Onboard measurement method for signaling equipment on probe trains

Abstract

An automatic train protection system ATS and a track circuit is a fundamental and essential element of a railway signaling system. At first, we mention maintenance technology of ATSS. For the stable operation of AN ATS, the management of the quality factor (Q) of the ground beacon is essential and the Q must be kept its value within A specified level through maintenance. Our developed new measurement method is based on the current ratio between two different frequency levels of a pick-up coil current when the train passes the beacon. And it can provide the correct Q data against the distance-fluctuation. Secondly we develop the onboard method of measuring track circuit. The current of track circuit which is received through a pair of onboard signal receivers is continuously recorded and analyzed. From the analyzed data signal engineers judge the necessity of maintenance of track circuits. These measuring technologies are installed onto the probe train which is one of revenue-earning train with measurement functions. A condition-based monitoring system is realized through the result of statistic processing of monitored data which is collected from two or more probe trains.