Demand for rail transport is rising, not only within the growing mega-cities across the world but also connecting communities and taking freight off the road – driving the replacement and expansion of many important rail connections. Systems that enable Digital Train Control are making a significant contribution to the industry’s success.
What is Digital Train Control?
Railways across the world are striving to deliver more capacity and reduced journey times, with improved safety and performance (reliability and resilience), and increased sustainability (environmental and financial). Achieving these competing demands necessitates a step-change in technology, beyond the capability of conventional signalling and control systems.
For these reasons, the train control market is increasingly becoming dominated by the introduction of modern Digital Train Control (DTC) systems that include Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Supervision (ATS), such those based around European Train Control System (ETCS) and Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technologies.
Much like the previous step-change from mechanical to conventional (electrical) colour-light signalling, the step-change to data communication-based in-cab signalling and train control results in a significant and fundamental change to the way that railways are operated and maintained.
Agnostic solutions and advice
The delivery of DTC projects provides a number of challenges including:
- Lack of knowledge within existing businesses on how the new technology should be implemented and how the business needs to adapt
- An increase in the complexity of the system including the introduction of new highly complex software-based technologies with interdependencies between the various systems and subsystems.
GHD can help overcome these challenges and others by providing specialist skillsets and experience successfully delivering DTC projects.
Working on behalf of infrastructure owners and managers, GHD can provide technical advisor services to ensure that the solution provided is matched to the needs of the railway and its stakeholders.
With the increased complexity of DTC projects there is a greater need for a System Integrator to ensure that the technical integration has been undertaken at a level above the technical integration by (multiple) system suppliers, and then combining that with the operational integration challenge of deploying that system within a particular rail network, with its own specific O&M organisation and ways of working.
Ensuring confidence in digital railway programs
Digitalisation allows us to reimagine how primary safety, control and management functions are managed and operated. This can deliver:
- Improved train control – cost effectively increase capacity and safety, using automation to smooth flow and improve performance
- Improved asset management – data collection and analytics that can be leveraged to operate and maintain the assets based on predict and prevent
- Improved customer information – real-time data to enable targeted and personalised travel information
GHD’s cross-industry experience aids understanding of the integration of technologies with legacy rail signalling and communications infrastructure.
By providing application and implementation support we identify and address risks and issues that may be barriers to success.
We work across all digital train control systems
Digital Train Control is dominated by modern signalling control systems such as:
- ETCS – developed to promote mainline interoperability across Europe
- CBTC – the established concept for high frequency signalling for metros realised through proprietary solutions.
- PTC – to meet the US Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
- ATMS – to meet Australian Freight and regional needs
We work collaboratively with all current ETCS, CBTC and PTC technology providers ensuring solutions are independent and agnostic.
By drawing on experience from major train control programs across the world, GHD helps shape digital railway programs from concept, through to design, delivery, implementation and operations and maintenance.
Spanning mainline passenger, freight, mixed traffic, heavy haul or mass transit, our distinctive DTC services help rail organisations justify the investment in automation.
Participants suggested that there is also the opportunity for the industry to lead this technological innovation and develop world’s best practice in automated signalling and train control
On track to 2040
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