Origin of interlocking simulation
The success of Tran-SYS has its roots in projects conducted in the 1980s at the Technical University of Budapest where new methods were developed to simulate railway interlocking systems. Since then, with increasing computation power and improving visualisation technologies, new ideas constantly emerged. For example, the usage of simulation for training purposes has become one of the most effective methods for preserving, improving and conveying knowledge in rail operations. Thanks to technological advancements simulation has greatly evolved and reached excellent levels of reliability.
Benefit of training by simulators
Tran-SYS developed the operations and interlocking simulator BEST in order to create a simulation system applicable in a train control and management centre environment. The introduction of BEST significantly improves the efficiency of training signalmen, traffic controllers and dispatchers.
The main advantages are:
- Training courses can be run completely independently from the day-to- day railway business and activities
- Being very efficient, the total number of necessary training hours can be reduced
- It offers unlimited repeatability of exercises and maximum configurability and scalability of training units
- Reduced need to use real interlockings for training, hence less disruptions to the daily operations
- Less stress of the dispatchers during training sessions, compared to the stress experienced in a real interlocking environment
- Critical or emergency situations and scenarios can be simulated and trained in a realistic, safe environment. Very often such scenarios are almost impossible to generate and replicate using a "real" interlocking
- Development of operational skills and continuous training regarding standard operating procedures
- Records and analyses the reaction of dispatchers to new and unexpected situations
- Can be adapted to each person's individual skill level
- Encourages the self-correction of errors
- Scenarios can be replayed and errors analysed after the exercises
- Training for new installed interlockings is independent from the commissioning of the real system
- Independent of manufacturers and type of interlocking.