TRE has expanded its range of solutions from simulators into real time control of the railway to assist signallers in their day-to-day decision making. Systems now include TREsa for Signallers Assistant Route Setting (SARS) and Signallers Assistant Control System (SACS).

The TREsa system has been designed and developed to meet the new Network Rail ARS+ specification (NR/L3/SIG/10120) for Automatic Route Setting. It is developed in conjunction with the rail operators and a leading signalling supplier.

TREsa allows the operators to configure, select, and test variations in operational parameters on a minute-by-minute basis to meet the local operational requirements. This new flexible functionality provides the Signaller with a unique tool to actively manage the railway.

TREsa has been designed with the hooks in place to facilitate integration with most Signalling Control Systems.

The main feature of the Signaller’s Assistant is an Automatic Route Setting capability (SARS) developed to SIL2. The SARS contains user-modifiable operating parameters, together with live timetable acquisition and validation capabilities, as well as the ability to provide information to signallers and signalling managers such as signaller simplifiers. Functions such as Automatic Code Insertion for train headcodes are provided as a consequence of the Automatic Route Setting functionality.

The Signaller’s Assistant provides signalling users with the ability to define operating Parameter Sets, Perturbation Plans and Special Timing Patterns. Mandatory validation of new or changed Parameter Sets, Perturbation Plans and Special Timing Patterns are carried out using an Operations Workbench. This simulates the effect of the changes and is provided to ensure that the changes do not adversely affect the regulation of trains in a safe, offline environment.