Delivering Engineered SolutionsDelivering Engineered Solutions
Optonator®
the fibre optic railway “detonator”
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Delivering Engineered Solutions
The Tebay Problem
“The wagon rolled straight over detonators put on the
track to alert drivers to danger ahead and smashed
straight through a stop board clipped across the line.
But that was two miles away. The man went on: “It was
too far for any of the lads to hear the bangs. They were
working with their lights on, concentrating on their job.”
[ Testimony by a colleague of the four rail workers killed by a
runaway wagon at Tebay, Cumbria, UK on Sunday February 15th
2004 ]
Delivering Engineered Solutions
Work Site
Perimeter protection
Remote Sensor Unit
Fibre Optic
Work site protection
Delivering Engineered Solutions
Alarm Output Inactive ALARM !OKXPerimeter protection
Remote Sensor UnitX
Work Site
Fibre Optic
If remote detection fails then alarm warning given
Scenario #1 Unexpected loss of train warning detection
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Scenario #2 Incursion into possession by manned rail vehicle
Work Site
Alarm Output Inactive
TRAIN
ALARM !OK
ALARM
Fibre Optic
Perimeter protection
Remote Sensor Unit
Unaware of signaller’s instruction, train driver
hears the detonators and stops train
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Work Site
Alarm Output Inactive
ALARM !OKALARM
Scenario #3 Incursion into possession by unmanned rail vehicle
Remote Sensor Unit
Fibre Optic
TRUCK
Perimeter protection
Unmanned runaway vehicle is unaffected by
signaller’s instruction and detonators.
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Wheel strike at worksite boundary
Optonator Transmitter – just before and just after the leading wheel enters the Track Worker Safety zoneNote. Alarm indictor is off, then on after wheel contact
Fibre sensorFibre sensor
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Summary
• Optonator® addresses:
Runaways protection
Procedural Errors
Misunderstandings
• By providing failsafe vehicle detection via cheap, expendable
optical fibre this product can cost-effectively enhance track
worker safety
Delivering Engineered Solutions