Thales: World leader in signalling technology and the worldwide ETCS infrastructure leader with the most successful track record in the industry

Transcription

1 Thales: World leader in signalling technology and the worldwide ETCS infrastructure leader with the most successful track record in the industry

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS The European perspective...3 The three Levels of the ETCS system are...4 Thales as a pioneer and worldwide ETCS leader...5 ETCS benefits...5 ETCS for a green transport mode...6 Thales ETCS references since About Thales...11 Press contact

3 Thales: World leader in signalling technology and the worldwide ETCS infrastructure leader with the most successful track record in the industry. The European perspective Since the signing of the 1957 Treaty of Rome, a cornerstone of European co has been to create a true European domestic market. Although the European economic zone needed standardised transportation policies, railroads were neglected for a long time and were essentially regulated to satisfy the sole interests of each member state. As a result, the countless national systems and rules, such as different al regulations, power systems, control & safety systems and display languages, as well as railway system certification requirements, remained unchanged. About twenty different safety systems and as many as six different power systems are currently being used on European railways. Cross-border trains still have to either switch to a different locomotive when they reach the border, which is time consuming, or the train must be equipped with all necessary safety systems, which is costly and requires extra space at the engineer's control station. In the late 80s, the concept of applying uniform safety standards and starting to redesign the European railway system was formed. In 1996, the foundation was laid for introducing ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) for the trans-european high-speed railway system. The standardised train safety system is mandatory for new railway line construction, as well as for any upgraded sections. These rules also came into force for the conventional trans-european railway system in In addition, twenty-two ERTMSbased railway projects were identified for which construction is to be expedited. ERTMS aims at replacing the different national train control and command systems in Europe. The deployment of ERTMS enables the creation of a seamless European railway system and increase European railway s competitiveness. ERTMS has two basic components: ETCS, the European Train Control System, an automatic train protection system (ATP), based on a common European specification. GSM-R, a radio system for providing voice and data communication between the track and the train is based on standard GSM using frequencies specifically reserved for rail application with certain specific and advanced functions. 3

4 The three Levels of the ETCS system are ETCS Level 1: Where there are line-side signals, this information can be transmitted by standard beacons known as Eurobalises positioned along the track. Its application to existing infrastructure is straightforward. ETCS Level 2: The information is transmitted by radio (GSM-R). It is no longer necessary to have line-side signals, which allows substantial savings in investment and maintenance. The position of trains continues to be detected from the track. ETCS Level 3: Trains will have to be able to detect and transmit their precise position and integrity themselves, which makes it possible to reduce further the amount of equipment on the track. This level has not been implemented so far. 4

5 Thales as a pioneer and worldwide ETCS leader Involved from the very beginning in the ERTMS / ETCS specification process, and having decided at an early stage to proceed to industrial development of ETCS solutions, Thales was in a strong position to deploy the first commercial ETCS system awarded in 1999 with Bulgarian State Railways. The system was put into in Thales has been pioneering ETCS deployment in Europe with a series of projects: First cross-border corridor link between Austria (Vienna) and Hungary (Budapest) in First Level 2 systems for high-speed passenger service with the southern section of the Berlin-Halle/Leipzig line opened for passenger services in First fully interoperable national network for CFL (Chemins de Fer de Luxembourg) in World s longest high-speed land tunnel (Lötschberg) between Italy and the Swiss capital Bern in First ETCS suburban application in Mexico City in Today, Thales is one of the world leader in signalling technology and the worldwide ETCS infrastructure leader with the most successful track record in the industry. With major ongoing ETCS projects in Europe, Thales is in a strong position to widen its footprint outside of Europe, deploying ETCS worldwide. During the last two years, Thales was awarded with important contracts in India, Mexico, Algeria, Saudi-Arabia, Korea and Morocco where Thales was awarded an ETCS high-speed line contract. These successes show how ETCS is emerging as a worldwide train control technology and with a global network of Integration Centres dedicated to local delivery, Thales has a proven capability to provide ETCS to the benefit of our customers anywhere in the world. ETCS benefits Generally speaking, rail transport suffers from low performances compared to road and air transport. Between 1995 and 2005, road freight increased by over 40% to more than 1,700 billion tonne-kilometres while rail freight almost stood still at about 400 billion tonnekilometres per year. Competitiveness is definitely a key issue for the future of rail and ETCS technology benefits already contribute to give railways the competitive edge through: Seamless cross-borders s Using ETCS on board equipment ensures that trains systems are interoperable and speak the same language in order to cross borders efficiently without downtime. 5

6 Safety Railways already have an excellent safety record and ERTMS will help ensure that this remains the case. ETCS reduces the possibility for human error, providing a comprehensive automatic train protection (ATP) function where this does not yet exist. Operational efficiency There are a number of options to increase line capacity, from building additional lines or widening existing tracks. Infrastructure-based solutions provide additional capacity, but they are expensive, time consuming and have a significant impact on services whilst they are being implemented. Of all solutions available, signalling upgrades provide the most economic way of increasing capacity. Experience has shown that a continuous communication-based signalling system, such as ERTMS, reduces the headway between trains enabling up to 40% more capacity on currently existing infrastructure. Reduced cost ETCS technology allows railway operators and infrastructure managers to significantly reduce the number of equipment along the tracks (i.e. optical wayside signals) resulting in lower investments, al and maintenance costs. Future proof technology Research activities on ETCS started in 1989, followed by pilot projects in the 1990s and commercial applications from 2001 onwards. ETCS Levels 1 and 2 are now in on all kinds of railway lines, ensuring the ETCS standard is maintained today and in the future by the Change Control Management process under the leadership of the European Railway Agency. Through investment in ETCS, rail operators are able to equip their network with a mature, stable and long lasting technology with a real return on investment. ETCS for a green transport mode ETCS will continue its success story. More and more countries in and outside of Europe will implement ETCS. Application areas will extend to all different kinds of railway lines. The design of the interface between ETCS trackside and train borne together with a mechanism to manage further development of this interface guarantees that the system life span is not limited by technology obsolescence. As railways need to plan their investments on a long term basis, this is one of the best reasons for a bright future of ETCS. By improving the competitiveness of the rail sector, levelling the playing field between rail, air and road transport, ERTMS encourages businesses and passengers to use rail as a fast, comfortable, clean and low CO2-emitting transport mode. What s more, the performance benefits of rail versus road travel are also clear. ERTMS easily enables a double rail track to carry 10,000 people per hour/ per direction whilst a three lane, two way highway becomes congested with only 3,000 people travelling per hour/per direction and is considerably less safe for passengers. 6

7 Thales ETCS references since 2008 Algeria ANESRIF & SNTF Annaba - Ramdane Djamel Level 1/ ANESRIF & SNTF ANESRIF & SNTF Bordj Bou Arrerdi - El Gourji El Khemis - Oued Sly Level 1/ Level 1/ India Indian Railway Gummidipundi - Elavur Level Mexico CAF Mexico City, Cuautitlan - Buenavista Level Morocco ONCF Casablanca - Rabat Level Saudi Arabia SAR North South Railway Level

8 Austria Project name ERTMS Level OBB Vienna - Salzburg/Passau OBB Phase 1 Vienna - St Polten OBB Phase 2 Neubaustrecke - Unterrintal OBB Phase 3 Bestandsstrecke - Brennerachse Route Level Level Level Level Bulgaria MoT/NRIC Plovdiv - Svilengrad Level Finland RHK Kerava - Lahti Level Germany Deutsche Bahn Nuremberg - Ingoldstadt - Munich Level 2 + National Greece ERGOSE Athens - Thessaloniki - Bulgarian border Level

9 Netherlands ProRail HSL Zuid (Amsterdam - Belgium Border) Level 1/ Poland PKP PLK Grodzisk Mazowiecki Zawiercie Level Romania CFR Fetesti - Constanta Level Spain ADIF Madrid Suburban (Chamartin- Atocha) ADIF Barcelona - Figueres ADIF Madrid - Valencia HSL Level 1/2 + National Level 1/2 + National Level 1/2 + National Switzerland Alp Transit Gotthard (SBB) Gotthard base Tunnel Level 1/

10 Turkey TCDD Ankara - Istanbul Line (Hasanbey- Esenkent)- Phase 1 TCDD Sincan - Esenkent & Hasanbey - Inonu extension Level Level

11 About Thales Thales is a global technology leader for the Defence & Security and the Aerospace & Transport markets. In 2009, the company generated revenues of 12.9 billion with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 22,500 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with s around the world working with customers as local partners. Press contact Victoire Le Barazer Tél victoire.lebarazer@thalesgroup.com 11