Use Cases for Obstacle Detection and Track Intrusion Detection Systems in the Context of New-generation of Traffic Management Systems

In this paper, the identification and description of use cases for Obstacle Detection and Track Intrusion Detection (OD&TID) systems related to the operation of trains are discussed, with detailed classification, including general cases for mainline railway and specific cases to freight. The identified use cases have been organised with respect to the signalling system condition, Grade of Automation (GoA) levels, various weather conditions and operation modes of the train under control. The use cases are further described, including the system response, actions made by OD&TID system and post-conditions in different scenarios. The priority and complexity of each use case are also discussed with respect to the probability of scenario occurrence and required interfaces. This work has been carried out as part of the process to evaluate implementation constraints, risks and requirements, and the operational scenarios of the OD&TID within the EU-funded Shift2Rail project SMART2, which aims to design and develop a prototype OD&TID system. The system will use on-board and trackside sensors, along with airborne cameras for detecting potential obstacles and/or track intrusion at a distance of up to 2000m ahead of a train, a major focus is on the use of OD & TID for automatic train operation (ATO).