The NEO low-voltage railway automation system is designed to manage turnout heating, platform lighting, railway crossing illumination, and tunnel lighting.
Components of the NEO System:
regional Control and Supervision Systems: Local Control Center Stations for turnout heating and area lighting (optionally, with functionality for traction disconnector and Non-traction Power Line control),
master Controller Cabinets (NEOM): For individual stations or clusters of stations,
simple Master Controller Cabinets (NEON),
turnout Heating Cabinets (NEOR),
lighting Cabinets (NEOS),
lighting Cabinet Controller (GMR),
dual-Function Cabinets (NEORS): For turnout heating and lighting,
crossing Lighting Cabinets (NEOP),
tunnel Service Cabinets (NEOT),
weather Transducers: Including CSN, BTx, Findley 407, LS-1, and BP3,
turnout Transformer Boxes (ST),
turnout Heaters and Branch Boxes (TPR-6 i TPR-10),
tension Clamps and Anti-Creep Holders,
RS485/DALI Converters and Repeaters.
Key Functions of the NEO System for Turnout Heating Control:
independent control of resistor and locking mechanism heating in manual, remote (from signal boxes or Local Control Center), and automatic modes,
automatic activation of resistor heating during snowfall,
automatic activation of resistor heating due to snow drift caused by trains and wind,
automatic activation of resistor heating during freezing rain,
automatic activation of resistor heating during frost without precipitation,
deactivation of heating once snowfall ceases or when the resistor reaches the set deactivation temperature,
activation of locking mechanism heating when temperatures drop below the set threshold,
deactivation of locking mechanism heating when temperatures rise above the set threshold,
prevention of heating activation during non-freezing rain.
Key Functions of the NEO System for Railway Area Lighting Control:
manual, remote (from signal boxes or Local Control Center), and automatic lighting control,
automatic lighting control based on twilight sensor readings and/or astronomical timers,
dimming control using voltage adjustments or the DALI system.
Additional Functions of the NEO System:
electrical and metrological parameter measurements,
circuit power measurements,
energy consumption monitoring for turnout heating and lighting,
operating time tracking for turnout heating in both automatic and manual modes,
communication with higher-level control systems,
diagnostics of controlled heating and lighting devices, including detection of heater malfunctions,
communication with supervisory controllers and local controllers in other cabinets,
event archiving.
System Architecture
The NEO turnout heating and railway area lighting control system is a distributed system consisting of the following layers:
supervision, Management, and Diagnostics Layer (Local Control Center Level): Includes Local Control Center cabinets, dispatch workstations, and diagnostic workstations,
control and Supervision Layer (Signal Box Level): Utilizes master controllers,
distribution and Control Device Layer: Features cabinets equipped with controllers and converters,
detection Device Layer: Incorporates sensors and transducers,
execution Device Layer: Includes isolation transformers, transformer boxes, heaters, heater clamps, branch boxes, and other auxiliary equipment,
data Processing and Archiving Layer: Employs controllers for rapid processing and storage,
communication Layer: Utilizes fiber-optic modems, GSM/LTE, DSL, and RS485/DALI converters.
At the core of the system is the Local Control Center Station, which serves as the highest-level supervision and control entity. Its configuration depends on specific tender requirements, local conditions, communication topology, and regional standards.
Local Control Center Station Components:
local Control Center Cabinet: The main control cabinet housing servers/communication computers, optional dispatcher workstation computers, communication devices, and optionally, a UPS if not connected to guaranteed power,
dispatcher Workstations: Equipped with one or more monitors, typically integrated into a monitor wall, and optionally containing a standalone computer,
diagnostic Workstations (CuiD): Equipped with one or more monitors and optionally containing a standalone computer,
optional Terminal: For controlling traction disconnectors and/or Non-traction Power Line disconnectors.
