SOTTEVILLE: AN AUTOMATED MARSHALLING YARD

The marshalling yard at Sotteville was automated in 1973. A computer controls the speed of the wagons during shunting by means of two banks of track brakes, as well as the successive paths after recording of the shunting programme, by direct link with the data transmission network and the NSCF central computer and through an electronic switching point. It also governs, by remote control, the speed of backing movements by shunting locomotives, in relation to the length of the cuts of wagons and the paths they are required to take. The computer is of the CII 10,020 type. It is linked to conventional and special peripheral points. In addition to the primary and secondary brakes, these latter are provided with treadles which control the passage of the wagons and measure variations in speed, radar equipment which measures the speed in the braking area, devices for weighing the wagons, servo apparatus for the brakes, and a device for measuring the track occupation. The sequence of the wagons is governed in the system by scrutiny, and the measuring of speeds by interruption. The data is arranged in table form and used by the various software programmes.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Railroad Cybernetics, AAR/UIC/IRCA, 21-26 April 1974, Washington, D.C. This paper was also published in the October 1973 issue of Rail International, which is available from E.S.L.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  14 rue Jean Rey
  75015 Paris,   France 
• Authors:
  • Huet, J
  • WEBER, O
• Publication Date: 1974-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 6 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computers; Control systems; Hump yards; Railroad terminals; Railroad yards; Signaling
• Identifier Terms: Societe nationale des chemins de fer francais
• Old TRIS Terms: Yard and terminal control
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Freight Transportation; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00053804
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 17 1974 12:00AM