CBTC the strategic core to future capacity

LONDON - Jan. 7, 2015 - PRLog -- Implementing communications based signalling technology (CBTC) can transform the rail industry, providing numerous benefits such as enhanced safety, increased capacity, operational efficiency, reducing headway and improving the ability to respond to growing passenger demand.

Averting the costs of developing new lines through the optimization of existing rail infrastructure sounds ideal, however there are many potential risks and implementation challenges. Designing, supplying, installing, testing and commissioning, as well as addressing interoperability, mixed mode operations and conflicting views on fall back systems.

A highly integrated end-to-end engineering process must be adopted through the planning and execution life cycle, as well as developing a sustainable methodology to understand and minimise key cost drivers.

London Underground, considered the oldest rapid transit system, is undergoing a massive transformation to modernise its ageing infrastructure. Capital Programmes, Engineering Director, George Clark will be presenting on March 5th at Sagacity Media’s 2nd annual Communications Based Train Control conference in London, discussing “CBTC as the strategic core to increasing future capacity.” Mr Clarke, responsible for the engineering across all disciplines within the Capital Programme of London Underground and the technical assurance as defined in the ROGS legislation, has undertaken rail engineering roles in both the public and private sector during a career of over 30 years. He will be presenting the vision for London Transport, increasing capacity and efficiency through innovation and partnerships, integration of current and future systems and managing complexity.

Mr Said El Fassi, Head of the technical direction IG-T & IG-sys of SNCF, who will also be joining the conference discussion, will provide insight into how SNCF plan to improve CBTC technology, he stated “Increasing demand of capacity and service quality in dense traffic suburban lines of a large city such as Paris, requires new solutions to achieve expectations. Introducing CBTC systems issued from urban requirements brings matured technology and makes a reasonable approach to significantly improve the throughput of the line. But the final improvement of the overall system in term of service quality requires specific regulation strategies. The way to operate suburban lines is quite different from urban lines, the traffic is not captive and constraints in terms of traffic regulation are not the only headway. We are going to present our approach to provide a new solution in term of traffic regulation, this includes a suburban line operation concept, traffic regulation constraints and in relation to service quality, how to improve CBTC technology to achieve expectations.”

Transport industry leaders create a common voice on critical Communications Based Train Control challenges and solutions on March 5th 2015 in London. Addressing implementation, CBTC and ETCS convergence, cost and maintenance, risk assessments and interoperability challenges from an engineering, technical and strategic planning perspective.