Signal & Telecom

Role of the Signalling & Telecommunications Department

 Safety in train operations
 Punctuality of running of trains
 Optimum utilization of line capacity
 Passenger amenities
 Manufacturing of specified signalling items
 Providing telecommunication infrastructure for :
o Safe and efficient operation of trains
o Administrative voice and data circuits
o Passenger Reservation System (PRS)
o Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS)
o Freight Operation Information System (FOIS)
o Crew Management System (CMS)
o Coaching Operating Information System (COIS)
o Management Information System (MIS)
 Management of Railways Corporate Wide Information System (RAILNET)

Elements of Safety in Train Operation

Track Circuiting

Track circuiting is a basic safety device used in signalling systems. It monitors occupancy of
a section of track and prevents clearance of signal in the event of the track section being
occupied by another train. This is a fail-safe device, which in the condition of its failure
prevents the signals to be cleared.

Axle counters

It is another important safety device used for detecting presence of train in a track section.
This device counts the number of train axles entering and exiting through a track section and
controls the associated signal.

Block Working

It is an arrangement to control the entry and exit of train in a section called block section
between any two adjacent stations. This maintains space interval between two following
trains. It provides safety by preventing the second train to be sent into the section between
the stations unless and until the previous train has cleared the section.

Driver to Guard communication

Driver to Guard communication has been provided for running trains using VHF walkie-talkie
sets, for better co-ordination in controlling of the train.

Interlocking

Interlocking is a mechanism to check the route the train is going to traverse before clearing
the signal and to prevent the clearing of signal when it is unsafe for the movement. It
eliminates human error and ensures safety in train operations. Two types of interlocking
 arrangements are in vogue depending on the size of the station yard.

Panel Interlocking

Panel interlocking is provided for smaller yards. It is a signalling system, which assures the
best standard of safety and eliminates the accidents arising out of human errors.

Route Relay Interlocking

Route Relay Interlocking is provided at major junctions and yards where large numbers of
train movements are required. It is available at.Vijayawada Junction..

Safety at Level Crossing Gates

All the level crossing gates in the station area and other important gates in the route are
controlled by the signals. These gates are called interlocked gates and provide best safety for
the road users. Provision of telephone communication at manned level crossing gates is a
safety tool to ensure closure and opening of gates at appropriate time. On this railway all the
manned level crossing gates have already been provided with telephone communication
facility with the controlling stations.

Modern Signalling Systems

Computerized/Electronics Interlocking

South Central Railway has adopted the state of art of interlocking technology in the form of
computer controlled interlocking for the first time on Indian Railways. The first system was
commissioned on 10.07.1994 at Kavali station in Vijayawada division. It cuts down installation
time and future modifications to cater the need of traffic can be implemented easily.

Digital Axle Counters

South Central Railway has been the test bed for Digital Axle Counters. To start with the state
of art Digital axle counters imported from Germany have been provided between . These axle
counters are compact and highly reliable. The Digital Axle counter based Block proving called
BPAC is provided over various locations in Vijayawada Division using indigenously
developed Digital Axle Counters.

Second Distant Signal

For improved visibility of signals and small reaction time of the drivers to control trains
especially at high speeds second distant signal is mandatory. It increases the confidence
level of the drivers and gives them sufficient time to control the trains at high speeds. This
has been introduced on Rajdhani route between Vijayawada- Gudur,

Intermediate Block Signalling (IBS)

 IBS is provided on trunk routes to increase line capacity by splitting the block section into two
parts. Two trains can be accommodated in the Intermediate Block signalling section
improving the throughput.

Automatic Signalling

Automatic signalling is provided in BZA-KCC to increase Line capacity.

Light Emitting Diode Signals

The conventional Filament type signaling Lamps are replaced with Light Emitting Diode
(LED) to enhance the reliability & the visibility of the signals. Vijayawada Division is fully
provided with LED signals(all Main Signals)

Data Loggers

Data Loggers are microprocessor based systems for logging the progression of important
signalling & interlocking events taking place at stations. Data loggers are installed at stations
provided with Route Relay Interlocking/ Panel Interlocking / Electronics Interlocking. Data
loggers help in diagnosis of signal defects.

Intergraded Power Supply (IPS)

SMPS based Integrated Power Supply Systems are being provided for Signalling
Installations. By providing these systems, various voltages required for signalling sub-
systems can be derived form IPS alleviating the need for battery banks.

Telecommunication

Providing basic telecommunications facilities for the Railways vast transport system is the
responsibility of the Signal & Telecom Department. The telecommunication facilities provided
on the Railways are broadly categorized in to three areas of applications.

-Train Operation

-Data Communication for Railway Information Technology Applications

-Administrative Communications.

Telecommunication for Train Operation

Provides omnibus communication circuits on ofc and Quad cable and overhead telecom
wires for operation of trains and other supporting activities of train control. The omnibus
circuit provides telephone communication between the station-masters and the control centre
at the divisional headquarters. Other omnibus circuits are also provided for other supporting
train operations, including remote operation of 25 KV AC power supply systems required for
electric traction. Emergency communication facility is provided along with the track
throughout the route for the rivers and guards of the running train to communicate to the
control centre at the respective divisional headquarters during emergencies.
1) Optical Fibre Communication

Optical Fibre Communication system is the backbone of Railways Telecommunication

Network. The short-haul STM1 equipment of 155 Mbps capacity is provided at every station
along the fibre network. The short-haul STM1 network is protected by long-haul STM4 /
STM16 self healing ring network provided by RailTel. The fibre network carriers Voice, Data
& Multimedia services for various applications.

2) Microwave communication

Railways has its own microwave infrastructure for long haul communication circuits in
addition to providing short distance telecom circuits as a support to over head & cable
network for train control and voice communication for sub divisions and important activity
centers.

The OFC & MW communication system meets the entire need of voice and data
communication circuits of the divisions and the zonal headquarters.

3) Data Communication

Data communication circuits for computerized Passengers Reservation System (PRS),

Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS), Crew Management System(CMS), Freight Operation
Information System(FOIS), Coach Operation Information System(COIS), Management
Information System (MIS) etc. and in-house E-mail facilities are provided by Signal &
Telecom branch.

4 ) Telephone Exchanges

Telephone Exchanges are provided at various divisions and other important locations
for Railways internal Communication requirements.

i) Closed User Group

Mobile Communications are Provided to officers and supervisor staff in SCR . Recently CUG
Mobile phones are also provided to loco pilot, assistant loco pilot and guards also..

Signalling & Telecom Infrastructure

Signalling :
1 No. of Block Stations 110

2 No. of Halt and Flag stations 48

3 Standard III Signaling (II R) 102

4 Standard I Signaling (I R) 8

(BZA, RJY, COA, NS,

MTM,
RBCS, KPLH,
KAPT)

5 i) Manned Interlocked gates out side 157

station/section

ii) Manned Interlocked gates within station 117

section

6 Manned Non-Interlocked LC Gates 78

7 Panel Interlocking Stations 95+3 Block Cabins

( Non-SSI & Non-RRI )

8 Solid State Interlocking (SSI) 12

9 RRI 1 (BZA)

10 MACLS with LF & SM's slide 2 (RBCS, KPLH)

11 IBS ( Up & Dn) 47

12 BPAC ( Block Proving Axle Counters) 232 Sets

13 Stations with 100% LED Signals (Main Signals) 6817

14 Glued Joints 10463

15 Normal Joints 366

16 PSC Layouts 1017

 17 Data Loggers 125

18 IPS 173

Telecom :

1 No. of VF 11
Repeaters
(BZA,EE,CEL,NDD,RJY,SLO,TUNI,YLM,GDV,

KKLR,BVRM)

2 No. of 15
MW
Repeaters UDL,BPP,CJM,OGL,UPD,KVZ,BTTR,NKD,GDR, NYP_EE,NDD,CCT,HVM and
PCA)

3 No. of 04
UHF Links
(UDL-GDV_NDD-BVRM,NDD-RJY and HVM-TUNI)

4 No. of 30
Exchange
s (ISDN-22- BZA,AIR,KCC,ELS,STPM,RYP,BZA
I/C,GDR,NLR,OGL,BPP,EE,TDD,NDD,RJY,SLO, CCT,COA, TUNI,BVRM,NS and
DRM I/C)

C-DOT-7

(DLS,HOSP, BZA I/C Accounts,KVZ,BTTR, AKP,GDV)

IP-1

(TEL)

5 RE Cable 330.94 KM
(KM)

6 6 Quad 612.81 KM
 Cable
(KM)

7 OFC 678.08 KM
Cable
(KM)

8 STM-1 69
locations
(KI,RYP,ELS,KCC,PVD,DIG,TSR,NDO,APL,SPF,CLX,VTM,UGD,ANB,KRV,SDM,T
NR,SKM,TTU,

SVPM,AXR,TMC,KJJ,PGU,VDE,VKT,VRJN,NGPM,KAPT,KMLP,MBL,GALA,MBD,G
WM,PAVP, TOU,NZD,VAT,DEL,BMD,PUA,CEL,BPY,NBM,
NDD,CU,KVR,GVN,KYM,DWP,DWP,APT,BVL,
MPU,PAP,GLP,RVD,ANV,HVM,GLU,NRP,REG,
YLM,NASP,BVM,THY,DVD,SPVM,CCT and COA)

9 STM-4 10
locations
(BZA,TEL,BPP,CJM,OGL,UPD,KVZ,BTTR,NLR,GDR)

1 STM-16 12
0 locations
(BZA,BPP,OGL,KVZ,NLR,GDR,EE,TDD,RJY, SLO, TUNI,AKP)

1 MW 343.8
1 Route KM
(Digital)

MW
1
Route KM 288.7
2
(Analog)

UHF
1
Route KM 45.0
3
(Digital)

UHF
1
Route KM 65.3
4
(Analog)

II Passeng
I er
amenity
works
1 No. of PA 36
systems
(Manual) (APT,PRH,PKO,BPY,BVM,BMD,BVL,CU,
CEL,CJM,DEL,DIG,GWM,GLP,GLU,HVM,KYM,
KCC,MPU,MBD,NASP,NBM,NZD,PVD,PAVP,
PUA,RMV,RVD,REG,TOU,THY,VAT,VTM,KI, RYP and TSR)

2 No. of 36 (GDR,NLR,OGL,CLX,TEL,BZA,EE,TDD,GVN,
Computer RJY,SLO,AKP,COA,CCT,BVRT,GDV,MTM,BVRM,TNKU,NS,TUNI,ANV,NDD,BPP,
ized KVZ,DWP,YLM,NDO,PAP,SKM,KKLR, KVR,NRP,VDE,AKVD and BTTR)
Announce
ment PA
Systems

3 No. of 147
GPS
Clocks

5 No. of 107
Unified
Ticketing
System
Locations
(UTS/PRS
)

6 No. of 20
Passenger
Reservati
on
Locations(
PRS)

7 No. of 43 Nos(36 locations)

POETs
provided
at
stations

8 TV 1
Display
System (BZA)
 9 LCD TV 6
based
Display (BZA,NS,MTM,RJY,CCT,GDR)
Systems

1 LED Train 31 Stations

0 Indication
(GDR,Boards
NLR, KVZ,SKM,OGL,CLX,BPP,NDO,TEL, BZA, EE,TDD,NDD,KVR,GVN,RJY,DWP,SLO,
PAP,ANV,TUNI,AKP,GDV,BVRT,BVRM,PKO, NS, MTM, TNKU, New COA and CCT)

1 LED 30 Stations
1 Coach
Indication (GDR, NLR, KVZ,SKM,OGL,CLX,BPP,NDO,TEL, BZA,
Boards EE,TDD,NDD,KVR,GVN,RJY,DWP,SLO, PAP,ANV,TUNI,AKP,GDV,
BVRT,BVRM,PKO, NS, MTM, New COA and CCT)

1 Touch 25 Stations
2 Screen
(PIIS) (GDR, NLR, KVZ, OGL, CLX, BPP, TEL, BZA, EE, TDD, NDD, GVN, RJY, SLO,
Enquiry CCT, ANV, TUNI, AKP, GDV, MTM, BVRT, BVRM, TNKU, PKO, NS)
system

1 Surveillan 5 Stations
3 ce
Cameras (BZA-16-IP Cameras & 33 Analog.

RJY-15 IP Cameras.

NLR-13 IP Cameras.

CCT-12 IP Cameras.

OGL -13 IP Cameras.)

Passenger Amenities

The Signal & Telecom Department provides various passengers amenities for the benefit of
travelling public.

Public Address System is provided at various stations to announce the arrival & departure of
trains and other information required by travelling passengers. This facility is available at 249
stations on this Railways.

Train Arrival Departure Information is provided through Rail Sampark Centralized Service 139

Train Indication Boards are provided for indicating the train timing and platform numbers at
31 important Railway stations.

Coach Indication Boards are provided for indicating the coach position of the train on the
platform at 30 important Railway stations.

Railnet

RAILNET infrastructure provides Corporate Wide Information System for Indian Railways.
The network connects all the 16 Zones and 6 production units. All the departments of
Vijayawada Division are connected to RAILNET.

Recently, the Headquarter and the divisions have been migrated from leased line point-to-
point WAN links to IP MPLS VPN network provided by M/s RailTel Corporation of India Ltd.
The network provides Management Information System, Electronic Data Interchange and
enables sharing of information among various units of Railways. Internet service has been
provided through this network. The HQ network is provided with a Mail Server and a Web
Server.