A Safe and Robust Control System Architecture for Trains Virtual Coupling

The continuous increase in demand for railway transportation is pressing for finding new solutions to increase capacity accordingly. Nowadays, the capacity of high-speed railway lines under the current railway signaling strategy is saturated, and solutions that allow for an increase are being studied. In this context, the implementation of technology such as is emerging as a promising prospect to address these challenges and improve the overall operational efficiency of the railway system. In this article, we introduce a control system architecture enabling the transition from European Railway Traffic Management System Level 3 to and managing operations. The proposed architecture addresses parameters uncertainty within train models and the variability in data communication, which is often unreliable and affected by delays and packet drops. We establish a robust control framework for safety and reliability despite these challenges. We incorporate a safety control barrier function to certify safety guarantees and prioritize operational safety. The architecture is designed with the possibility of implementing various control laws, safety rules, and estimator blocks still guaranteeing performances. To validate our work, a railway simulation tool for VC scenarios is developed, in collaboration with the Italian railway company, demonstrating its effectiveness and foundational role in advancing railway safety.