Signal box simulation
The signal box simulation is a special form of a railway simulation in which the railway operation is simulated from the point of view of an interlocking operator ( dispatcher or switch keeper ). The user sets the course and signals in the simulation and ensures smooth, safe and punctual handling of train traffic .
The area of a simulation is spatially clearly delimited (in contrast to other railway simulations) and usually comprises a given station or a longer section of a railway line . Signal box simulations can be used for leisure activities as well as for training purposes.
Signal box development
The manufacturers of electronic interlockings use simulators as part of their quality assurance and for the training of operators, which can be used to test the original hardware of their products, including incorrect operation (only "software that is robust against foreseeable errors"), extreme loads , etc. enable. Further differentiation options with regard to the outdoor facilities used and their simulations also used are known, but not publicly accessible due to a lack of release of sources.
leisure
The signal box simulation for entertainment purposes shows the railway operation in a playful way . The user usually has to react to new operating situations in the shortest possible time and steer the trains in the simulated area with foresight. A considerable number of corresponding software for the playful simulation of interlockings of various designs is now available.
Examples
| Name of the simulator | Manufacturer / provider | platform | License | Signal boxes | Sources / Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESTWsim | Thomas Bauer / Markus Schröder | DOS / Windows | commercially | electronic interlockings in Germany, Austria and Switzerland | https://www.estwsim.de/ |
| Signal box simulator | Signalsoft Rail Consultancy Ltd./ Halycon Media | Windows | commercially, commercially available | German and Dutch signal boxes, e.g. B. the signal boxes of the left Rhine route from Hürth-Kalscheuren to Koblenz-Lützel, mostly relay signal boxes of the type Sp Dr S60 | https://signalsimulation.com/ |
| StellwerkSim (STS) | StellwerkSim Betriebs-Verein eV | Java Runtime Environment | Track diagram signal boxes in Europe, many of them in Germany | https://www.stellwerksim.de/ | |
| ESTW simulator | Bodo Schneider | Windows | electronic signal boxes in Germany | https://www.estw-simulator.de/ |
Railway operations field
For the training of students and for professional development , Deutsche Bahn maintains model railway systems together with universities and technical colleges , which are operated with real interlocking technology . For this purpose, former interlockings of various types are integrated into a digital system.