Success Story
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
(SEPTA)
Regional Rail System Database
Geographic view of the
entire SEPTA RAILSIM database (left), and a zoomed-in view of 30th
Street Station in Philadelphia (right).
RAILSIM was used to model the
entire SEPTA Regional Rail system, a network of 13 rail lines over 558
track miles, and serving 159 stations. The database supports the
incorporation of all SEPTA rail services (Regional Rail,
Subway-Surface and Subway-Elevated) into one PC-based model that
includes:
Track alignment, including curve locations
(by chainage/stationing, degree of curvature and orientation) and
vertical profile (specified in percent, ascending or descending, with
vertical points of intersection specified by chainage/stationing);
Signal system data, including locations of
signals, insulated joints and cut sections; number of signal heads;
available aspects and control line/routing for each; signal
designation (plate number for automatics or level number for
interlocking signals) and type of signal (interlocking or automatic);
Interlocking data, including switch
orientation, numbering, route locking, signaled routes, switch
movement times, and overall interlocking route establishment times;
Station data, including
chainage/stationing limits of each platform, platform height (high or
low) and platform track associations;
Grade crossing data, including crossing
name and center line location (in chainage/stationing);
Overgrade and undergrade structures;
Civil speed restrictions and other posted
speed restrictions, specified by velocity and location;
Head End speed restrictions applicable at
grade crossings, including maximum velocity and location;
Equipment-specific physical plant
limitations such as bridge speed restrictions that differ by vehicle
type;
Multiple Speeds;
Equipment-specific performance
characteristics, including maximum speeds, tractive effort curves,
braking effort curves, full- and normal-service station stopping
braking rates, vehicle weight, passenger capacities, passenger
boarding and departure rates, operator and equipment reaction times,
and cab signal governor settings;
The database incorporates SEPTA’s Regional Rail trip
table of origins and destinations, with automatic calculation of train
dwells and train ridership throughout the system.
RAILSIM serves the analytical and
design needs of several departments at SEPTA, including Railroad
Operations, Operations Support, Engineering and Construction, Line
Maintenance and Planning. SYSTRA also coordinated the development of
the system with Amtrak and CSX, whose track is used by SEPTA
Regional Rail Division trains. |
