IXL Data Dictionary

Part of the article content is outdated since October 2014. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Possibly, you will find further details on the discussion page.

This page is outdated and will be removed. For information about intended features please use railML's trac system ( https://trac.railml.org (link to the railML^® website)).

This was intended to work as a starting point for a complete interlocking (IXL) schema documentation with separate wiki sites for each XML element. The content from the former wiki site IL_IntendedFeatures should be transferred here when the aspect is implemented in an (official or draft) railML schema.

The IL schemas are in an draft status. A railML workgroup is developing them in a chain of frequent meetings, see for interlocking workshops at the railML website (link to the railML^® website).

Data Dictionary

The data dictionary follows the current XML structure but in a flatten way.

The container elements are described in short sentences without an own heading.

controller

The <controller> is some kind of generic structure for organizational interlocking dependencies.

A "Centralized Traffic Control (CTC)" may be a super regional centre. Otherwise it may be a remote control center for a smaller regions.

• Germany: Betriebszentrale (BZ), e.g. Leipzig
• UK: Control Area, e.g. King's Cross

A large station was typically devided into some mechanical signal boxes that interacted in a pre-defined way to prepare a route for a train. These signal boxes may be defined as single <interlocking>s.

• Germany: Befehlsstellwerk, Wärterstellwerke

Attributes

• id: XML-file-wide unique, machine-interpretable identity, required for later referencing that element internally. For a detailed explanation see Dev:identities.
  XML-Datei-weit eindeutige, maschineninterpretierbare Identität, die für die spätere interne Referenzierung dieses Elements erforderlich ist. Für eine detaillierte Erklärung siehe Dev:identities.
• code (introduced with version 2.1): Machine-interpretable string (e.g. an abbreviation) used for identification of the object across exchange partners, usecase specific uniqueness constraints may apply. Please see our description of the differences between id, code and human-readable identifiers.
  Maschineninterpretierbare Zeichenkette (z.B. Abkürzung), die zur Identifizierung des Objekts auch bei Austauschpartnern verwendet wird, wobei spezifische Eindeutigkeitsbeschränkungen gelten können. Bitte beachten Sie unsere Erläuterung zu den Unterschieden zwischen id, code and menschenlesbaren Kennzeichnungen.
• name: Established, human-readable short string, giving the object a name. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Etablierte, menschenlesbare kurze Zeichenkette, die das Objekt benennt. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.
• description: Human-readable, more detailed description as addition to the name. It should give additional explanations or hints to the contents of this element. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Menschenlesbare, detailliertere Beschreibung als Ergänzung zu name. Sie soll zusätzliche Erläuterungen oder Hinweise auf den Inhalt dieses Elements geben. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.

• xml:lang (introduced with version 2.1): This is a unique identifier of language. It uses basically the language standard IETF BCP 47 (external link) which may be different to ISO 639-1 (external link) or ISO 639-2 (external link). For mapping hints see relation to other standards (external link).
  This defines the language used for name and description. Use Template:IX:Tag to provide a name and/or description in other languages.
• parentControllerRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <controller> element.

Child Elements

• <interlocking>
• <trackVacancyDetectionSection>s

interlocking

Attributes

• id: XML-file-wide unique, machine-interpretable identity, required for later referencing that element internally. For a detailed explanation see Dev:identities.
  XML-Datei-weit eindeutige, maschineninterpretierbare Identität, die für die spätere interne Referenzierung dieses Elements erforderlich ist. Für eine detaillierte Erklärung siehe Dev:identities.
• code (introduced with version 2.1): Machine-interpretable string (e.g. an abbreviation) used for identification of the object across exchange partners, usecase specific uniqueness constraints may apply. Please see our description of the differences between id, code and human-readable identifiers.
  Maschineninterpretierbare Zeichenkette (z.B. Abkürzung), die zur Identifizierung des Objekts auch bei Austauschpartnern verwendet wird, wobei spezifische Eindeutigkeitsbeschränkungen gelten können. Bitte beachten Sie unsere Erläuterung zu den Unterschieden zwischen id, code and menschenlesbaren Kennzeichnungen.
• name: Established, human-readable short string, giving the object a name. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Etablierte, menschenlesbare kurze Zeichenkette, die das Objekt benennt. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.
• description: Human-readable, more detailed description as addition to the name. It should give additional explanations or hints to the contents of this element. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Menschenlesbare, detailliertere Beschreibung als Ergänzung zu name. Sie soll zusätzliche Erläuterungen oder Hinweise auf den Inhalt dieses Elements geben. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.

• xml:lang (introduced with version 2.1): This is a unique identifier of language. It uses basically the language standard IETF BCP 47 (external link) which may be different to ISO 639-1 (external link) or ISO 639-2 (external link). For mapping hints see relation to other standards (external link).
  This defines the language used for name and description. Use Template:IX:Tag to provide a name and/or description in other languages.
• infrastructureRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <infrastructure> element.
  An interlocking does not work without a referenced infrastructure. The track facilities (signals, axle counters...) are defined in the infrastructure-branch with its position at the track and further construction properties. Whereas its logical function is defined in the interlocking-branch.
• rollingstockRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <rollingstock> element.
• timetableRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <timetable> element.

Child Elements

• <interface>s
• <routeGroup>s
• <route>s
• <signal>s
• <signalAspect>s
• <signalAspectGroup>s
• <signalDependency>s (intentional typo ;-)

Constraints

• id: xs:ID, required
  a string, starting with a letter (a..zA..Z) or an underscore (_),
  followed by a non-colonized and non-spaced string consisting of letters, digits, points (.), dashes (-) or underscores (_)

• code: xs:string, optional

• name: xs:string, optional

• description: xs:string, optional

• xml:lang:

xs:language, language identification, optional

• infrastructureRef xs:IDREF, optional
• rollingstockRef xs:IDREF, optional
• timetableRef xs:IDREF, optional

interface

Attributes

• id: XML-file-wide unique, machine-interpretable identity, required for later referencing that element internally. For a detailed explanation see Dev:identities.
  XML-Datei-weit eindeutige, maschineninterpretierbare Identität, die für die spätere interne Referenzierung dieses Elements erforderlich ist. Für eine detaillierte Erklärung siehe Dev:identities.
• code (introduced with version 2.1): Machine-interpretable string (e.g. an abbreviation) used for identification of the object across exchange partners, usecase specific uniqueness constraints may apply. Please see our description of the differences between id, code and human-readable identifiers.
  Maschineninterpretierbare Zeichenkette (z.B. Abkürzung), die zur Identifizierung des Objekts auch bei Austauschpartnern verwendet wird, wobei spezifische Eindeutigkeitsbeschränkungen gelten können. Bitte beachten Sie unsere Erläuterung zu den Unterschieden zwischen id, code and menschenlesbaren Kennzeichnungen.
• name: Established, human-readable short string, giving the object a name. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Etablierte, menschenlesbare kurze Zeichenkette, die das Objekt benennt. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.
• description: Human-readable, more detailed description as addition to the name. It should give additional explanations or hints to the contents of this element. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Menschenlesbare, detailliertere Beschreibung als Ergänzung zu name. Sie soll zusätzliche Erläuterungen oder Hinweise auf den Inhalt dieses Elements geben. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.

• xml:lang (introduced with version 2.1): This is a unique identifier of language. It uses basically the language standard IETF BCP 47 (external link) which may be different to ISO 639-1 (external link) or ISO 639-2 (external link). For mapping hints see relation to other standards (external link).
  This defines the language used for name and description. Use Template:IX:Tag to provide a name and/or description in other languages.
• port: serial or parallel

Child Elements

• <interfaceRef> Reference to another interlocking interface

routeGroup

A <routeGroup> groups consecutive routes, that should be managed together for some special reasons.

Some reasons for consecutive route settings are:

• Freight trains should not stop in front of a steep gradient.
• Some trains should not stop in a tunnel.

Attributes

• id: XML-file-wide unique, machine-interpretable identity, required for later referencing that element internally. For a detailed explanation see Dev:identities.
  XML-Datei-weit eindeutige, maschineninterpretierbare Identität, die für die spätere interne Referenzierung dieses Elements erforderlich ist. Für eine detaillierte Erklärung siehe Dev:identities.
• code (introduced with version 2.1): Machine-interpretable string (e.g. an abbreviation) used for identification of the object across exchange partners, usecase specific uniqueness constraints may apply. Please see our description of the differences between id, code and human-readable identifiers.
  Maschineninterpretierbare Zeichenkette (z.B. Abkürzung), die zur Identifizierung des Objekts auch bei Austauschpartnern verwendet wird, wobei spezifische Eindeutigkeitsbeschränkungen gelten können. Bitte beachten Sie unsere Erläuterung zu den Unterschieden zwischen id, code and menschenlesbaren Kennzeichnungen.
• name: Established, human-readable short string, giving the object a name. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Etablierte, menschenlesbare kurze Zeichenkette, die das Objekt benennt. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.
• description: Human-readable, more detailed description as addition to the name. It should give additional explanations or hints to the contents of this element. Not intended for machine interpretation, please see our notice on human interpretable data fields.
  Menschenlesbare, detailliertere Beschreibung als Ergänzung zu name. Sie soll zusätzliche Erläuterungen oder Hinweise auf den Inhalt dieses Elements geben. Nicht zur maschinellen Interpretation bestimmt, siehe Hinweise zu menschenlesbaren Datenfeldern.

• xml:lang (introduced with version 2.1): This is a unique identifier of language. It uses basically the language standard IETF BCP 47 (external link) which may be different to ISO 639-1 (external link) or ISO 639-2 (external link). For mapping hints see relation to other standards (external link).
  This defines the language used for name and description. Use Template:IX:Tag to provide a name and/or description in other languages.

Child Elements

• <routeRef>

False friend

Don't mix this use case with grouping of "parallel" routes.

These routes may be identified by the same <start> and <target> signal of the <route>.

route

Fahrstraße

Fahrweg running path

Child Elements

• <start>
• <target>
• <segment>s
• <overlap>
• <releaseTimer>

start

Start of a route

A route may only start at a signal, not at buffer stops or open ends.

Child element

• <signalRef>

target

Target of a route

A route may either end at a signal or at a buffer stop or at an open end.

Child elements

• <signalRef>
• <trackTerminationRef>

segment

"Route segments" allow for sectional releasing of a route.

Child Elements

• <runningPath>
• <flankProtection>

runningPath

Route elements that are passed by the train using the route.

Child Elements

• <signalRef>
• <trackSection>
• <switchRef>
• <crossingRef>
• <derailerRef>
• <trainDetectorRef>
• <levelCrossingRef>

Constraints

• <signalRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <trackSection> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <switchRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <crossingRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <derailerRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <trainDetectorRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <levelCrossingRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed

flank protection

Static flank protection elements that have to be used for safing the running part.

Child Elements

• <signalRef>
• <trackSection>
• <switchRef>
• <crossingRef>
• <derailerRef>
• <trainDetectorRef>
• <levelCrossingRef>

Constraints

• <signalRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <trackSection> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <switchRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <crossingRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <derailerRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <trainDetectorRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed
• <levelCrossingRef> optional, multiple occurrences allowed

signalRef

Additional signals, that are not used as start or target signal, e.g. shunting or level crossing signals

Attributes

• sequence: This allows for sorting the referenced <signal>s.
• signalRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <signal> element.
• signalAspectDependencyRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <signalAspectDependency> element.

switchRef

Reference to a single switch (also known as points) with its needed course

Attributes

• ref: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <switch> element.
• course Possible values are:

• straight straight leg (no curve) of the switch
• left left curved leg of switch
• right right curved leg of switch
• other:anything Any value that does not fit any value from the previous enumeration list, fulfilling the constraint: at minimum two characters, whitespace is not allowed.
  seen from the movable points
  vom Weichenanfang aus gesehen

• sequence

crossingRef

Reference to a single or double switch crossing (also known as diamond or slips) with its needed course in the direction of the route.

Reference to a "real" crossing without usage of the course.

Attributes

• ref: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <crossing> element.
• course Possible values are:

• straight straight leg (no curve) of the switch
• left left curved leg of switch
• right right curved leg of switch
• other:anything Any value that does not fit any value from the previous enumeration list, fulfilling the constraint: at minimum two characters, whitespace is not allowed.
  in the direction of the route
  in Richtung der Fahrstraße

• sequence

overlap

Different overlaps treat to define different routes with the same <start> and <target> signals.

releaseTimer

Fixed time definition to release the whole route triggered by a defined track element.

signal

Attributes

• signalISRef: This refers to the id attribute of the associated <signal> element.
• passingThroughPermitted

Child Elements

• <signalAspectGroupRef>

Constraints

• signalISRef xs:IDREF, optional
• <signalAspectGroupRef> one required, multiple occurrences allowed

trackVacancyDetectionSection

 A TVDS has to consist of at minimum one boundary which may be either
 a reference to an axle counter or to a track circuit border, an open end or
 a buffer stop.

 Furthermore it has to consist of at minimum one track section with
 one begin and one end, that may be a reference to either an axle
 counter or to a track circuit border, an open end, a buffer stop or
 a connection (from track begin, track end, switch, crossing).

 Furthermore it may consists of references to containing track
 elements like switches, crossings and derailers.