A microprocessor based route interlocking system for control of trains in railway yards

Summary form only given. The design and development of a real-time control system called FIRM (fail safe interlocking system for railways using microprocessors) for control of trains in a station yard are considered. Route interlocking is described as a critical application involving human safety. The design is based on fail-safe principles where a fault in the system causes a safe reaction. An approach is proposed for the design of fail-safe systems intended to reduce the system complexity and attain a high safety standard. A model for FIRM has been developed, along with a simulator for the route interlocking system for design validation of FIRM. The simulator uses a software package called SPRINT which can be used to simulate the route-interlocking system and its control environment for any given yard layout.<>