Parallel Testing for Centralized Traffic Control Systems of Intelligent Railways

The centralized traffic control (CTC) system of intelligent railways plays a vital role in implementing railway dispatching, improving transportation efficiency, and ensuring train safety. However, with the development of high-speed railways (HSRs), the construction of new lines and the upgrading of existing equipment have become increasingly prevalent, posing significant challenges to the safety and reliability of the CTC system. To address these challenges, this article proposes a scenario-driven parallel testing method for the CTC system. We use divisible and combinable scenarios to describe the functionality and processes of testing. Building upon the scenario representation, a virtual-real interactive testing method is adopted, where virtual testing is employed to generate a large number of scenarios simultaneously, thereby accelerating the testing process of the CTC system while ensuring comprehensive testing coverage. Field testing is carried out to validate the reliability of the CTC system in real operational environments, particularly in critical scenarios. The CTC parallel testing system has been deployed in multiple railway bureaus in China, and the deployment results demonstrate that parallel testing can improve testing efficiency, alleviate tester workload, augment the proficiency of on-site construction, and boost the stability and reliability of CTC systems.