Hitachi are using their expertise and signalling domain knowledge to develop a novel system that offers both increased safety and improved efficiency. It operates in parallel with the existing processes, independently calculating what signalling protection is required to protect a worksite. It doesn’t require any lineside equipment, although if devices such as TCODs are present it can interface with them.
Recent incidents at Margam, Stoats Nest, and at Roade, have sharpened the industry’s focus on track workers, and in particular their exposure to moving trains. The UK railway is already one of the safest in Europe and now with the introduction of digital technologies, we have an opportunity to further reduce the risk of harm to rail workers.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) issued two safety improvement notices to Network Rail to better ensure the safety of their employees and contractors working on or near the railway line. One relates to planning and the other relates to technology.
Network Rail’s Safety Task Force team has risen to the challenges set by the ORR and has made many improvements to the planning and delivery of maintenance activities. They have also invested in technologies, such as a digital platform for safety information and new software that integrates with existing systems such as Ellipse and Sentinel to provide electronic safe work packs.
Working trackside will never feel like just another day at the office, but the existing processes are effective when applied well and provide some level of confidence that they can safely carry out their duties. Unfortunately, sometimes people make mistakes or take shortcuts, and this can have tragic consequences.
The system formalises communication between trackside and signalling staff and displays real-time information about signalling protection to both parties. By monitoring lineside infrastructure, it can provide warnings about unexpected events, such as SPADs or runaway vehicles, that approach a line blockage and it can filter out potentially unsafe commands by sitting between signalling control systems, including panels and VDU-based workstations, and relay or electronic interlockings, without the need for changes to either of them.
Find out more – Hitachi will be providing a technical presentation in the Seminar Theatre at Railtex 7th September at 11.50am.
Join us – There will also be an opportunity to see a demonstration of the system with the Hitachi team on stand P16, Hall 11.
