More on solid state Electronics
Solid State Interlocking
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Safety of Railway operations in areas where several lines meet or diverge is maintained by Signals which ensure that when any train is allowed go into a area it protected by at least one signal at its rear. Trains are required to follow the signals given to ensure safety. For signaling Color light signals are used and they have multi colored lights which are turned on or off depending on the state of the occupation of the Railway track ahead. In addition to occupation of tracks by other trains the availability of a signal also implies that the routes maintained by the tracks is correct. This is required because trains should not be signalled along tracks which are not connected properly. The system which ensures signals allow safe passage of trains into sections of track ahead of it is known as Interlocking in parlance of Railway Signaling.
Interlocking is achieved using in several methods and using various technologies starting from mechanical interlocking to the presently popular Solid State Interlocking.
Any system of interlocking can be divided into four parts
a) The outdoor equipments which are control or which monitor the state of the Railway Track as:
Signal Units - which show various position or colors indicating trains to move ahead or stop moving.
Point Machines- which sets routes moving portions of the Railway tracks
Track Circuits - which monitor the occupation of Railway Track
Point detectors - which detects the direction to which the track is set at diverging points of the track
b) The indoor arrangement which maintains logic for safe operation of trains
c) The medium connecting the indoor to the out door equipments
d) The interfacing arrangement at the indoor equipment and the outdoor equipment end for matching the medium
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