Teaching and learning microprocessor block signalling systems by practice

In microprocessor automatic block signalling (ABS) systems all the basic functionality is implemented in software. Current technique used by Russian educational organisations for training of engineering staff is solely based on functionality exploration of the microprocessor ABS equipment. We suggest that this approach is not sufficiently effective and could be improved. In our view, the improvement could be achieved by addition of extensive ABS algorithm development practice to the Railway Signalling Engineering curriculum. In this article, we present a prototype of a special microprocessor learning board, which supports development and debugging of various ABS algorithms. Along with the functional diagram, we give some technical details and present preliminary results of implementing and using this prototype.