Mirel

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Vehicle receiver for train control Mirel

Mirel is the vehicle equipment of a train control system that works together with the line equipment of the train control system LS . Mirel is used by the Slovak Railways ŽSR and is approved for use by the Czech Railways.

The first type of this on-board unit was the Mirel S1 560. The electric multiple units of the ŽSR series 560 were retrofitted with this unit. Since then, only the successor device Mirel VZ1 has been used.

Description of Mirel VZ1

Mirel VZ1 was used for the first time in the ŽSR locomotives of the 350 series . It started operations in 2000 in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Mirel VZ1 is also used in locomotives operated by ČD , RegioJet and other rail companies. Mirel VZ1 is optionally able to work with the line equipment of the Hungarian train control EVM . There is also an interface to the SHP system of the Polish State Railways PKP .

The Mirel VZ1 system works with microprocessor technology and is designed for a maximum speed of 160 km / h approved. Fundamental improvements compared to the LS system consist in the monitoring of the speed and the calculation of braking curves which , if exceeded, trigger an emergency brake .

Functions in the ŽSR / ČD operating mode

Before starting the vehicle, one of the four modes must be selected:

Shunting operation

In this mode, no signal information from the track equipment is received. The maximum speed of the vehicle is 40 km / h, with speeds over 20 km / h the alertness control is activated.

business

Before starting the journey, the driver has to enter the maximum permissible train speed. During the journey, the following maximum speeds are calculated from the received signal information:

Signal sign Display on
the vehicle		 speed
free travel green preset maximum train speed
Attention yellow 120 km / h
40 and be careful yellow ring 40 km / h
(or 60, 80 or 100 km / h by
manual entry after transmission of this signal symbol)
Stop red 40 km / h
without transmission - 120 km / h

If Mirel recognizes from the received signal information that the permitted speed is lower than the actual train speed, the device calculates a braking curve which is used for time-dependent speed control during the braking process. The current maximum speed is shown on the display. If this speed is exceeded, emergency braking is triggered, unless the driver had switched the device to manual control while modeling the braking curve.

The ÖBB class 1216 locomotives that are used in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are equipped with Mirel VZ1s.

The alertness button must be used in the following cases:

  • When the signal character transmission is interrupted
  • If you switched to manual control while modeling the braking curve
  • During the transmission of the stop signal
  • When transmitting the signal sign, be careful at speeds over 90 km / h
  • If, when transmitting the signal character 40 and be careful, set the target speed to over 40 by entering it manually km / h was increased

If the driver does not confirm his vigilance, an emergency brake is triggered. When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 15 km / h and the hand or parking brake applied , the vigilance control is not active.

The direction of travel is also controlled in operating mode. When driving in the opposite direction to the selected direction, emergency braking is triggered.

Blocked

If the line equipment fails, the driver is instructed to switch Mirel VZ1 to locked mode. In addition to signal transmission and maximum speed control - it is 120 km / h - the device works the same as in operating mode.

Towing or pushing service

If the locomotive is not at the top of the train, only the exceeding of the maximum speed of the vehicle and the direction of travel are checked.

Functions in the MÁV operating mode

Mirel VZ1 works in MÁV mode either in shunting mode or in operation.

No signal information is received from the track equipment in maneuvering mode. The maximum speed is limited to 40 km / h.

In operating mode, the driver is shown one of the following signal settings: stop, free travel or speed limit to 15, 40, 80 or 120 km / h. If the permissible speed is exceeded, the Mirel VZ1 triggers an emergency brake.

In both operating modes, speeds over 15 km / h the vigilance control switched on. After each 1550 m the vigilance of the driver is checked. The anti-roll device is activated when the vehicle is stationary.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Mirel VZ1 is used in the ČD series 380 in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

With Mirel, a train control system was developed within the scope of the given possibilities, which led to a further increase in safety. It reduces the likelihood that signals indicating stop are run over. Because the track equipment of the LS system can only transmit four speed terms - including stop and free travel - the speed limit must be 60, 80 or 100 km / h the driver can enter the speed manually. Thus a substantial part of the responsibility remains with the driver.

This is also the case when Mirel VZ1 receives the request to stop and the braking curve deviates significantly from the actual braking distance. When calculating the braking curve, neither the braked weight of the train nor the actually available braking distance are taken into account. The braking distance is a uniform 1500 m at speeds of 120 km / h and more or 1000 m at lower speeds.

Another restriction is that the braking curve can only be adhered to up to a speed of 30 km / h is monitored. Then there is only a vigilance check - it is not checked whether the train comes to a standstill.

For the driver, the Mirel VZ1 represents an increase in comfort, since he has to operate the alertness button less often than with the original LS vehicle equipment. Because Mirel VZ1 can also work with train controls in some neighboring countries, a single vehicle equipment is sufficient for use in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

Mirel is expected to be the culmination of the development of LS train control. In the standardized European train control system ( ETCS), Mirel is regarded as a class B system to be replaced and can be retrofitted as an STM .

See also

literature

Individual references, comments

  1. ^ Website of the manufacturer HMH (Slovak), accessed on February 6, 2013
  2. ^ Josef Petrák, První lokomotiva RegioJetu je otestována a čeká na schválení , ŽelPage, 3. února 2011 (Czech)
  3. ↑ In train control systems that use coded DC circuits like LS to transmit signals to the vehicle, the block section and braking distance usually match. Mirel VZ1 gives the driver the option of switching off the monitoring of the braking curve in the case of excessively long block sections.