Automatic Train Junction Gate Control System Based on Arduino-Uno Microcontroller

Abstract

Transportation technology plays a vital role in people's lives, one of which is trains. The role of transportation has many positive impacts, but there are also many other negative impacts, one of which is an accident due to the manual operation of the rail junction gate. This work aims to build an automatic system that can control train gate junctions without an operator and sense based on train schedule with an additional sensor for detection of a train passing. With the Arduino Uno microcontroller for railroad control device, it changes the manual railroad crossing operating system to become automatic and controlled with certain components. In this case, a microcontroller unit called node Microcontroller Unit (MCU) series ESP 8266 is used in this monitoring system as a tool that sends the information to the platform Telegram for notifications when ultrasonic sensors and vibration sensors detect the arrival of a train. The result shows the system works well based on the plane which has several sensors placed on the train rail and detects vibration for the train crossing. Several scenarios were tested to achieve the correct position of the sensor placement which is not too far or delayed in the instruction of the gate opening and closing.  The response time achieved is good with an average is 344 ms for the opening and closing of the junction gate. Future development is to connect a gate-crossing system to other gates that can integrate and each other for a smooth train schedule.