A modular simulation tool for fixed block and moving block railway signalling systems

• • MB signalling reduced trailing train travel time by 70 s (2.5% of total time) relative to FB under an injected 5th-station departure delay, demonstrating tangible throughput gains for high-density corridors where headway recovery directly impacts schedule adherence and operational cost. • • The aggressive driver model in simulation B elicited a more significant signalling intervention, with MB producing a more jagged speed profile due to frequent activation; this underscores the trade-off between travel time reduction and energy consumption or passenger comfort, necessitating careful tuning of control laws. • • The modular tool integrates RBC, OBU, vehicle dynamics, and driver behaviour, enabling time-efficient simulation of diverse scenarios; this reduces reliance on costly on-site testing, potentially cutting commissioning timelines and costs for signalling upgrades by enabling virtual validation. • • Findings are explicitly limited to the two case studies (simulations A and B) on a 12-station line with two trains; generalisation requires parametric investigation across parameters such as headway, delay magnitude, and driver aggressiveness, highlighting the need for sensitivity analyses before deployment decisions.