AUXILIARY WARNING SYSTEM IN RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
It has been planned
to adopt Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS), a variant
of Auxiliary Warning System (AWS), to further enhance safety levels
in train operations by preventing cases of ‘Signal Passed at Danger’
in 280 Track kilometres of ‘A’ route on Southern and North Central
Railway, on trial basis.
Functionality wise
there is no difference between the two systems, which are basically
meant to prevent driver passing signal at danger. However, both
the systems use different technologies to achieve the intended
functionality.
The conventional
AWA system uses track magnet, which are basically made of Copper,
as track device making it prone to thefts. Information about signal
aspect, in AWS, is transmitted from track device to cab equipment
through electro magnetic induction.
TPWS use Euro Balise
as a track device, which is an electronic device with very less
copper inside and it uses radio transmission for sending information
to cab equipment.
TPWS is basically
meant to prevent driver from passing a signal at danger thereby
preventing accident thereof. The system does not have any functionality,
which can curtail outside interference of rail installation, such
as track and signal equipment.
This information
was given by the Minister of Railways Shri Nitish Kumar in a written
reply to a question from Shri Rama Muni Reddy Sirigireddy in the
Rajya Sabha today.
