Railways Signaling & Wireless Ad Hoc NW

Another train accident happened today. Official blamed on bad weather (fog) as usual. I understand that it is tedious to manage and maintain one of the world largest and old railways systems. But another end Indian railway is one of the largest employer having 11lac+ employees.
So where is problem?

1. Technical up-gradation
2. Human error (due to lack of technical knowledge and responsibility toward assigned work)
3. or something else

It is very big topic to cover and I am not correct person to comment on all aspects. Let’s take only one point “Signaling System”.

There are few facts related to accidents due to signal failure / avoidance:
1. Due to bad weather driver was not able to see signal and he crossed the signal and as result ‘accident’
2. Signal system has technically failed due to improper maintenance or absolute signal failure (technical)

Current signaling system:
As we know in old time railways driver used to get token ring on each station than only the passed through. That time there were few trains and less frequency. But currently there are automated signaling and many trains can run on single line (one after one pipelined). Driver watch signal at every dedicated point and drive through on green.

What can happen:
If any driver missed a signal due to bad weather or signal point is showing wrong signal. In both cases train run through ahead, although it shouldn’t. Result: chance of accident.

So signal show green light -> driver watch -> drive through
Any thing wrong -> accident

How to avoid?
If driver came to know the signal automatically on driver cabin system (at each signal point, where he is passing through). (Without manually watch signal at signal post).

Than why it is not?
I am also very surprised like you. We have few of world class technical institute in India. Thousands of engineers are passing out every year from IITs. Even railways has its own signaling institute, thousands of signal engineers.

What is technical solution?
As I told earlier, if train driver can get actual signal status in driver cabin display when he drive through the signal post. He can take decision on that basis. Than point come, how it is possible when there are millions of signal post & thousands of trains and signal post are static & and trains are running. YES, it is possible. Wireless Ad-Hoc network signaling systems must deploy to neutralize this problem. Running train can communicate and get the signal post signal information wirelessly.

If anyone wants technical detail you may contact me.