Optimising ETCS-controlled railway line capacity by modifying fixed block section lengths

Advancements in research and technology have paved the way for the operation of rail transport in moving blocks. However, due to technical complexities, external factors, and costs, the safe application of these moving blocks is currently limited to closed urban rail systems rather than conventional railways. Given these challenges, our research has centred on enhancing line capacity by reducing the length of fixed blocks in line sections. The necessity for this capacity augmentation is occasionally underscored by the fact that the employment of intricate signalling systems can lead to an escalation in technological times relative to conventional signalling systems. This is attributed to safety considerations, the imperative to supplant the human element, and the requirement to oversee a greater number of parameters. This study progresses from the creation of virtual fixed blocks to the shortening of physical fixed blocks (termed as ‘ETCS with benefits’), with the objective of pinpointing the conditions necessary for their deployment to counterbalance any potential capacity reductions that may arise from the implementation of the ETCS. This paper is centred on an analytic and simulation-based assessment of line capacity enhancement through the exclusive operation of the ETCS Level 2 application level with benefits. The simulation model is designed to find such an equilibrium between the characteristics of traffic and the length of fixed blocks in this way through iterative adjustments. The operational features of trains are also followed.