Design and simulation of an automatic bridge for efficient and safe railway platform crossing

The Indian Railway network is the world’s fourth largest, transporting millions of people every day. One of the most difficult challenges for travelers is crossing the overhead bridges or subways to reach the right platform. To make this experience more comfortable we have developed the automatic system termed Railway Platform Crossing Automatic Bridge (RPCAB) to connect two opposite platforms. Here, the fabricated metal frame bridge is moved using a pair of double acting hydraulically/ pneumatically actuated telescopic cylinders. After the train pulls out of the station, the bridge connects to the other side of the platform, allowing passengers to walk on the bridge to cross the tracks. The position sensors, alarms, audio/visual indicators, and actuators are all in sync with the train traffic signaling system and the master controller, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). To prevent any mishaps from happening, a comprehensive safety interlock system has been implemented, including position sensors, safety barricades, emergency alarms, and an audio-visual information system. The proposed mechanical bridge facilitates the passage for the passengers who are physically impaired, with heavy luggage, pregnant women, and the elderly persons to cross the platform. Additionally, it controls the congestion of passengers when the train has left the station. The proposed system is simulated using PLC simulator for testing, validation, and analysis of the system’s behavior in a simulated environment. The simulation results presented in this paper show how efficient and reliable the proposed design is. Prior to constructing a working prototype in real time, it is essential to put the system through a virtual environment. The results support the viability of applying the proposed design in real-world settings, which will improve both safety and efficiency at railway platform crossings.