PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF

INTERLOCKING

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 TAKE AWAY!
In the end of this class, you will be able to understand about:
 WHAT IS INTERLOCKING?
 INTERLOCKING NECESSITY
 INTERLOCKING ESSENTIALS
 INTERLOCKING INTERFACES
 INTERLOCKING FUNCTIONS
 TYPES OF INTERLOCKING
 VARIOUS IXL CONCEPT

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 WHAT IS INTERLOCKING?

Arrangement of signals, points and other appliances, so

interconnected by mechanical or electrical locking that their
operation takes place in a predetermined sequence to
ensure that conflicting movement of signals and points do
not take place and train runs safely.

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 INTERLOCKING NECESSITY

 Increase in the number of points and signals.

 Increase in speeds.
 Points and signals arranged in fool proof
manner. Conflicting movements are avoided.
 Helps in proper and safe working of the system.

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 INTERLOCKING ESSINTIALS
 Conflicting Routes can not be set.
 Points are only moved, when all the safety conditions are
met.
 Signals only clear to a Proceed Aspect, when all the
Safety conditions are fulfilled.
 The System is Fail-safe and Failures shall not provoke an
unsafe situation. Under failure conditions, Signals shall
display a Stop Aspect and Points shall not be moved and
shall remain in their last operated position.

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 INTERLOCKING INTERFACES
CBI shall interface with:

1. CBIs at adjoining Locations.

2. Local ATS.
3. Control-cum-Indication Panel (CCIP) or Control Terminal with
VDU Display.
4. Signals – Main Signal, Route Indicator, Shunt Signal and Buffer
Stop Signal.
5. Track circuits.
6. Key Transmitters.
7. Points.
8. Emergency Stop Plungers in SCRs and at Platforms (Up &
Down).

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 INTERLOCKING FUNCTIONS
1. Approach locking.
2. Route control.
3. Route locking.
4. Point locking.
5. Aspect control of signals.
6. Cancellation / Releasing of route.
7. Blocking / Un-blocking of signals.
8. Blocking / Un-blocking of routes.

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 INTERLOCKING FUNCTIONS:
9. Maintenance Block Control and Release Operation.

10. Individual Operation of Points.

11. Blocking / Un-Blocking of Points.

12. Point Self Normalizing Inhibition and Release Control.

13. Manual Operation of Points.

14. Cycle Setting & Un-setting.

15. Fleet Mode Setting & Un-setting.

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 TYPES OF INTERLOCKING
1. Mechanical interlocking

2. Relay/Geographical Interlocking

3. Solid State Interlocking

4. CBI (Computer Based Interlocking)

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 MECHANICAL INTERLOCKING
• Mechanical interlocking provides the control of a railway
area through the movement of individual levers, physically
connected via wires and rods to signals, points, level
crossing gates or barriers.
• Within areas controlled with mechanical interlocking, the
railway is interspersed with several buildings (signal boxes)
next to the track, containing manually or remotely
controlled operated signal levers.

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 RELAY/GEOGRAPHICAL
INTERLOCKING
• In Route Relay Interlocking (popularly known as RRI),
the Control Rules are implemented through Boolean
logic using electromechanical relays.

• Thousands of relays are connected with any track

movable device belonging to the area under the
interlocking responsibility. Each track device can assume
two different values so that its status can be encoded by
a Boolean value.

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 SOLID STATE INTERLOCKING
• The Solid State Interlocking (SSI) system was first
developed in the 1980s and jointly exploited by British Rail,
GEC(now Alstom).

• SSI is an interlocking system built using Electronics

replacing traditional electro-mechanical relays. The same
Interlocking rules or control equations used in RRI form the
basis of this technology.

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 CBI (COMPUTER BASED
INTERLOCKING)
• Computer Based Interlocking (also known as CBI) is the
generic term for the most modern signalling interlocking
products, implemented through computers rather than
older technologies.

• A modern CBI ensures higher availability, reliability and

safety.

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 ROUTE
• A route is a specific path from an origin signal to a
destination signal.

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 NORMAL DIRECTION ROUTE

• A normal direction route is a route in the normal

direction (on the left hand track) of the train
travel.

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 REVERSE DIRECTION ROUTE
• A reverse direction route is a route over which trains
run in the opposite direction to normal.

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 OPPOSING ROUTE
• A route geographically identical to the given
route, but in the opposite direction.
• S03 to S02 is opposite to S02 to S08
• S05 to S07 is opposite to S02 to S04

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 FLEET MODE
• A condition applicable to interlocking routes under
which a number of trains may run the same route
without the necessity of canceling and reestablishing
the route in between successive movements.

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 CONFLICTING ROUTE
• Two or more routes which oppose converge or
intersect such that simultaneous movements cannot
be made without the possibility of collision.
• S01 to S03 is conflicting with S05 to S03

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 ISOLATION
• ISOLATION means an arrangement, secured by the
setting of points or other approved means, to protect
the line so isolated from the danger of obstruction from
other connected line or lines.

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 LOCKING
• The establishment of a condition within the ASCV for a
signal, set of points, route or other automatic function
such that its state cannot be altered except by a
predetermined and inviolable sequence of events.

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 BERTH TRACK CIRCUIT
• The berth track circuit is the track circuit TC27
situated just before the signal S01 or TC34
situated just before the signal S02 .

TC34

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 FIRST TRACK CIRCUIT

• The first track circuit is the track circuit TC29 situated

just after the origin signal S01 of the route S01_S03.

TC29

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 LAST TRACK CIRCUIT
• The last track circuit of a route is the track circuit TC31
situated just before the destination signal S03.

TC31

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 FOUL TRACK CIRCUIT

• The foul track circuit of a route is the track circuit

which is not in the direct line of the signal , but
one of its extremities is at the required clearance
point for that route .

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 FOULING POINT
• The fouling point is the specific place where the
dynamic gauge of a train running on the reverse
position of a point stop to intersect with the
dynamic gauge of a train on the normal position
of the point .

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 CLEARANCE POINT

• The clearance point is the place on the trackside

where the train fully (overhang or last axle of the
train) disengages the fouling point or the toe of
the point.

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 APPROACH SECTION

• The approach section is the distance before an

origin signal which assures that the run of a train
approaching the signal is not disturbed if the
signal has been closed.

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 APPROACH LOCKING

• The approach locking is an interlocking which is

locked if a train is on the approach section of the
origin signal of a route and the signal is at
permissive state.

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 ASSESSMENT

1.Expalin any four function of IXL?

2.Define Route,normal & reverse route ,Conflicting route etc?.
3.Describe fouling mark?

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 Thank You
for
Giving me an opportunity
for sharing my views

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