Innovative control technology: Karlsruhe is modernising signalling and point installations

When I reported about the huge entrance sign to Karlsruhe which reads “Aiming high, flying high” in tram.news editions 48/2016 and 89/2019, I did not realise this motto would apply to the city for many years.  By Hans-Joachim Pütsch

In 2023, we commissioned a signalling installation for Hammäcker turning loop, a 4-way point controller in Knielingen, and the second generation of the new standard point controller at Albtal station. Standard point controllers are currently being installed in a “sporty time frame” in summer 2024 construction works. The projects in Knielingen and Albtal stations required particular customization as they border on the tram-train system change-over to Alb Valley Transport Company (AVG), Karlsruhe, as part of the “Karlsruhe Model”, which provides direct connections between inner-city tram/light rail systems and regional railway lines without transfer.  In this case, Karlsruhe Transport Company, VBK, is responsible for inner-city operations while Alb Valley Transport Company (AVG) runs the mainline out-of-town operations. 

The signalling installation for Hammäcker turning loop was commissioned in February 2023. Special features here are visualisation of the installation with ConnAct-O&O, with the uniform “Symbol catalogue for magnified images of signalling installations operated by Karlsruhe Transport Company, VBK” and connection to the control centre. The control centre can acquire priority operation of the system via an authorization concept. On-site operation via push-button stations or the control cabinet is then no longer possible.

The addition of a crossover track with electric point machines provides new possibilities for turning and shunting.

The four-way point controller for Knielingen sidings was commissioned in August 2023. This is the responsibility of VBK, but it is used by AVG primarily for stabling vehicles and for transfer to mainline Wörth station which is governed by EBO railway operation regulations. The controller is special because of the complex coupling to the existing traffic-signalling system, occupancy-level monitoring of sidings 11 and 12 via axle counters and the movable frog. This controller will also be connected to the operations control centre.

The point controllers for Albtal station were commissioned in September. Over a ten-year period, the second generation of the standard point controller for Karlsruhe was consistently developed with VBK and is designed modularly to cater for all project-planning cases in Karlsruhe city with just one type of controller.

The single point controller consists of a basic package, supplementary stages and the corresponding software package and forms a generic set. Setting protection for all five project-planning cases (P1: single faced point, P2.1/P2.2 double-faced point, P3: faced and trailed point, P4: double trailed point) can consist of four 4 different point-securing elements. This means greater variability and customization options with regard to point and track structure.

Here, too, attention was paid to separating safety-relevant (HN-P) and standard functions (HLUmulti) to ensure better system maintainability. Standard functions like point operating stage, connection of advance signals, the complex interface to the traffic-signalling system, remote maintenance access and the interface to higher-level control system are handled via the HLUmulti.

Multiple settings can be made via the HN-P diagnostic parameters: for example signal type, protection against re-setting by occupancy, settings for setting-command processing and parameterization of point-position signals. 

Via the Webvisu interface of the HLUmulti, advance signals can be parameterized or the complex interface to the traffic-signalling system modified (pulse length, permanent contact, positive or negative flank evaluation).

Project-planning cases P1 (facing the point) and P2.2 (double point crossing peak request via IMU with a HSK blocking circuit in front of manual point) were implemented at Albtal station. 

The third generation of the standard point controller for Karlsruhe with the new HVIP vital processor system is already underway.