Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

88
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
‘Cerberus’ Control Centre – main screen
memory, are themselves logged. The log data is
protected to make undetected alterations to the log
file impossible.
A DECADE OF DEVELOPMENT
The ‘Cerberus’ system is the result of a decade
of development, from concept through design,
prototyping, field trials, and large-scale implementation.
In 1988 the State Rail Authority’s Manager,
Signalling, posed the question whether there existed
any small, inexpensive means for monitoring and
recording the operation of each of the State’s 300
sets of level crossing protection equipment. He saw
that there was a need to be able to look back at the
operation of the protection equipment, especially
after an accident or a reported malfunctioning of the
equipment.
The response was that a suitable system did not
exist as an off-the-shelf product, but could be developed,
based on currently available data
acquisition hardware. Major tasks would be to
develop specialised sensing interfaces, and custom
software.
In the following few years only part-time work was
carried out. This was directed at developing a
reliable method of checking that level crossing lights
were operating, considered to be a critical function
for any level crossing monitor.
The project developed into a full-time commitment
in mid-1990. The development team recognised that
the full economic potential of monitoring level crossing
operation lay in being able to alert maintainers
immediately any failure was detected, and in being
able to carry out the customary daily test of each
level crossing by remote control (this would do away
with the need for the hundreds of contract testers
who now perform that function). The original
requirements specification was extended to include
provision to carry out full remote testing of the crossing
equipment, with direct communication from each
installation to a central control system.
FIRST PRODUCTION PROTOTYPE INSTALLED
AT BATHURST
The first prototype unit was demonstrated at a
state signal engineers’ conference in August 1993. A
small number of pre-production prototypes were
built, with the first complete monitor installed at
Lloyd’s Road Level Crossing, at Bathurst, in 1994.
LARGE-SCALE INSTALLATION AND DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAMME
Based on the success of the Lloyd’s Road
installation, the Western Region maintenance group
committed to the installation of monitors at all crossings
in the region, covering over 70 locations in total.
With the full co-operation of the region, this project
was planned and run as a large-scale prototyping
exercise, similar to the familiar ‘beta-testing’ of
commercial software products. The large number of
installations exposed the system to most possible
variations in crossing design and operation, and in
return the region was given a high level of support
with the installation and commissioning of the
system. The result of this exercise was a very flexible
and robust monitoring system.
The final step in the development process took
place in 1997 when, after revising and signing-off on