Central operating, displaying, dispositional and interlocking functions:

Within the system concept of the electronic interlocking system ZSB 2000 a dispatcher working place is installed to enable the regular signalling and control of a line. Via the disposition and diagnosis bus the station computers are connected to the line computer which then can also serve as line centre working place for the dispatcher.

By this dispatcher working place a central display and operating panel is placed at the disposal of the dispatcher for the line being assigned to him. The line is shown in a diagram. The following displays can be shown in the line control centre:

• Diagram of the line (overall view resp. view of areas)
• Diagram of a station (detail drawing resp. station zoom)

The display can be split up to up to three monitors allowing simultaneous presentation of overall views and detail views. The displayed pictures are automatically generated by fetching the necessary information from the stations, i. e. the different track aspects are loaded from the stations to the line control centre. Only composing of the single track aspects to the entire line has to be made in the line control centre. Aligning of the displayed aspects takes automatically place with every change in the station computer. In addition, aligning can be initiated by the line control centre, if required. The dispatcher is enabled to request setting of routes and to carry out single operations as well.

At the dispatcher working place also diagnosis information can be shown on a monitor.

For ensuring an automatic operation, a ZSB 2000 line can be equipped with a disposition system. This non-safe device is based on the fail-safe system and thus is on the same level as the dispatcher working place. With existing dispositon, the assistance of the dispatcher is generally not required for the normal operational processing. This way, the train operation is automatically settled, and the required routes are set automatically and on time.

In order to handle the stated tasks, the ZSB 2000 system is divided into two parts:

• The train protection system. It performs the tasks of a simplified interlocking, namely the protection of the train drives in stations and on the line.
• The train control system. It performs the planning tasks such as tracing of train movements and actuating of pre-set routes.

The automatic setting of the routes is handled by the timetable control via a timetable laid down within the system. The train drive monitoring, which is realised by means of messages from the train protection level, verifies the keeping of the timetable. Here pre-set routes, track occupations and cancellations of routes are interpreted as train movements. This way, the train control system is given an overview on the train locations.

Local operating and displaying functions

All ZSB 2000 systems within the respective interlocking unit are equipped with a disposition and diagnosis computer being decoupled from the safety level. This unit called &dbquo;station computer“ enables the operation and displaying of the on-site system for the maintenance and repair staff.

Auxiliary keys are arranged outside for the use by the operation attendants. This device also enables auxiliary actions with safety responsibility to be carried out. However, the assistance of the dispatcher is imperative for such operations.