How do staff on the railways communicate?

[carriageline]

Track staff were also meant to be getting them!


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[Llama]

Such handsets and similar were known as IVRS (interim voice radio system) ans provided a watered-down version of GSMR.

Other methods of communication used regularly are two-way radios, for instance at Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly the Northern platform staff each carry a radio, and the controlling signaller (Manchester North, located next to Salford Crescent station, or Manchester Piccadilly - Station Panel), Northern Control based in Square One building next to Piccadilly and the station announcers also have handsets and are permanently in the loop.

The safe method of working on maintenance depots is often also dependent on radios, all movements being authorised and controlled by one or more designated person (DP) depending on the location of the movement - for example on Newton Heath depot all movements are controlled by the Operations Team Leader, although movements onto the fuel pad also require the permission of the Pad DP at certain times, and movements into or within a building need the permission of the Shed DP. All movements from the depot confines onto Network Rail metals obviously require the permission of the controlling signaller, similarly movements from Network Rail metals onto the depot require permission from the Ops Team Leader. There are no signals as such on Newton Heath, except for three 'outlet signals' which control movements leaving the depot.

 

[68000]

Thanks everyone. This has been extremely useful.

I get the impression that GSM-R is supposed to fix all those communication problems but doesn't quite live up to that promise. A few people said that theoretically it's 100% coverage but not in reality, how close is it?

Also from what I've read GSM-R supports data communications, but it seems it's mostly used for voice, is that right? What kind of GSM-R devices do you use? There are the in-cab radios, but also handhelds, are they common, or do most staff just have regular mobile phones?

Thanks again everyone.

GSM-R is a European mandated system for interoperability with specifications dealing with coverage levels (I think EIRENE spec says 98.6% availability). It is important to note that GSM is designed to scan frequencies when below the threshold level so will more than likely pick up different cells if there is a problem with the cell the train is located in. This means there is the potential to connect to the incorrect signaller when using the one button calling. The premise is that it is far better to allow a driver to speak to a signaller even if it is wrong one over having no comms.

GSM-R is a 2G system therefore the data capabilities are limited and the rollout GSM-R was for a voice solution. ETCS programme will enhance the gSM-R to provide more bandwidth although GSM-R uses circuit switched technology which is very bandwidth intensive. There are plans to use packet switched for ETCS and bring GSM-R up to 3G standard

Every cab in Britain will have a fixed drivers control panel in the cab (below) with the radio hidden away in the roof/cupboard/other location on the train (below)





Every signaller and route controller has a GSM-R terminal in the box / panel / workstation.

There were IVRS handsets which provided emergency comms in axle counter areas and these are being replaced with the GSM-R fixed panel in the cabs. There are newer handsets (much better) being trialled for driver use during GSM-R train borne equipment failures. These handsets can also be used by trackside workers and others
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The gsmr radio can be used to dial any railway internal telephone in the country.

Not true, only those numbers which have been programmed through the switch (numbers contained in the train operator specific phone book for example)

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Yes, on privatisation the BR phone network was sold off to what was known as Racal BRT. The Wikipedia page has some useful info although it doesn't seem to be in a very logical order.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Telecommunications

The legacy ETD (extension Trunk Dialling) and Teleprinter network, plus the new FTN (Fixed Telecommunications Network, e.g. a network for 24-way fibre lines and access nodes) plus the new FTNx (the multi-Terrabit version of FTN) are all now under Network Rail Telecommunications (NRT). FTN (and FTNx) are the infrastructure over to which all voice, data, signalling (such as TDM and FDM) will be migrated - think of the biggest LAN you can and then multiply it by 100. All the ROCs communicate over it, GSM-R uses it, etc.

NR are looking to act as a carrier for other companies' data too, since the railway standard of availability and redundancy is pretty good.

 

[Matt Taylor]

We have no rules regarding the use of cab to cab communication but I won't contact my driver while the train is in motion except in emergency. I'm surprised that there has not been any instruction on the matter following what happened at Santiago De Compostela last year.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

That's because train drivers in the UK actually know the routes they drive trains over.

 

[21C101]

Q: How do staff on the railways communicate?

A: On this forum

 

[HSTEd]

In our dysfunctional railway system?
Through legal firms

 

[TheEdge]

All these serious answers and I've still not seen "through interpretive dance"

 

[edwin_m]

All these serious answers and I've still not seen "through interpretive dance"

That would be as in "send three and fourpence, I'm going to an interpretive dance"?

 

[sarahj]

All these serious answers and I've still not seen "through interpretive dance"

Nah, I think we are more of a hokey cokey kind of network.

You put your high viz in, your high viz out

 

[Llama]

All these serious answers and I've still not seen "through interpretive dance"

What happens on Newton Heath depot stays on Newton Heath depot...

 

[455driver]

What happens on Newton Heath depot stays on Newton Heath depot...

A bit like their 'maintenance'!