Design, construction, deployment and testing of a full-scale Repoint Light track switch (I)

A novel track switch actuation method, known as Repoint Light, is under full-scale prototype design phase at loughborough University. The design concept uses parallel-channel actuation, locking and detection, allowing the switch to continue to function with no loss of performance in the event of a single channel fault. The prototype will be constructed, tested and deployed, including tests with the passage of traffic, upon a functional railway. This paper describes the design and performance challenges faced when introducing the concept into its real operating environment, as well as systems engineering processes followed in the design and considerations regarding reliability, maintainability and performance of the switch.