Illuminating the route

Variable Message Signs (VMSL) has installed the first in its latest generation of route indicators and on Wednesday, May 21, technical sales director Mark Johnson will outline the company’s approach to the design of these innovative signals at Infrarail 2014.

Route indicators are used in conjunction with other types of signals, to provide drivers with routing information by displaying combinations of alphanumeric aspects. VMSL has used its extensive experience in optical and electronic engineering obtained from designing signals for European road networks and applied this to rail signalling.

There are many applications where customers have a need to show more aspects than the existing technology allows with a single signal. During this presentation, Mark will describe both the technology used within these signals and some of the challenges which have been overcome during the development and approval process.

This new generation of route indicator is made up from a fully populated array – 17 columns by 15 rows – of white LEDs. This approach allows every signal to have the capability to display any upper case letter, number or symbol. This can significantly reduce the requirements for spares and minimises the lead time for more complex signals.

Key to the design is the use of a programmable logic array to provide the flexibility and control without the need to resort to a microprocessor.

VMSL will be demonstrating these new indicators and a range of other products at E20. As well as its new Route indicators, VMSL will also be introducing its latest generation of colour light signals, which are available in long and medium range, narrow and wide beam.

Infrarail 2014 runs from May 20 to May 22 at London’s Earls Court. Mark will be giving his talk, ‘Illuminating the Route’, at 15.10 on May 21 in The Rail Engineer Seminar Theatre.




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