IOT Based Signal Monitoring System for Railway Loco Pilot in Fogy Environment
Abstract
Cancellation and delay of trains is a very common problem that the Railways face during heavy fog in winters especially in Northern Regions of India. One of the key reasons for the delay is the inability of the engine drivers to see the light signals from a faraway distance. The solution aims to provide a feasible way to overcome this problem by implementing an IoT based remote railway signalling system which is highly reliable, cost efficient, scalable, and robust for practical Indian conditions. The system is divided into three phases. In the first phase, wireless transmitters (NRF modules) are installed in the signal posts along with corresponding receivers in the train engines. Therefore, when the signal turns red or green, the wireless transmitter will send the signal to the train on that track approaching towards the signal. The train will receive the signal and a red or green bulb will be switched on in the engine control dashboard inside the driver’s cabin itself. The driver will thus know that the status of the signal ahead without depending on the visibility of distant light signals. The second phase couples the signal posts with a wifi module (ESP8266) to provide internet connectivity and a connection to the cloud through an IOT technology stack. This will allow Railways to set up centralized control rooms and control the signals in real time remotely. The third phase is a proposal to increase the efficiency of the system by connecting multiple signal posts to one wifi gateway module. This phase is just a proposal for future work. The system aims to be designed to suit Indian conditions. Hence it has been made cost efficient by using only minimal components while being easy to use and scalable so that it can be implemented on a national level.
