Recent R&D activities, driven by the European funded project Shift2Rail, have brought big steps forward in the development of SIL4 (according to CENELEC standards) electronic solutions aiming at emulating and replacing pneumatic devices used for safety-critical Braking functions. This paper describes a possible solution for an electronic-based Brake Control unit suitable to perform Emergency and Service brake functions with the adequate Safety Integrity Level (SIL). Furthermore, the possibility to use regenerative electrodynamic brake in combination with friction brake during Emergency Braking is explored.

Fabio Ferrara, Faiveley Transport - a Wabtec company, Italy; Roberto Tione, Angelo Grasso, , Marco Fasolini