REPLACING railway signalling equipment with satellite navigation systems could slash the cost of maintaining the network and provide a financial lifeline for lightly used rural railways by cutting their costs.
A nine-month trial using a train on the UK rail network, reported at a conference in London last week, showed that the satnav technology could successfully replace trackside signals. It reliably displayed signalling information inside the driver’s cab, while equipment in the signal control room showed the position of the train.
“Fears of interference or blocked signals proved groundless. The only blind spots were tunnels”
Maintaining conventional signalling systems can…
