Information Technology based ideas to reduce Train accidents.

Author: P. Abraham Paul. Short link: http://wp.me/s1ZsI2-39

With such enormity of the Rail network and its heavy usage, it is almost impossible to fully prevent accidents in Railways that are willfully caused by miscreants. Implementation of fail proof and tamper proof technology also will be an extremely difficult task. Damaging of rail tracks or trains with mines or bombs with remote control devices are difficult to prevent. For any anti social element or group it is too easy to cause a major accident. For example, any goon can cover the railway signal lamps with to cause a major accident. For example, any goon can cover the railway signal lamps with a gunny bag in the night to easily misguide the drivers, and cause accidents of the like we saw time and again. A miscreant in the

at a station to make them inactive in few minutes. A turnaround can happen only with major social change that is not going to happen soon the way the political situation in the country is what it is now.

It is the experience that most accidents happen due to leaving the safety aspect fully to humans. Therefore, it is necessary to find a ways and means to do something quickly to prevent such accidents that happen due to human error or signaling failure or and to some extent tampering of the system by miscreants, even if the chances of such is only one in thousand, by introducing some tamper proof technology based solutions.

Technology based solutions: Fully GPS based technology as being talked about may not serve the purpose fully but can supplement other methods. It is in this regards, I suggest serve the purpose fully but can supplement other methods. It is in this regards, I suggest the following solution which is feasible with available technology.

Description:

1. At every signaling point and at close intervals of the entire Rail route, there shall be

systems are to be networked along the route and autonomously controlled by IT enabled systems and network.

2. There shall be fail proof Units" in every locomotive all suitably networked for monitoring the movements of the trains and rolling stocks, and continuity and condition of the tracks, and to communicate and control those.

subdivision that is equipped with facilities for monitoring of all rolling stock movements across the rail network, trains, supervision and pilot trolleys, track monitoring systems, under its jurisdiction and also will have fail proof communication facility with all railways station control rooms, the other Stationary units and Drivers and Guards cabin of all Locomotives.

points and also at required intervals along the railway track and shall be networked with redundant and fail-proof back bone optical fiber cable network and wireless communication facility and features to monitor the condition and continuity of rail tracks and information of the movements of all trains on the tracks in the vicinity and report to Central Units.

and enable permission on request to pass and to warn or stop the engine remotely if any and enable permission on request to pass and to warn or stop the engine remotely if any locomotive approaches or trespasses without access permit.

Tamper proof CCTV cameras placed at vantage points along the rail routes especially in trouble prone sensitive areas and networked with Stationary units and Central unit will be of help to war and eliminate tampering tracks or to detect unusual activity.

In case of any discontinuity or tampering of tracks at any point or any system failure, or autonomously

generate alarm across the network and the Local units and inform the Central Unit to control or stop the trains.

2.3. 'Local Unit'. Every locomotive shall have a wireless enabled special purpose network.

permission at toll signal points, the "Central unit can access the Local unit to stop the train.

provided with GPS enabled, fail proof communication facility to interact with Station masters, Control rooms and Central Units and with guards and drivers of other trains in the vicinity.

In addition there shall be a live LCD display unit prompted by the Stationery units' /

and movement and the location of other trains over the tracks and in the stations in the vicinity.

4. To avoid tampering by miscreants, these stationery units should be in tamper proof 4. To avoid tampering by miscreants, these stationery units should be in tamper proof encasement, located hidden underground. The signaling between the stationery units and 'Toll Gate' units co uld be wired and wireless types. Signaling between the 'Stationery units' / 'Toll Gate' / 'Local units in the locomotives; shall be with fail proof wireless technology, in tamper proof environment and data transacted are encrypted to prevent hacking.

In case of failure of the system or network or detection of any tampering of rail or toll systems; there shall be facility to warn and if necessary to stop movements of all trains and rolling stocks in the vicinity.

It is possible to get these done in time bound manner if dedicated and focused attention is given by the Railway Ministry.

Abraham Paul. P papaul@hotmail.com