Message From The President
I
VICTOR R. BABIN AREMA President 2020-21
n 2014, a European rail operator made the untimely discovery that new train sets scheduled for delivery in 2016 would be too wide to pass by 1,300 boarding platforms on the intended system. It also was determined that trains would not be able to pass on adjacent tracks at some locations, presumably curves. Ultimately, platform widths were narrowed, tracks were shifted and wayside appurtenances were relocated. The owners and operators of the system were widely criticized in the media for the engineering failures that resulted in a substantial increase in project costs, which were ultimately funded by taxpayers. As engineers, we should acknowledge that both the problem and the solution lay at the feet of our profession. How do we prevent similar conf licts and incompatibilities in the future? How do we ensure interoperability within and between internal systems and between our railroads and external systems? We must strive for improvement and continually promote safe and wellplanned introduction of changes into our railways. Practices for systematically managing change to military hardware were developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1950s. These techniques have evolved and are embodied in Configuration Management (CM) standards promulgated worldwide by numerous standards organizations. CM processes are now 26 Railway Track & Structures // May 2021
applied within the electronic and information technology disciplines as well as industrial and civil engineering fields. In the year 2000, AREMA Committee 37 - Signal Systems, developed Communications & Signals Manual Part 17.5.1 Recommended Configuration Management Program for Electronic and/or Software-Based Products Used in Vital Signal Applications to assist railroads in addressing anticipated Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) standards for processor-based signal and train control systems. The recommended program and the FRA rule are applicable today to both railway signal and Positive Train Control systems. Efforts should not be limited to vital electronics and software; engineers should consider the benefits of expanding formal CM methodologies to other railway components, systems and projects in our quest for ever safer and more efficient railways. Implementation may appear daunting at first, but CM may be scaled and prioritized to meet critical needs first and then expanded as expertise grows and benefits are realized. A CM program provides technical and administrative direction and oversight of assets and contains the four basic tasks of Identification, Control, Status Accounting and Auditing. The program starts with Identification. Configuration Items (CIs) are system components that can be appropriately identified and designated for separate procurement and configuration control. A CI is characterized by its fit, form and function, including interfaces, and assigned a unique identifier associated with the technical documentation that defines its configuration. CIs may be either software, hardware or aggregations of either or both. A system may be described as an organization of CIs into a hierarchical structure to achieve a given purpose. It follows that a smaller system may be described as a single CI within a larger system in yet another hierarchy. CI technical documentation is compiled into a formally controlled and maintained set of approved data defining a system’s configuration Baseline. Once established, the Baseline can only
be revised through a formal closed-loop process with clearly defined procedures. Configuration Control manages changes of the CIs from the time of release to the end of their useful life. When the need for a change arises, a formal request is issued documenting the need and thoroughly describing the proposed change. A unique identifier is assigned to the request and provides a means of tracking to ensure the proposed change process is methodically and completely brought to conclusion. The request is then submitted for technical review by appropriate members of a multidiscipline review board. The need for the proposed change is assessed, the effects on interfaces are considered, and the need for changes to other CIs are evaluated. Thus, a review of a single desired change may trigger a chain of reviews, which leads to a more thorough understanding of the effects of what may have initially been perceived as a minor modification. Once all known effects have been considered and addressed, the change may be approved for implementation. Status Accounting tracks changes to their conclusions. A tracking system is implemented identifying required changes to all affected CIs and their locations, and the changes are communicated to all known users of the affected CI(s). Emergency changes may immediately be made in the interest of safety but a formal change management process must be executed as a follow-up. Whether routine or emergency, after all changes have been implemented, tested, approved and confirmed for all locations and all affected CI documentation is accordingly revised, a new Baseline is established and the previous Baseline is archived. These Baselines are maintained in a library that is the designated and only acceptable reference for present status and for future changes. The integrity of these references must be safeguarded through periodic safety and quality audits. Records of the entire change management process are maintained with the CM library. Today, several computer tools for managing CM are available to assist you. Consider how CM could have saved the day in Europe and how it might help you in the future. rtands.com
