Infested with technology. This is how the rail transport industry can be defined nowadays, an important part being played by the automation of the underground networks and implicitly by infrastructure. However, aside from the major projects launched by specialized companies worldwide, especially over the past years, East-European countries seem incapable to keep up with Western states. It is worth mentioning, among others, the example of Nuremberg (Germany), where Siemens has already developed an automatic driverless underground line (U3) made of perfectly synchronised and interconnected systems. In this situation, according to the company’s information, the central element of the line is the Automatic Train Control (ATC), a system which commands and controls traffic. High technology, without considering all the other advantages related to traffic safety, will also help cut by half the time intervals between trains. By comparison, a special situation is that of Romania who struggles to get close to newest technologies. According to the information provided by Metrorex, the company managing the underground services in Bucharest, the new trains bought from Bombardier Transportation AB – Sweden, are equipped with an ATP/ATO (ATP – Automatic Train Protection; ATO – Automatic Train Operation) system. The tracks also have the equipments necessary to ensure the well-functioning of the ATP/ATO system, such us conveying the necessary information to on-board staff. These data are then processed by the specialized on-board computer. “The ATO system is an automatic train conducting system which also requires the existence of an engine driver in the cab to survey the transport, to open and close the doors and to authorize the start-up of trains in leaving the station”, declared Gheorghe Udrişte, the company’s General Manager. He explained that the rest of commands is automatically conducted by the on-board electronic systems with the help of the data base in the system memory and of the messages sent by the rolling track and the signalling beacons in the stations. The system was implemented for the first time on the second underground line (Berceni Depot-Pipera) and then on Line 1 (Pantelimon – Dristor2) and 3 (Anghel Saligny – Preciziei), and will be implemented on Line 4 (1 Mai – Pajura – Parc Bazilescu), as well.
The benefits of automation
Among the benefits of implementing this system, the General Manager of the underground managing company mentioned the increasing safety of train traffic and passengers, but also the possibility of reducing the traffic interval between trains which can boost transport capacity. “Metrorex’s intention is to keep promoting the construction of new underground lines at the same time with the acquisition of new trains and introducion of automatic train control system. This will also depend on the evolution of technical specialized solutions”, Udrişte said. And there will be technical solutions. It is also worth mentioning Alstom, one of the major players in the industry, present on the local market. “We will rely on the experience in underground systems. One of four currently in operation trains are Alstom’s trains”, declared Gabriel Stanciu, General Manager, Romania and Bulgaria. Among other major projects currently under development, in 1998, Alstom Transport built and equipped the underground system in Singapore – the most extended fully automated underground system in the world, and in 2003, the underground system in Lausanne, Switzerland. Also, in China, the company upgraded the signalling system for Line 2 of Beijing underground for the Olympic Games in 2008. “Our modern system based on radio transmission is now implemented worldwide on high capacity and driverless trains. Soon, it will be implemented in Panama as well”, Stanciu said. When will East-European countries, such as Romania and Bulgaria, catch up with these technologies? Hard to tell. As for Dubai, who inaugurated the longest driverless underground train and the longest underground station in the world, comments are needless.
[ by Ionela Micu ]Share on:
