Railway Board, Zonal Railways and Production Units and performs the following
important functions :

Development of new and improved designs.

Development, adoption, absorption of new technology for use on Indian Railways.

Development of standards for materials and products specially needed by Indian Railways.

Technical investigation, statutory clearances, testing and providing consultancy services.

Inspection of critical and safety items of rolling stock, locomotives, signaling &
telecommunication equipment and track components.
RDSOs multifarious activities have also attracted attention of railway and non-railway
organizations in India and abroad

GOVERNING COUNCIL
Governing Council comprises of Chairman, Railway Board as Chairman; and Financial
Commissioner, Member Engineering, Member Mechanical, Member Staff, Member Electrical,
Member Traffic, Addl. Member (Plg)/ Railway Board and Director General, RDSO as its members.
The functions of Governing Council are:

To identify and approve the R&D projects for technology development on Indian Railways.
To review the progress of projects.
To determine the quantum of direct investment in technology development within the overall
allocation of funds under the plan head 'Railway Research'.

To give direction for improving the working of RDSO.

CENTRAL BOARD OF RAILWAY RESEARCH

Central Board of Railway Research (CBRR) consist of DG/RDSO as Chairman, Addl. Member
(Civil Engg.), Addl. Member (Mechanical Engg), Addl. Member (Elect.), Addl. Member (Sig), Addl.
Member (traffic), Advisor(Finance), Executive Director (E&R), Executive Director (Plg.)/Railway
Board as members and Addl. Director General/RDSO as member secretary. Non- Railways members of
CBRR consist of eminent scientists, technologists, engineers and senior executives of other research
organisations, academic institutions and industrial units related to railway technology and materials.
Functions of CBRR are:

To consider and recommend the program of research on Indian Railways.

To review the research program from time to time.
To ensure coordination and assistance from other research laboratories.
To review the ongoing projects from the technical angle.

INFRASTRUCTURE
6

RDSO has a number of laboratories which are well equipped with research and testing facilities
for development, testing and design evaluation of various railway related equipments and materials.
Some of these are:
Air Brake Laboratory is equipped with facilities for simulating operation of air brakes on freight trains
up to 192 wagons and 3 locomotives as also for simulation of passenger trains up to 30 coaches.
Brake Dynamometer Laboratory has facilities to develop and test brake friction materials for
locomotives, coaches and wagons. A unique facility in India, this laboratory has also been used by R&D
organizations of Ministry of Defence like DMRL, DRDL and HAL for indigenization of brake pads for
defence aircraft.
B&S Laboratory has a 6mx14m heavy/testing floor on which full scale models of beam (spans up to
10 m, slabs, columns, towers, shells and other components made of concrete, steel, brick etc can be
tested under static, dynamic or pulsating loads. A high frequency ranging 250-700 cycles/min pulsator
for the application of a pulsating loads varying from 2 to 20 tonnes and a maximum static load of 40
tonnnes on heavy duty testing floor. The Laboratory is equipped with analogue strain indicator, multi
channel dynamic strain recording system, switching & balancing units, acoustic emission equipment,
data acquisition system etc. for recording various parameters.
Diesel Engine Development Laboratory has four test beds capable of testing diesel engines from 100
to 6000 HP with fully computerized systems for recording of over 128 test parameters at a time. This
facility has already enabled RDSO to develop technologies for improving fuel efficiency, reliability and
availability of diesel engines as well as to extract higher output from existing diesel engines.
Fatigue Testing Laboratory for testing prototype locomotive and rolling stock bogies, springs and
other railway equipments subjected to stress and fatigue so as to ascertain their expected life in service.
Geo-technical Engineering Laboratory is equipped with facilities for determining strength parameters
of soil in lab and field condition. The State-of-art Sub-surface Interface Radar (SIR) system, Laser based
soil particle analyzer, and computerized consolidation test apparatus have been installed in the lab. The
lab also has computerized Static Triaxial Shear apparatus for determining the strength of soil as well as
the design of embankment.
Metallurgical & Chemical Laboratory is capable of destructive and non-destructive testing of metals,
polymers, composites, petroleum products and paints for providing information to be used in design and
also for monitoring performance of materials in service.
The M&C laboratory include Scanning Electron Microscope, Direct reading spectrometer,
Ultrasonic Flaw Detector and other non destructive examination equipment, polymer and composite
evaluation facilities, thermal analyzer, corrosion engineering evaluation facilities including weather
meter, static 760 hour AR test rig for grease testing. V2F dynamic test rig for grease testing, lube oil
filter evaluation rig Cetane rating machine & 50t machine for rubber deflection characteristics.
Psycho-Technical Laboratory for assessment of critical psycho-physical attributes of operational staff
such as drivers, switchmen and station masters for efficient operation. The ergonomic laboratory of
psycho-technical Dte is also equipped with bio-feedback system for assessment of EMG, GSR (Galvanic
Skin Resistance) temperature, pulse and respiration rate & is used for stress management exercises.
Signal Testing Laboratory for testing of all types of signaling equipments such as safety signaling
relays, block instruments, power supply equipments, point machines, signaling cables, electromechanical signaling equipments/ components etc. There is an exclusive environmental testing section
equipped with environmental testing facilities as per ISO:9000. These include, programmable heat,
7

humidity & cold chambers, mould growth, dust, rain chambers. Signaling Equipment Development
Centre has been set up in the Signaling Lab. In this Centre, working signaling equipment & systems
have been set up. The working systems include SSI, universal axle counter, VLSI axle counter, AFTCs,
block instruments etc. In addition, equipment developed by RDSO, such as signaling relays, polycarbonate lenses, LED signal lamps, triple pole double filament lamps, power supply equipment etc.,
have also been displayed. This centre will be used for testing minor improvements in designs of SSI,
axle counters etc., as well as for imparting training to newly inducted Inspectors.
Track Laboratory for testing full scale track panel under dynamic load patterns similar to those
encountered in service. Stresses at the various locations of track components under simulated load
conditions are measured and recorded for analysis. This has helped in rationalizing and optimizing
design of track structures for Indian conditions. The facility of fatigue testing of welded rail joints is
also available.
In connection with joint research project of UIC on rail defect management, RDSO has been
entrusted with lab testing of rail samples from various world railways under simulated loading
conditions. Special rail tensioning system for application of longitudinal forces on rail samples to
simulate the thermal forces of the field has indigenously been developed, installed and commissioned in
track lab. This system, with capacity of up to 150 tonne in static condition, is being used to conduct
testing of different rail samples.
Mobile Test Facilities for recording of track parameters, locomotive power and conducting oscillograph
trials for evaluating vehicle-track interaction as also for monitoring track conditions.
For condition monitoring of OHE under live line and to facilitate directed maintenance of
electrification, a Network of testing and recording apparatus (NETRA) car, first of its kind , developed
by RDSO is actively in service for scanning OHE in Railway.
Vehicle Characterization Laboratory for conducting vehicle characterization tests on railway vehicles
to study the behavior of suspension systems and to determine natural frequencies.
Centre for Advanced Maintenance Technology at Gwalior for upgrading maintenance technologies,
and methodologies. Also to achieve improvements in productivity and performance of all railway assets
and manpower. This covers reliability, availability, utilization and efficiency.

LIBRARY
Considerable efforts and resources were devoted on the development of an outstanding Library
collection to meet the expanding needs of Research and Development. The Library has more than 1.70
lakh volumes which includes books, reports, specifications, and translations on Science, Engineering,
Technology, Management and Railways. About 100 technical journals and magazines both Indian and
foreign origin are received in the Library regularly.

QUALITY OBJECTIVES
8

Safety: Development of crashworthy design of coaches for enhanced safety of passengers. Development
of 1,25,000 km of track to be recorded by TRCs in the year 2005-06 for providing basic feed back for
maintenance of Track on Indian Railways. Development of anti-vandal PSC sleeper & Elastic Rail clip
so as to delay the removal time of rail from the track by one hour. Development of High Speed Self
Propelled Accident Relief Train for faster travel to accident site. Design and development of indigenous
Electronic interlocking system using 2 out of 3 architecture with object controller. Fire-retardant
coaches. Development of computerized psychological test package for railways. Provision of Train
Actuated Warning Device (TAWD). To develop Earth Quake codes and rehabilitation guidelines.
Traffic growth: Development of 3-phase high staring torque traction motor for WAG-9/WAP-7
locomotives. Design of BCNH wagon with shorter length as compared to BCNA for increasing rake
throughput for covered wagons.
Environment: Use of eco-friendly refrigerant on under-slung AC coaches. Commissioning of dedicated
Exhaust Emission measurement facility on the test beds as per International standards. Modification in
Toilet Discharge System in Coaches to prevent rail corrosion.
Cost Cutting: Design of cost-effective Aluminum wagon-BOBRAL Reduction of maintenance time of
Oscillograph recorders and Signal conditioners by 2%.
Export/import substitution: Indigenization of electrics of GM EMD locomotives.
Development of Indigenous technology for Digital axle counter.
Asset Reliability: Reduction in average repair time of Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) by 5%
with respect to previous year. Quality Audit of Railway Workshops and other Units as per the schedule
given by Railway Board. Radial and Self-Steering Bogie. To develop continuous health monitoring
system using optical fiber technology for bridges.
Passenger comfort/ Faster travel: Development of Microprocessor control for better working of air
conditioning system of AC coaches. Development of air spring for existing bogies. Tight Lock CBC
couplers with Anti-Climbing features in coaches. Improved High Speed Turnouts.
Infrastructure development: Commissioning of two Nos. high-speed self propelled Ultrasonic Rail
testing cars and Brake Dynamometer for Brake Dynamometer Laboratory. Construction of dedicated test
track for RDSO.
Energy efficiency: Development of energy efficient dual voltage 3-phase EMU in Mumbai Area
(a) BHEL project (b) GP 194 project.
Quality management system improvement: To Issue Final Inspection Certificate within 7 working
days of inspection of products. Reduction in customer complaints closure time by 10%.

Technology Mission on Railway Safety (TMRS)

9

Introduction
Railways have been the engine of economic and technical growth and development in India.
Railway Safety is not merely an area of national concern but also poses challenges to the engineering
and research community of the country. A Technology Mission has been launched to focus national
attention and drive modern technologies of monitoring, control, communications, design, electronics and
materials for Railway Safety. The earlier national programs on space and defense research have not
merely achieved goals specific to the missions, but have also provided impetus to technology endeavors
in institutions all across the country. A Technology Mission on Railways will similarly help to initiate
and incubate design and development projects of significant national importance.
Technology issues on Railway safety and economy relate to multitude of engineering disciplines.
The mission will help to pool relevant engineering knowledge, expertise and resources available in
various research organizations and academic institutions in order to address these issues in an efficient
manner.
Mission Goals

To develop and adopt state-of- the-art safety and control technologies defined by needs related to
Indian conditions; to implement projects aimed at achieving higher throughput, lower cost of
transmission and safer train movement.
To encourage and initiate R & D activities pertinent to Indian Railways in academic institutions
and laboratories and establish convergence and synergy among them.

To evolve and establish the academia-research institution-industry consortium approach as a

viable and vibrant mission mode of research and development.

To disseminate technologies through participatory approach to other application areas

Mission Approach
IIT Kanpur and RDSO Lucknow are the major collaborators in the mission. A trident consortium
comprising of
Academic and Research institutions
Railway Organizations

Industry

has been formed for effective definition and implementation of projects. The constituents of the
consortium collaborate to bring expertise and share responsibilities. RDSO provides domain knowledge
and experience to articulate problems and conceptualize projects. Academic institutions like IITs and
CSIR laboratories contribute towards problem analysis, design synthesis and prototype development; the
industry is providing inputs relevant for adoption of technology and its commercialization.

Projects under TMRS scheme :

10

1. Track Side Bogie Monitoring System

The objectives of this project include
a) Development of an automated system to be installed along the track for detecting faults in bogies of
rolling stock (on-line monitoring of the condition of bogies).
b) Measurement of lateral and vertical rail forces.
c) Automatic vehicle identification using RFIDs.
d) Development of instrumentation for detection of components of the rolling stock which may cause
derailment.

2. Derailment Detection Devices

This project envisages development of On-Board equipment for sensing derailment
possibilities of rolling stock. Development includes appropriate instrumentation and signal
processing strategy and its integration with the existing brake mechanism for minimizing losses
due to dragging of derailed vehicle. Presently there is no instrumentation on Indian Railways for
detecting derailment possibilities.
The process of derailment is characterized by heavy misalignment of the axle along with
large oscillations and jerks. Vehicle dynamics software packages are being employed to carry out
simulation of vehicles running on new or worn wheels. MEMS sensors for detecting vertical,
horizontal accelerations and tilting have been identified and test runs are being conducted on
Northern Railways. Recorded data is to be employed to arrive at a suitable criteria for derailment
detection.

3. Sensors for Detecting Hotboxes and Hot Wheels

Most derailments can be traced to either the failure of wheel bearings or brake binding.
Both conditions lead to overheating followed by seizure which in turn can cause wheel flats,
track damage and derailment. Hot Axle and Box Detection (HABD) systems are used globally
for the purpose. These rely on remote measurement of temperatures of the bearing boxes and the
wheels. These systems have to be capable of measuring the temperatures very fast (at 200 kmph
the measurement of a minimum of 10 points has to be made within 0.004 second). Any system to
be used in India has to be designed to cope with climatic extremes.

4. On Board Diagnostics
The objective of the project is to develop an On-board Diagnostics for Diesel and Electric
locomotives through a network based real time control system. The exercise includes
development of appropriate instrumentation and signal processing strategy for various
equipments which form part of the transmission and also for other auxiliary machines on board
the locomotives. It will enable real time monitoring of vital locomotive equipments like prime
mover, rotating machines, traction motor suspension bearings, axle bearings, radiator drive, air
compressor, transformer, tap changer, pantograph, etc on electric/diesel locomotives. The system
will also have self-diagnostic features.
The diagnostic system will include on-line data acquisition and display over multiple
channels simultaneously, Frequency analysis and Real-time FFT display, On-line trending
analysis, On-screen trend display, Data storage with date-time information, Safe and tolerable
limits for all channels, Automatic visual and audio alarm in case of limit crossing. The system
also includes algorithmic diagnosis and communication through mobile network from the
locomotive to central control unit.

5. Environment Friendly Railway Coach Toilet System

11

The Indian Railway runs several long distance trains involving journeys up to three nights. The
existing coach toilet system consists of a lavatory in which the excreta are discharged directly to the
ground through the lavatory chute. However, the present system has some major concerns due to
discharge of fecal matter on the track. These concerns include: damage to the rails, unacceptable
aesthetic and hygienic/sanitary conditions, particularly on the railway stations, and non compliance to
the environment regulations/standards/practices. An exercise is being carried out in this mission to
conceptualize, design, and indigenously develop a working/ready to install environment-friendly coach
toilet system for Indian Railways' passenger trains.
The toilet system will have the following attributes:

Convenient to a variety of users, robust, and minimum operation and maintenance complications.
Prevent damage to the railway track and coaches.

Maintain hygienic/sanitary conditions

Compliance with global environmental regulations/standard/ practices.

6. Corrosion Prevention of Rails

Corrosion problem of rails concerns:

rail foot corrosion under the glass filled nylon/mild steel liner due to accumulation of corrosive
environment under the liners.
jamming of the elastic rail clip (ERC) in the insert

corrosion of the weld region

The gradual thinning of rail foot leads to frequent rail replacements and is a safety issue. Corrosion of
the ERC in the insert leads to jamming of ERC, resulting in loss of toe load. Another aim of the project
is the development of new corrosion resistant rail steel alloy chemistry to minimize corrosion of rails
under liner locations. This is being done in collaboration with SAIL, the industry partner in the project.
New corrosion resistant rail steels will be identified based on laboratory experiments of trial
compositions. Trial rails will be manufactured and subjected to field studies. Based on these results, the
corrosion resistant rails can be adopted by Indian Railways.

7. Fog Vision Instrumentation

The project envisages development of instrumentation for improving the visibility during foggy
weather, night and bad weather conditions by developing a Fog vision system. Train movement gets
severely hampered during foggy climatic conditions. The weather conditions consistently worsen
with fog getting more opaque and such weather conditions extends for months. Instrumentation
technology needs to be developed to enable the train driver to see through the fog for uninterrupted
and safe train operation. After examining several options such as Radar (mm-wave), Radiometer
(mm-wave), Radiometer (infrared), Sonar(ultrasonic), etc, it has been concluded that laser based
viewing systems will be most suited for the Fog Vision Application. Information like position of
obstacles on the track ahead should be made available on the graphical console display. The distance
covered should be at least equal to the normal distance visible due to the driver under normal night
conditions. Optical visibility may become nearly zero in severe fog conditions. Hence, sensors with
fog penetration capability should be developed and data from them processed to give an enhanced
image of the track ahead on a console. There may be requirement for developing multiple types of
sensors to cater to different scenarios. In such cases, data from multiple sensors should be used
intelligently to give a single display on the console. Active Infrared stereo vision using gating will
enable the enhancement of infrared viewing under heavy attenuation in foggy conditions.
12

8. Satellite Imaging for Rail Navigation (SIMRAN)

The objective of this project is to
(i)
(ii)

Develop an effective way to collect and disseminate information dynamically of every train in a
given geographical boundary for its location, speed and direction of movement.
Ensure better and selective dissemination of information to passengers. Train tracking system
using Global Positioning System (GPS) is being developed. Each train will have a train locator
unit to receive information from GPS satellites and continuously identify the position of the train
with information about its location (latitude and longitude values). GSM is to be used for
connectivity and wherever needed as an alternate location identifier. The data logger can also be
used to provide services for a central train enquiry system, anti- collision device, train charting
etc.

Role of Transducer in Electronics Lab

13

Transducer has a very important role in any Electronics lab. In brief Transducer is a heart of any
Electronic system. An Electronics Instrumentation System consists of a number of components which
together are used to perform a measurement and record the result. An Instrumentation System consists of
three major elements.
1) Input device .
2) Signal Conditioning or processing device.
3) Output device.
The kind of system depends on what is to be measured and how the measurement result is to be
presented.

Input Device
The input quantity for most instrumentation system is non electrical.In order to use electrical methods
and techniques for Measurement manipulation or control, the non-electrical quantity is converted in to
an electrical signal by a device called Transducer.
One definition states a Transducer is a device which, when actuated by energy in one
transmission system, supplies energy in the same form or in other form to a second transmission
system.
This energy transmission may be Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Optical or Thermal. For
example device that convert mechanical force or displacement into an electrical signal. Many other
physical parameters such as heat, light, humidity may also be converted into electrical signals by means
of transducers.
TYPE OF TRANSDUCERS
1)

Electrical

2)

Mechanical

In an Electronics Instrumentation System only Electrical Transducer are used .

BASIC REQUIREMENT OF ELECTRICAL TRANSDUCERS:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)

Ruggedness : Ability to Withstand overload

Linearity :
Ability to reproduce input-output characteristics symmetrically and linearly .
Repeatability : Ability to reproduce an output signal exactly ,when same measured is applied
repeatedly at least 3 times under same environmental conditions .
Stability and Reliability : High , for minimum error in measurement, unaffected by
Temperature, vibration, and other environmental conditions.
Good Dynamics Response : Output is faithful to the input when taken as a function of Time .
Excellent Mechanical Characteristics
Convenient Instrumentation

14

SELECTING A TRANSDUCER
In a measurement system the transducer is the input element with the critical function of
transforming some physical quantity to a proportional electrical signal. Selection of the appropriate
transducers therefore the first and perhaps most important step in obtaining accurate result. A number of
elementary questions should be asked before a transducer can be selected.
1) What is the physical quantity to be measured?
2) Which Transducer principle can be used to measure the quantity?
3) What accuracy is required for this measurement?
First question can be ensured by determining the type & range of measurement.
Answer to the Second question requires the I/O characteristic of the transducer be compatible with the
recording system

CLASSIFICATION
Transducer may be classified according to their application method of energy conversion, nature of the
output signal and so on .Mainly electrical transducers classified in two categories.
1) ACTIVE TRANSDUCER

2) PASSIVE TRANSDUCER

ACTIVE TRANSDUCER: The active transducers are self generating type, producing analog voltage
or current when simulated by some physical form of energy. Active transducer does not require external
power supply. Such transducer can convert a physical quantity in to an electrical quantity
Examples:- Thermocouple, Moving coil generator, peizzo
acceleration etc) , Photocell .

electric

pickup

(sound vibration,

PASSIVE TRANSDUCER: Passive transducer require external power supply . Such Passive
transducer produce a variation in some electric parameter such as resistance ,capacitance inductance ,etc
which can be measured as voltage or current variation Examples:- Strain gauges ,LVDT ,String Pot .etc

Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)

15

What Is An LVDT?
The letters LVDT are an acronym for Linear Variable Differential Transformer, a common type of
electromechanical transducer that can convert the rectilinear motion of an object to which it is coupled
mechanically into a corresponding electrical signal. LVDT linear position sensors are readily available
that can measure movements as small as a few millionths of an inch up to several inches, but are also
capable of measuring positions up to 20 inches (0.5 m). Figure 1 shows the components of a typical
LVDT. The transformer's internal structure consists of a primary winding centered between a pair of
identically wound secondary windings, symmetrically spaced about the primary. The coils are wound on
a one-piece hollow form of thermally stable glass reinforced polymer, encapsulated against moisture,
wrapped in a high permeability magnetic shield, and then secured in a cylindrical stainless steel housing.
This coil assembly is usually the stationary element of the position sensor. The moving element of an
LVDT is a separate tubular armature of magnetically permeable material called the core, which is free to
move axially within the coil's hollow bore, and mechanically coupled to the object whose position is
being measured. This bore is typically large enough to provide substantial radial clearance between the
core and bore, with no physical contact between it and the coil. In operation, the LVDT's primary
winding is energized by alternating current of appropriate amplitude and frequency, known as the
primary excitation. The LVDT's electrical output signal is
the differential AC voltage between the two secondary windings, which varies with the axial position of
the core within the LVDT coil. Usually this AC output voltage is converted by suitable electronic
circuitry to high level DC voltage or current that is more convenient to use.

16

Advantages of LVDT
LVDTs have certain significant features and benefits, most of which derive from its fundamental
physical principles of operation or from the materials and techniques used in its construction.
Friction-Free Operation
One of the most important features of an LVDT is its friction-free operation. In normal use, there
is no mechanical contact between the LVDT's core and coil assembly, so there is no rubbing, dragging or
other source of friction. This feature is particularly useful in materials testing, vibration displacement
measurements, and high resolution dimensional gaging systems.
Infinite Resolution
Since an LVDT operates on electromagnetic coupling principles in a friction-free structure, it can
measure infinitesimally small changes in core position. This infinite resolution capability is limited only
by the noise in an LVDT signal conditioner and the output display's resolution. These same factors also
give an LVDT its outstanding repeatability.
Unlimited Mechanical Life
Because there is normally no contact between the LVDT's core and coil structure, no parts can
rub together or wear out. This means that an LVDT features unlimited mechanical life. This factor is
especially important in high reliability applications such as aircraft, satellites and space vehicles, and
nuclear installations. It is also highly desirable in many industrial process control and factory automation
systems.

ACCELEROMETER
An accelerometer measures proper acceleration, which is the acceleration it experiences relative to
freefall and is the acceleration felt by people and objects. Put another way, at any point in space time the
equivalence principle guarantees the existence of a local inertial frame, and an accelerometer measures
the acceleration relative to that frame. Such accelerations are popularly measured in terms of g-force.
An accelerometer at rest relative to the Earth's surface will indicate approximately 1 g upwards, because
any point on the Earth's surface is accelerating upwards relative to the local inertial frame (the frame of a
freely falling object near the surface). To obtain the acceleration due to motion with respect to the Earth,
this "gravity offset" must be subtracted.
Conceptually, an accelerometer behaves as a damped mass on a spring. When the accelerometer
experiences an acceleration, the mass is displaced to the point that the spring is able to accelerate the
mass at the same rate as the casing. The displacement is then measured to give the acceleration.

17

Internal Structure of an Accelerometer

Seismic type accelerometers has mass on the spring mounted in a case. Strain gage are the sensing
elements which gives the electrical output proportional to the motion between mass and case. This
transducer measures the acceleration of the moving body over which it is placed. The resistance type
strain gages are fixed on cantilever strip. Due to acceleration, stresses are produced in the strip on which
gages are cemented. The change in resistance occurs due to change of stresses. Finally the signal in the
output of the Wheat Stone Bridge appears at output terminals. This output signal is calibrated in terms of
acceleration.
Stiffness of strip

k=w/d=mg/d
d=mg/k
d=g since m and k are constant

where d=deflection in the mass

k= Stiffness of strip
w=weight of the suspended
Hence the acceleration is directly proportional to the deflection. Due to this deflection strains are
produced in the strips in which gages are mounted. Strain produced in the strip is transferred to the strain
gages hence there is change in resistance of the strain gages.

18

RECORDERS
Introducing the ORP/ORM Series Oscillographic Recorders for use in the
measurement, recording and analysis of signals from DC to high-speed transient
phenomena, with the functions of a pen recorder, electromagnetic oscillograph,
memory and X-Y recorders all in one instrument.
Three amplifier levels are available at the input stage depending on the
application: high-voltage, universal, and logic (optional) levels. That is, the ORP
series can make high-resolution measurements of a direct input signal from a
thermocouple, monitor a transmission line, and handle on/off signals from a
sequencer.The ORM Series is our newest advance in fast universal recorder design.
Available with 4, 8 or 16 isolated analog channels plus up to 16 additional logic
channels. With individual 128k sample memory areas for every channel, linkable
up to four per channel for 512k sample capacity on selected channels, augmented
by standard-equipment IC card slot and 3.5-inch floppy drive.
Further enhanced by arithmetic and statistical computing functions, and integral
graphic display. More than just recorders, these are multifaceted, all-in-one data
acquisition and analysis instruments perfect for testing and analysis, as at home in
the field as in the lab.

19

STRAIN GAUGE
INTRODUCTION

A strain-sensitive material is one whose electrical resistance is proportional to the

instantaneous spatial-average strain over its surface. Such materials are of two
types: metallic (i.e., foil or wire) or semiconductor (described under
Piezoresistive Accelerometers). When such a material is stretched, its length increases
and its cross-section decreases; consequently, there is an increase in its electrical
resistance. This change in resistance is a measure of its mechanical motion.
Thus, a strain gage is a device which uses change in electrical resistance to measure
strain.
The resistance strain gage may be employed in shock or vibration instrumentation
in either of two ways. The strain gage may be the active element in a commercial
or special-purpose transducer or pickup, or it may be bonded directly to a
critical area on a vibrating member. Both of these applications are considered in this
chapter, together with a discussion of strain-gage types and characteristics, cements
and bonding techniques, circuitry for signal enhancement and temperature compensation,
and related aspects of strain-gage technology
What is Strain?
Strain is the amount of deformation of a body due to an applied force. More specifically,
strain (e) is defined as the
fractional change in length, as shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. Definition of Strain
Strain can be positive (tensile) or negative (compressive). Although dimensionless, strain
is sometimes expressed in
units such as in./in. or mm/mm. In practice, the magnitude of measured strain is very
small. Therefore, strain is often
expressed as microstrain (me), which is e 106.
20

When a bar is strained with a uniaxial force, as in Figure 1, a phenomenon known as

Poisson Strain causes the girth of
the bar, D, to contract in the transverse, or perpendicular, direction. The magnitude of this
transverse contraction is a
material property indicated by its Poisson's Ratio. The Poisson's Ratio n of a material is
defined as the negative ratio
of the strain in the transverse direction (perpendicular to the force) to the strain in the
axial direction (parallel to the
force), or n = eT/e. Poisson's Ratio for steel, for example, ranges from 0.25 to 0.3.

21

OSCILLATION MONITORING SYSTEM (OMS)

The objective of track maintenance is to provide a safe and comfortable riding to the passengers. The
acceleration experienced by the passengers while travelling in vehicles a direct measure of the riding
comfort. Acceleration is experienced in all directions by the vehicle but can be resolved into three main
directions viz longitudinal, lateral and vertical. Here level of acceleration is normally low in longitudinal
direction. However in the vertical and lateral direction it is comparatively higher. Such acceleration is
experienced due to riding characteristics of the vehicle as well as due to the irregularities in the track. As
such other parameters remaining the same, the vertical and lateral accelerations experienced are directly
related to track irregularities. Based on the experimental studies a system was developed to find out the
irregularities of a track. This system was known as Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS-2000). This
portable OMS2000 is a microprocessor-based system for track monitoring by measurement of the
following parameters:
1. Speed
2. Vertical and lateral accelerations on loco/coach floor.
3. Sperling Ride Index.
The above three parameters are monitored in real time and results are produced in the form of a print out
on a alpha numeric printer. Whenever any of the above parameters exceeds a preset limit, an exception
report is printed out. Besides this, the data collected during the run is stored in a battery-backed ram and
may be transferred to a personal computer with the help of software.
The speed of the train is measured by using a tachometer which driven by a flexible shaft connected to
the wheel. Tachometer generates pulses, which are fed to OMS 2000. The gear ratio of the driving
arrangement of the tachometer and the external tacho slotted plate (normally 6 slots) should be such that
one pulse is generated every 0.34 meters.
The Vertical and lateral acceleration levels on the coach floor are monitored using two accelerometers
mounted in a transducer assembly There is a built in instrumentation amplifier to condition the raw
signals coming from the accelerometers. The same acceleration signals are used to detect large
acceleration peaks. And for calculating Ride Index. The Ride Index is calculated according to Sperling
formulae implemented as per R D S O Lucknow method.
The reports generated by OMS 2000 can be used for directing the track maintenance efforts to the
exact spots where high dynamic activity has been noticed.

SALIENT FEATURES
1) Portable. Total weight less than 18 Kgs including battery and transducer assembly.
2) Battery operated. Rechargeable battery is supplied along with a charger. On a fully charged battery
the system can operate continuously for more than 12 hours. The system can be operated on 110 V
DC, which is available in coaches. The system is supplied with a Multi Input Power Supply Cum
Battery (MIPS) .The input to this MIPS is 110V AC/DC&220V AC, the output is 12V DC.
3) Built in instrumentation amplifier for transducer. No messy connections to be made during the run.
22

4) Built in battery backed Real time clock, prints date and time at the start of each run to ease record
keeping.
5) In case a tachometer is connected, KM and distance in meters from the last KM post is printed on the
printout .In case tachometer is not connected ,KM telegraph post number from the last Km post and
time of occurrence of each peak (in seconds up to 2 decimal places) is printed out for easily locating
bad stretch of track. From the time of successive peaks it is also possible to calculate the frequency
of oscillations built up in the coach.
6) Facility to print ground features (Points and crossings, Bridges and level crossing) on the print out.
7) Accurate results. Sperling Ride Index formula implemented exactly.
8) Complete report is generated during the run itself. No tedious calculations to be done later on.
Facility for printing AEN /PWI wise summary reports at the end of the run using the data stored in
the battery backed ram.
9) Stores data during the run in battery backed CMOS RAM, which can be transferred to a computer at
the end of the run for analysis with the help of software.
10) Simple operation. Can be operated by semi skilled staff also.
11) Rugged, does not require air conditioning.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM

23

Data Acquisition System

Data acquisition (abbreviated DAQ) is the process of sampling of real world physical
conditions and conversion of the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated
by a computer. Data acquisition and data acquisition systems (abbreviated with the acronym DAS)
typically involves the conversion of analog waveforms into digital values for processing. The
components of data acquisition systems include:

Sensors that convert physical parameters to electrical signals.

Signal conditioning circuitry to convert sensor signals into a form that can be converted to digital
values.

Analog-to-digital converters, which convert conditioned sensor signals to digital values.

Data acquisition applications are controlled by software programs developed using various
general purpose programming languages such as BASIC, C, Fortran, Java, Lisp, Pascal.

DAQ hardware is what usually interfaces between the signal and a PC. It could be in the form of
modules that can be connected to the computer's ports (parallel, serial, USB, etc.) or cards connected to
slots (S-100 bus, AppleBus, ISA etc.) in the mother board. Usually the space on the back of a PCI card is
too small for all the connections needed, so an external breakout box is required. The cable between this
box and the PC can be expensive due to the many wires, and the required shielding.
DAQ cards often contain multiple components (multiplexer, ADC, DAC, TTL-IO, high speed
timers, RAM). These are accessible via a bus by a microcontroller, which can run small programs. A
controller is more flexible than a hard wired logic, yet cheaper than a CPU so that it is alright to block it
with simple polling loops. For example: Waiting for a trigger, starting the ADC, looking up the time,
waiting for the ADC to finish, move value to RAM, switch multiplexer, get TTL input, let DAC proceed
with voltage ramp. Many times reconfigurable logic is used to achieve high speed for specific tasks and
Digital signal processors are used after the data has been acquired to obtain some results. The fixed
connection with the PC allows for comfortable compilation and debugging. Using an external housing a
modular design with slots in a bus can grow with the needs of the user.
The factors that decide the hardware configuration of DAQ systems are

Transducer to be used in system

Transmission path of signals
Signal conditioning requirements
Number of channels to be monitored
MODE ( Single or Differential ) ended
Range
Resolution and accuracy
Noise
Environmental conditions
Cost
24

 Sampling rate per channel

STEP 2 Identification of signal conditioner

Analog input channels

Number of elements
I/p signal range
Max working voltage
Over voltage protection
Accuracy
Offset error
Gain error
Input impedance
Input bias current
Input offset current
CMMR
Bandwidth
Settling time
System noise
Stability
Warm uptime
Offset temp. coeff.

Output characteristics
Number of channels
Resolution
Relative accuracy
Offset error
Gain error
Range(O/P)
Output coupling
Output impedance
Settling time
Temp coeff
Digital O/P
Digital logic level
Physical dimensions
I/O connectors
Operating temp
Relative humidity

The signal conditioner have to amplify, isolate and filter the signal and to provide excitation for sensors.
25

STEP 3- Selection of appropriate DAQ Device

The criteria such as accuracy, acquisition rates, no. of channels, flexibility, reliability, expandibility, and
computer platform are used to determine the best DAQ I/O device.

Bus plug & play

Instrumentation features- counter/timer, high speed settling time, multi function synchronization

Analog inputs
Input channels
Max sampling rate
Resolution
Range
Gain

Analog output
Output channels
Resolution

Digital I/O
Digital I/O channels
Counters/timers

Triggers
Analog trigger
Digital trigger

26

Block Diagram of DAS

27

SIGNAL CONDITIONERS

In electronics, signal conditioning means manipulating an analog signal in such a way

that it meets the requirements of the next stage for further processing. Most common use
is in analog-to-digital converters.
In control engineering applications, it is common to have a sensing stage (which consists
of a sensor), a signal conditioning stage (where usually amplification of the signal is
done) and a processing stage (normally carried out by an ADC and a microcontroller). Operational amplifiers (op-amps) are commonly employed to carry out the
amplification of the signal in the signal conditioning stage.
Inputs
Signal inputs accepted by signal conditioners include DC voltage and current, AC voltage
and current, frequency and electric charge. Sensor inputs can be accelerometer,
thermocouple, thermistor, resistance thermometer, strain gauge or bridge, and LVDT or
RVDT. Specialized inputs include encoder, counter or tachometer, timer or clock, relay or
switch, and other specialized inputs. Outputs for signal conditioning equipment can be
voltage, current, frequency, timer or counter, relay, resistance or potentiometer, and other
specialized outputs.
Signal conditioning processes
Signal conditioning can include amplification, filtering, converting, range matching,
isolation and any other processes required to make sensor output suitable for processing
after conditioning.
Filtering
Filtering is the most common signal conditioning function, as usually not all the signal
frequency spectrum contains valid data. The common example is 60 Hz AC power lines,
present in most environments, which will produce noise if amplified.
Amplifying
Signal amplification performs two important functions: increases the resolution of the
inputed signal, and increases its signal-to-noise ratio.[citation needed] For example, the
output of an electronic temperature sensor, which is probably in the millivolts range is
probably too low for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to process directly.[citation
28

needed] In this case it is necessary to bring the voltage level up to that required by the
ADC.
Commonly used amplifiers on signal on conditioning include sample and hold amplifiers,
peak detectors, log amplifiers, antilog amplifiers, instrumentation amplifiers and
programmable gain amplifiers.[1]
Isolation
Signal isolation must be used in order to pass the signal from the source to the
measurement device without a physical connection: it is often used to isolate possible
sources of signal perturbations. Also notable is that it is important to isolate the
potentially expensive equipment used to process the signal after conditioning from the
sensor.
Magnetic or optic isolation can be used. Magnetic isolation transforms the signal from
voltage to a magnetic field, allowing the signal to be transmitted without a physical
connection (for example, using a transformer). Optic isolation takes an electronic signal
and modulates it to a signal coded by light transmission (optical encoding), which is then
used for input for the next stage of processing.
Applications
It is primarily utilized for data acquisition, in which sensor signals must be normalized
and filtered to levels suitable for analog-to-digital conversion so they can be read by
computerized devices. Other uses include preprocessing signals in order to reduce
computing time, converting ranged data to boolean values, for example when knowing
when a sensor has reached certain value.
Types of devices that use signal conditioning include signal filters, instrument amplifiers,
sample-and-hold amplifiers, isolation amplifiers, signal isolators, multiplexers, bridge
conditioners, analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, frequency
converters or translators, voltage converters or inverters, frequency-to-voltage converters,
voltage-to-frequency converters, current-to-voltage converters, current loop converters,
and charge converters.

29

30

CALIBRATION

What Is Instrument Calibration and What Does It Do?

Instrument calibration is one of the primary processes used to maintain instrument
accuracy. Calibration is the process of configuring an instrument to provide a result
for a sample within an acceptable range. Eliminating or minimizing factors that
cause inaccurate measurements is a fundamental aspect of instrumentation design.
Although the exact procedure may vary from product to product, the calibration
process generally involves using the instrument to test samples of one or more
known values called calibrators. The results are used to establish a relationship
between the measurement technique used by the instrument and the known values.
The process in essence teaches the instrument to produce results that are more
accurate than those that would occur otherwise. The instrument can then provide
more accurate results when samples of unknown values are tested in the normal
usage of the product.
Calibrations are performed using only a few calibrators to establish the correlation
at specific points within the instruments operating range. While it might be
desirable to use a large number of calibrators to establish the calibration
relationship, or curve, the time and labor associated with preparing and testing a
large number of calibrators might outweigh the resulting level of performance.
From a practical standpoint, a tradeoff must be made between the desired level of
product performance and the effort associated with accomplishing the calibration.
The instrument will provide the best performance when the intermediate points
provided in the manufacturers performance specifications are used for calibration;
the specified process essentially eliminates, or zeroes out, the inherent
instrument error at these points

31

Wheel Load Impact Detection (WILD)

The Objective:

To protect Rail Infrastructure, avoid derailments & Accidents.

Detection of Defective Wheels.

WILD Concept:

When the wheel is perfectly round, it applies a uniform load on the rail.
When a wheel is having flat place/Out of roundness/Defect in suspension system/Miss-alignment of
bogies / Skewnes in the car body etc., or combination of any/all of these will give a huge impact load
on the rail whenever the defect portion hits the rail.
Wheel Impact Load Detector is used to catch the defects in the early stage and thereby protecting
Rail infrastructure, avoid derailment and accidents.

What WILD Consists?

Instrumented Tracks
Signal conditioning unit
Real time Embedded controller
Impact Load Analyzer Software
Wireless data transfer
Power back up

AT SITE
Control &

GSM
Modem

EB Power/

Switching
Circuits

Real Time

Primary Power

Controller
Backup
Device

Signal Conditioning
Modules

Solar Power/
Secondary
Power
Instrumented
Track

Exit
Trigger
Sensor

6 Channels (R1~R6)

6 Channels (R7~R12)

6 Channels (L1~L6)

6 Channels (L7~L12)

Instrumented Track:
32

Tracks are wired with strain gauges to measure the load pattern of the wheel on the rail
The track consists of 12 sleepers strain-measuring zones.
Each zone has a full bridge consisting of 4 Rosette type strain gauges.
The rail length of 12 sleepers is arrived to capture two full rotation of the wheel on rail.

Instrumented Track Concept Diagram:

Instrumented Track Pictures

33

Strain gauge Mounting:

350 Ohm strain gauge

8 strain gauges electrically connected to give a full bridge configuration
Each arm of the bridge consists of two gauges
The individual arms & gauges wired in a way to add up the radial load and to negate the axial load
on the rail.

System capabilities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Counts number of axels from various measurement channels

Measures Average Dynamic Wheel Load for all wheels
Determines Maximum Dynamic Wheel Load (WA) for all points of contact
Calculates Impact Load Factor (ILF) for all wheels
Calculates speed of each axel and the average speed of train
Identifies and counts defective wheels as per specified ILF and WA thresholds and rates them
according to the severity of defect
7. Has solar panel providing a power backup
8. Identifies and count number of Engines, Coaches / Wagons and Brake Vans.
9. Relates each axle with engine or coach / wagon or brake van. Also its position in the identified
rolling stock.
10. Operates 24x7 without any human assistance.
11. Transmits run reports to desired locations in specified HTML format over wireless.
12. Can operate from a low speed of 30Km/hr

Automation Features:
1. Automatic Diagnosis of faulty channels and switching them off to avoid erroneous data at every
start
2. Automatic self nulling and shunt calibration at every start
3. Automatic start of Data Acquisition (DAQ) on the arrival of train in response to the start trigger
switch
4. Automatic stop of DAQ after the passage of train by intelligently identifying the event
5. Uploads analyzed data to remote server

Software Flow:

Starts acquisition once train trigger is received

Logs all the data in to file for analysis
Stops acquisition and logging after the train crosses the instrumented track
Calls an analysis program that loads each channel data and furnishes processed data
HTML report is produced and is transmitted to remote server.
Server stores the report and publishes in the website.

A WILD System is successfully running at Arakkonam.

34

Hot Axle and Hot Bar Detector

Hot box occurs when inadequate wheel bearing lubrication or mechanical flaws cause an increase in
temperature. If undetected, the bearing temperature can continue to rise until there is a bearing burnoff which can cause journal breakage resulting in derailment. Another problem is brake binding, due to
which the temperature of wheel tread rises. This can lead to skidded wheels, metal deposition on wheel
tread causing wheel irregularity and other safety problems. Also, a wheel with temperature lower than
the average is a case of ineffective brakes. A detection system is therefore required to be developed to
sense abnormal temperatures of axle boxes and wheels on a running train and communicate with central
control for corrective action.
Hot box hot wheel detector system detects Axle boxes running hot due to bearing failure and wheels
having abnormally high temperatures due to brake-binding. It can also detect vehicles with ineffective
brakes by detecting cold wheels. The system uses infra-red sensors having fast response time and can
reliably measure temperatures of axle boxes & wheels of a train travelling upto 200kmph.
Basic Plan of Action
Target: Train speeds up to 200kph

First Developed Pyrometers Based System for lower speed up to 80/90 Kmph (response time
=1.5ms)
Developed systems for wheel / box using pyrometers
Secondly Developed MCT based sensing system & which replace pyrometers by MCT(response
time 2-3 s)
Hot Box Sensing

Alarm to be raised if rise in box temperature >25C

Main problem need for fast sensing
Box dimension ~220mm
Speed of train 200kmph
Transit Time ~4ms (sensing in 1-2ms!)
Normal sensors (30-200C) take 20 ms
Pyrometer placed along the track with wheel sensor.
Proximity sensor is required for gating of data.
Measurement of Wheel temperature
Replace pyrometers with MCT sensors

Pyrometers have response time of 1.5 ms

MCT sensors have a response time of 2-3 s\

35

Revised geometry with horizontal visualization of Box

Advantages
Places unit ~ 500mm above the rail surface.
Almost eliminates risk of immersion during rains.
Protects from Toilet Discharge.
Reduces risk of damage due to mishandling/ during track maintenance.

RF Modems

The system has been web enabled

2 types of RF modems have been procured:
flc810e
flc800c
Operating Frequency :License Free 2.4 GHz
Transmitter Range: 1.6 km with suitable antennae.
Data Transmission rate: more than 11 Mbps

36

Trackside Bogie Monitoring System (TBMS)

Objective:
Development of a system installed along the track:

To detect faults in bogies (Bogie Parameters) of Rolling Stock.

To detect loosely hanging parts using dragging equipment detector.
To develop system for automatic vehicle identification using RFID.
Communication to driver and Control.
Monitors lateral force, vertical force using strain gauges.
To measure Angle of Attack.
Angle of Attack & Tracking Position

Angle of Attack (AOA) of a wheel set

Benefit:
The system identifies bogies with misaligned wheel-sets, allowing maintenance staff to make timely
repairs, which can:

Reduce derailment risk ;

Reduce wheel-set replacement ;
Reduce rail wear ;
Reduce traction energy consumption.

37

TRACKSIDE BOGIE MONITORING SYSTEM Proposed System :

The proposed system comprises of:
Laser range finder: To measure angle of attack and tracking position of a moving wheel set of a

train.
Instrumented rail with Data Acquisition System: The condition of the bogie will be monitored
by measuring lateral force, vertical force: with the help of strain gauges.

RFID system: for automatic vehicle identification.

Dragging equipment detector: for detecting loosely hanging parts of a moving vehicle.

Wheel sensors: for actuating the system, counting the axles, estimating the axle speed and
correlation of data.

RF modem: for wireless transmission of data

Schematic Layout

Scanning of passing wheel for measuring angle of attack and tracking error

38

INDIAN RAILWAYS SIGNALLING SYSTEM

Automatic Signaling System

Automatic Block Working is a system of train working in which movement of the
trains is controlled by the automatic stop signals. These signals are operated
automatically by the passage of trains ?into?, ?through? and ?out? of the automatic
signalling sections. Following are the essentials of Automatic Block System.
Where trains are worked on Automatic Block System: (a) The line is track circuited throughout its length and divided into a series of
automatic signalling sections each of which is governed by an Automatic Stop Signal.
(b) The movement of trains is controlled by stop signals, which are operated
automatically by the passage of trains past the signals.
(c) No Automatic Signal assumes 'OFF' unless the line is clear not only upto the stop
signal ahead, but also an adequate distance beyond it.
Working of Automatic signalling is represented as under :

39

40

CONCLUSION

The RDSO has positively contributed to my training as a future Electronics Engineer.

At the RDSO workplace (i.e. E.LAB), I was able to reconcile theoretical principles
learnt in school with real Electronics/Signal engineering design practice. I also
learnt various transducers applications relating to my discipline such as Strain Gauze,
Accelerometer,LVDT etc. Furthermore, I received extensive training on electronic
design fundamentals which included the following: Development of Train Collision
Avoidance System and Wheel Impact Load Detector, , Calibration of measuring
instruments by calibrator , understanding signalling used in railways. RDSO gave me
the opportunity to learn about good work ethics, good interpersonal and
communication skills.

41

REFERNCES
Indian Railway Technical Bulletin
RDSO Publications: Annual Report

42