(27-07-2010, 01:59 PM)Hort Wrote: I have noticed that a question that reappears fairly often is one regarding RETB. Is this a subject worth studying? I have downloaded the RSSB guide and it is a fairly hefty document! Should I just concentrate on the "bankers" such as track circuits, level crossings and points? Your opinions will be appreciated.
H
That document is fairly recent; ironic now that the remaining life of the system must be pretty limited. Just can't see it being extended, just perhaps modified to vacate the frequency spectrum but more likely simply recovered.
You say it has come up quite frequently- is that in the most recent years. I think that the more recent questions are not really written with RETB in mind and that although it might fit some at least partially, it would not give you the ability to answer most of the questions that are asked nowadays.
Personally I wouldn't bother to study (good though it is); looking at some more modern and capable form of in-cab signalling would be far more valuable- in the mainline context that would be ERTMS/ETCS. Since (prior to the "imminent" publication of the IRSE's new text book) there was not much readily accessible (ok you can download all the specs nut they are not exactly an easy read!!!) I put quite a bit in the module 2 study pack (although obviously concentrateing on a mod 2/mod3 perspective rather than mod 5, but strayed that way as well).
PJW