Sifa is a type of
deadman's control system used on German-influenced European railways.
[{{cite web , url = http://www.virtualmarket.innotrans.de/index.php5?id=1022238&highlight=&fid=523&offset=0&Action=showProduct , title = Deadman's control system UDB , accessdate=2008-12-24] Although
deadman's pedals are commonly used on railways worldwide, Sifa systems are specifically those codified by
German Industrial Norms VDE 0119-207-5.
In
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
the equivalent system is called 'safety control' (''Sicherheitssteuerung'').
[Eidgenössisches Departement für Umwelt, Verkehr, Energie und Kommunikation]
''Ausführungsbestimmungen zur Eisenbahnverordnung (AB-EBV)
', as at: 01July 2016
Description
Sifa is short for ''Sicherheitsfahrschaltung'', German for "safety driving circuit". It is usually a pedal and/or large press button, which monitors the alertness of the driver. The driver has to repeatedly press a button after a fixed interval; if they fail to do so, the train will carry out an emergency stop. It complements the external train safety systems:
PZB,
LZB
Linienzugbeeinflussung (or LZB) is a cab signalling and train protection system used on selected Deutsche Bundesbahn, German and Austrian Federal Railways, Austrian railway lines as well as on the AVE and some commuter rail lines in Rail transpo ...
and
ETCS
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is a replacement for legacy train protection systems and designed to replace the many incompatible s ...
.
[Ernst Anderegg: ''Sicherheitssteuerungen für Triebfahrzeuge''.]
Schweizerische Bauzeitung, Vol. 68 (1950), Issue 15
(E-Periodica, pdf3.0 MB)
In
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
the ''Zeit-Zeit-Sifa'' (time-time Sifa) is common. In this system, the engine driver holds a pedal or button down for 30 seconds and must then briefly release the pressure. Thus the system can confirm that the driver is still able to react. If the driver does not react after 30 seconds, the system warns the driver, at first optically, then for a few seconds acoustically. After a further short period of time without any reaction the train is automatically stopped. The ''Zeit-Weg-Sifa'' (time-distance Sifa) system takes account of the distance travelled, as well as time, since the last activation.
In electric trains such as those working on
U- and
S-Bahn
The S-Bahn is the name of hybrid urban- suburban rail systems serving a metropolitan region in German-speaking countries. Some of the larger S-Bahn systems provide service similar to rapid transit systems, while smaller ones often resemble co ...
lines the Sifa has for a long time been combined with the
driving switch. This is where the concept of the dead man's switch first arose. If the button was released (due to the driver becoming incapacitated) the train was automatically stopped.
Drivers must carry out a Sifa test before using a train, to check that the automatic braking is functioning correctly.
Following some serious accidents in which drivers fell asleep but somehow the pedal was still being activated, the
Deutsche Reichsbahn
The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'', also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regiona ...
in
East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
introduced a special type of Sifa (''Sifa86''). Here the driver has to acknowledge, by pressing a button, an optical signal given at random times and distances.
See also
*
Automatic train protection
Automatic train protection (ATP) is a type of train protection system which continually checks that the speed of a train is compatible with the permitted speed allowed by signalling, including automatic stop at certain signal aspects. If it is ...
(ATP)
*
Dead man's switch
A dead man's switch (see alternative names) is a switch that is designed to be activated or deactivated if the human operator becomes incapacitated, such as through death, loss of consciousness, or being bodily removed from control. Originally a ...
*
Dead-man's vigilance device
A dead-man's vigilance device (also called the Driver Vigilance Device or DVD for short) is a railroad safety device that operates in the case of incapacitation of the driver. It is a hybrid between a dead-man's switch and a vigilance control. ...
*
Train protection system
A train protection system is a railway technical installation to ensure safe operation in the event of human error.
Development
Train stops
The earliest systems were train stops, as still used by the New York City Subway, the Toronto subway, t ...
*
Watchdog timer
A watchdog timer (sometimes called a ''computer operating properly'' or ''COP'' timer, or simply a ''watchdog'') is an electronic or software timer that is used to detect and recover from computer malfunctions. Watchdog timers are widely used in ...
*
Emergency brake
*
Hand brake
In road vehicles, the parking brake, also known as a handbrake or emergency brake (e-brake), is a mechanism used to keep the vehicle securely motionless when parked. Parking brakes often consist of a cable connected to two wheel brakes, which is ...
References
External links
Why it's safe to take the train
Occupational safety and health
Railway safety
Safety switches