Training simulator for train traffic controllers with CTC

Spain

Adif is tackling the training of railway traffic operators with a state-of-the-art simulator. This system is capable of reproducing the behaviour of the various elements of the railway infrastructure, such as interlocking systems, track circuits, signals, trains and remote control graphical interfaces. In addition, virtual agents have been developed that simulate the behaviour of traffic operators, train drivers, infrastructure agents and work supervisors.

The simulator also includes an automatic evaluation of the trainees’ actions to verify that operational safety is maintained and that communications are carried out in accordance with the Railway Traffic Regulations (RCF). To this end, all the operating procedures described in the RCF have been modelled using a business process modelling tool.

This approach allows Adif to ensure that it can replace retiring employees and provide ongoing training to current operators, adapting to the different areas of the railway network and their specific infrastructures.

The development of the tool is motivated by ADIF’s need to establish mechanisms for controlling train movement and traffic, ensuring safety and operational efficiency through continuous training procedures in dynamic situations for the company’s technicians.
IDOM has developed a training simulator for railway traffic operators in a CTC (Centralised Traffic Control) environment for ADIF. The simulator automatically evaluates the actions of operators in scenarios involving traffic incidents. The aim is to ensure that safety is maintained at all times and that operations are managed with maximum efficiency.

Ensuring operational safety while maintaining efficiency

The simulation system consists of several simulators that replicate the behaviour of railway infrastructure elements and the actors involved in railway operations. IDOM has developed the following simulators:

• Signalling simulator
• field elements simulator
• train simulator
• virtual agent simulator

In addition to these simulators, the system includes digital representations of the documents used in operations, such as the train book and the block book.

This is a project that has been running for more than 15 years, in which IDOM‘s experience in the technologies used and its wealth of knowledge of the railway business have been decisive in meeting customer expectations.

Digital transformation : IT development