ICBTC: Helping towards unmanned train operations

Communications-based train control (CBTC) is a railway signalling system that utilizes telecommunications between train and track equipment to regulate traffic and control infrastructure.

Introduction

The exact position of a train is known more precisely with CBTC systems than with traditional signalling systems. This results in a more efficient and safe way of managing railway traffic. Metros (and other train systems) can increase capacity while maintaining or even enhancing safety.

A CBTC system is a continuous, automatic train control (ATC) system that uses high-resolution train location determination independent of track circuits; continuous, high-capacity, bidirectional train-to-wayside data communications; and train borne and wayside processors capable of implementing automatic train protection (ATP) duties, as well as optional automatic train operation (ATO) and automatic train supervision (ATS) services, as defined in the IEEE 1474 standard. CBTC can be classified based on operational requirements: .

• Only ATP functions without ATO or ATS.

• ATP and partial ATO and / or ATS functions.

• CBTC can be only train control system or may be used in conjunction with other auxiliary wayside systems.