Railroad North
Master-slave PLC architecture. Distributed transportation control.
Railroad North is a specialized OT lab simulating a distributed railroad control environment with a master-slave PLC architecture.
The lab features a realistic rail network where multiple PLCs coordinate track switching, signaling, and barrier control across distributed segments. Users can manipulate simulation switches to control track routing, observe signaling behavior, and analyze automation logic in real time.
The environment includes integration with both OT and DMZ layers, enabling realistic segmentation between control systems and monitoring infrastructure. Data flows through collectors and DMZ components into centralized logging and observability systems.
Railroad North supports hands-on exploration of multi-PLC coordination, industrial communication patterns, and distributed control logic across a transportation system.
Railroad North was built as a distributed freight control system to coordinate rail movement across long-distance infrastructure.
The system operates through a master-slave PLC topology where a central controller coordinates multiple remote track segments. Each segment is responsible for local signaling, switching, and safety enforcement.
The architecture has remained largely unchanged since deployment. It continues to operate reliably, but its complexity has grown through layered extensions and partial upgrades, creating a system where control dependencies span multiple physical and logical boundaries.