International Conference on Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, 07 - 09 February 2019,

Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Modernizing Bangladesh Railway Signaling System

H. M. AHSAN, S. A. RAFAT, S. HOSSAIN
Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT: Rail transport is a very popular form of transport in Bangladesh. Its signaling system ensures
smooth and efficient movement and its reliability directly influences the capacity and safety of the rail network.
In Bangladesh, the signaling system is governed by different types of interlocking most of which are not totally
digitalized. As a result, accidents due to human error is a very common phenomenon. The average speed of train
is also very poor. This can be reduced by modernizing the signaling system. European Train Control System is
preferred because it is one of the most secure train control systems. ETCS is arguably the most performant train
control system in the world and brings significant advantages in terms of maintenance costs savings, safety,
reliability, punctuality and traffic capacity. Many densely populated countries such as China, Taiwan, South
Korea and recently India have adopted ETCS to meet their demands owing to its easy operability. ETCS has five
levels of application (Level 0, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level STM) and is categorized into three main
subsystems namely the OnBoard subsystem, Trackside subsystem and Lineside subsystem. The function of the
OnBoard subsystem present on the dashboard of the train is to communicate with the trackside subsystem. The
trackside subsystem monitors the train movements and transmits the data to the main train control center.
Lineside equipments communicate with RBC and the OBE to provide the status of the train in every block
section. Implementing ETCS in Bangladesh will increase security for train drivers by ensuring continuous
monitoring during train operation. Besides, the main difference between the conventional signaling system and
the ETCS signaling system is that the updating of train position is covered through a network instead of ground
cables. It can also provide provision for inter-operability that can be very helpful to provide standards for
international telecommunications. However, it is a challenge to upgrade to ETCS as rolling stock was not
designed to accommodate OnBoard equipment. Therefore, it is often necessary to undertake significant
modifications to each train. Once the rolling stock is upgraded, it is easy to upgrade to higher levels of ETCS
without complexity. It has five level of applications among which ETCS Level 3 will facilitate continuous radio
communication between the leading and following trains, allowing them to move safely and closer to one
another, thus increasing the line capacity. ETCS is a modern signaling system that is easy to upgrade making it
viable as long-term solution in the context of the present signaling system. So, making the rail sector more
competitive in our country, ETCS will help to level the playing field with road transport.

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 A. Mofiz, B. Hossain & Islam
ICPACE 2019