SimSig
Encyclopedia
SimSig is a donationware
Windows
-based train simulator
of modern railway signalling
systems in Great Britain, from the point of view of a railway signaller
. Users have also had success running SimSig on Linux
using Wine
. The program was written in Delphi 6, a dialect of Object Pascal
, by Geoff Mayo and has been in development since the late 1990s. Visually, it resembles the British Rail
Integrated Electronic Control Centre
(IECC), though most of the simulations do not cover areas operated by IECC-based signal box
es. It simulates overlaps, approach locking, time-of-operation point locking, shunt routes, warner routes, call-on routes, and more.
Railtrack
asked for a "professional" version of SimSig, now known as TRESIM, which is currently used to train signallers at every Network Rail
IECC and several panel signal boxes around Great Britain
.
SimSig has been commented on by Professor Jörn Pachl of University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology, the Rail Safety and Standards Board
, the North London Society of Model Engineers and the National Model Railroad Association of the USA.
. With a keyboard and mouse, the player sets routes, operates level crossing
s as necessary, and joins and detaches trains as timetabled. Solid State Interlocking
s (SSIs), the main electronic technology in use at present on British railways, along with approach locking, swinging overlaps, shunt routes, warner routes and call-on routes are all available. The simulations may be played in real time or sped up. The aim of play is to achieve a good score by overcoming problems and ensuring on-time train running. Points are accumulated for good operation and deducted for errors or late running.
Sounds can be enabled for phone messages, warnings, failures, and Train Ready To Start indicators. Automatic Route Setting, Automatic Headcode
Insertion and token systems
for single track
working are functional in some of the available simulations. Most simulations have various levels of difficulty, ranging from beginner to difficult scenarios with engineering possessions of tracks; train delays; bad weather; or points
, signal
and track circuit
failures.
Although produced by railway software engineers to ensure a high degree of realism, the simulations are usable by those without any in-depth or professional knowledge of signalling systems. Most simulations can be joined over the Internet to share the workload. Some simulations can be linked to form a chain of signal boxes for extended operation.
Fifteen English and two Scottish signalling areas are available, as well as some beta versions.
One of the largest simulations, Trent, covering the area around Nottingham
was released in February 2009 and re-released in April 2010.
Older versions have signalling areas shown as separate panels, whilst some of the newer beta versions have a single sideways scrolling panel covering the whole simulation area.
.
A timetable file converter allowing easy conversion between timetables and text files is available from a third-party site.
, in a paper on rail simulations and their applications in Brazil, cited SimSig as an extremely realistic simulation, reproducing real scenarios.
The Rail Safety and Standards Board
recommends the use of simulation software as a classroom aid and specifically mentions the SimSig web site as a source:
convention at Fort Wayne hosted workshops demonstrating the use of SimSig for model rail simulations.
The information in the Edinburgh simulation has been referenced by the Rail Action Group, East of Scotland (RAGES) in discussion with the railway authorities and has been noted in their published newsletters.
Donationware
Donationware is a licensing model that supplies fully operational software to the user and pleads for an optional donation be paid to the programmer or a third-party beneficiary . The amount of the donation may also be stipulated by the author, or it may be left to the discretion of the user,...
Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based train simulator
Train simulator
A train simulator is a computer based simulation of rail transport operations.-Industrial train simulations:Like flight simulators, train simulators have been produced for railway training purposes...
of modern railway signalling
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
systems in Great Britain, from the point of view of a railway signaller
Signalman (rail)
A signalman or signaller is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals from a signal box in order to control the movement of trains.- History :...
. Users have also had success running SimSig on Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
using Wine
Wine (software)
Wine is a free software application that aims to allow computer programs written for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. Wine also provides a software library, known as Winelib, against which developers can compile Windows applications to help port them to Unix-like...
. The program was written in Delphi 6, a dialect of Object Pascal
Object Pascal
Object Pascal refers to a branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal, mostly known as the primary programming language of Embarcadero Delphi.-Early history at Apple:...
, by Geoff Mayo and has been in development since the late 1990s. Visually, it resembles the British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Integrated Electronic Control Centre
Integrated Electronic control centre
The Integrated Electronic Control Centre was developed in the late 1980s by the British Rail Research Division for UK-based railway signalling centres, although variations exist around the world...
(IECC), though most of the simulations do not cover areas operated by IECC-based signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
es. It simulates overlaps, approach locking, time-of-operation point locking, shunt routes, warner routes, call-on routes, and more.
Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
asked for a "professional" version of SimSig, now known as TRESIM, which is currently used to train signallers at every Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
IECC and several panel signal boxes around Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
SimSig has been commented on by Professor Jörn Pachl of University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology, the Rail Safety and Standards Board
Rail Safety and Standards Board
The Rail Safety and Standards Board is an independent not-for-profit company, which was established in 2003, upon the recommendation of the public inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash...
, the North London Society of Model Engineers and the National Model Railroad Association of the USA.
Gameplay
Train motion is simulated according to train type and loading, and is controlled via the use of timetablesWorking timetable
A Working timetable is a set of schedules that show all the planned train movements in a defined area. The trains included may be passenger trains, freight trains, empty stock movements, or even bus and/or ship connections or replacements....
. With a keyboard and mouse, the player sets routes, operates level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s as necessary, and joins and detaches trains as timetabled. Solid State Interlocking
Solid State Interlocking
Solid State Interlocking is the brand name of the first generation processor-based interlocking developed in the 1980s by British Rail's Research Division, GEC-General Signal and Westinghouse Signals Ltd in the UK.- Interlocking hardware :...
s (SSIs), the main electronic technology in use at present on British railways, along with approach locking, swinging overlaps, shunt routes, warner routes and call-on routes are all available. The simulations may be played in real time or sped up. The aim of play is to achieve a good score by overcoming problems and ensuring on-time train running. Points are accumulated for good operation and deducted for errors or late running.
Sounds can be enabled for phone messages, warnings, failures, and Train Ready To Start indicators. Automatic Route Setting, Automatic Headcode
Train reporting number
A train reporting number is used by railway staff in Great Britain to identify a particular train service. It consists of:* A single-digit number, indicating the class of train* A letter, indicating the destination area...
Insertion and token systems
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
for single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
working are functional in some of the available simulations. Most simulations have various levels of difficulty, ranging from beginner to difficult scenarios with engineering possessions of tracks; train delays; bad weather; or points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
, signal
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
and track circuit
Track circuit
A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...
failures.
Although produced by railway software engineers to ensure a high degree of realism, the simulations are usable by those without any in-depth or professional knowledge of signalling systems. Most simulations can be joined over the Internet to share the workload. Some simulations can be linked to form a chain of signal boxes for extended operation.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
was released in February 2009 and re-released in April 2010.
Older versions have signalling areas shown as separate panels, whilst some of the newer beta versions have a single sideways scrolling panel covering the whole simulation area.
User content
User-created timetables simulating modern, historical, and fictional scenarios are available through simulation forums and other web sites. Timetables may be created with the built-in editor or an imported text file. Sources for timetabling information include official Working Timetables (WTT) and historic published timetables such as BradshawsGeorge Bradshaw
George Bradshaw was an English cartographer, printer and publisher. He is best known for developing the most successful and longest published series of combined railway timetables.-Biography:...
.
A timetable file converter allowing easy conversion between timetables and text files is available from a third-party site.
Reception
SimSig is referenced in the 2nd edition of Railway Operation and Control by Professor Jörn Pachl of University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology. Doctor Marcelo Moretti Fioroni of the University of São PauloUniversity of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
, in a paper on rail simulations and their applications in Brazil, cited SimSig as an extremely realistic simulation, reproducing real scenarios.
The Rail Safety and Standards Board
Rail Safety and Standards Board
The Rail Safety and Standards Board is an independent not-for-profit company, which was established in 2003, upon the recommendation of the public inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash...
recommends the use of simulation software as a classroom aid and specifically mentions the SimSig web site as a source:
In the document "Rail education framework for secondary schools (S1 – S2) in Scotland - Guidance for Teachers". SimSig has been described by Alan Marshall of the North London Society of Model Engineers as "a remarkable and complex simulator that will test your skills and it demands quite a bit of patience to learn how to operate a modern signal box successfully.". In 2009 the National Model Railroad Association
Load and run rail (train and signal) simulation software and obtain
an appreciation of the role of drivers and signallers in the rail
system. Rail signalling simulation software may be downloaded from
www.simsig.co.uk
National Model Railroad Association
The National Model Railroad Association is a non-profit organization for those involved in the hobby or business of model railroading. It was founded in the United States in 1935, and is now active in Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and the Netherlands...
convention at Fort Wayne hosted workshops demonstrating the use of SimSig for model rail simulations.
The information in the Edinburgh simulation has been referenced by the Rail Action Group, East of Scotland (RAGES) in discussion with the railway authorities and has been noted in their published newsletters.
External links
- SimSig
- The Railway Engineering Company, the suppliers of TRESIM
- What is SimSig : RailUK Forums