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Ethical engineering

Professional registration is an important milestone for any technician or engineer. Awarded by licensed bodies, professional registration is based on knowledge, competence and commitment. The assessment for registration will examine candidates in a number of areas, including exercising their responsibilities in an ethical manner.

Candidates will have to demonstrate awareness and compliance with the engineering codes or value statements issued by the Engineering Council or their employer, including giving examples of where these have affected decisions or actions they have taken, such as stopping unsafe activities, preventing environmental damage or giving unwelcome messages to stakeholders such as clients or senior managers. This may also include actions taken which have had measurable economic implications.

Ethical decisions

The Engineering Council has created a statement of ethical principles to guide engineering practice and behaviour. The principles require engineering professionals to have a duty in the following four areas:

  1. Honesty and integrity – to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct including openness, fairness, honesty and integrity;
  2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good – to obey all applicable laws and regulations and give due weight to facts, published standards and guidance and the wider public interest;
  3. Accuracy and rigour – to acquire and use wisely the understanding, knowledge and skills needed to perform their role;
  4. Leadership and communication – to abide by and promote high standards of leadership and communication.

The principles are commendable in any role but, in an age when increasing automation means that ethical decisions are being incorporated into complex systems using algorithms and rules, engineers are having to consider how machines behave in scenarios that they have not had to before. This applies to many spheres of engineering, including transport.

Autonomy in road vehicles is already challenging engineers, lawyers, insurers and others to rethink previously accepted principles and ideas. The introduction of artificial intelligence into railway control systems will create even more ethical issues that will have be addressed.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) recently held a seminar to explore the underpinning principles associated with ethical issues in transport engineering and to suggest ways to address them.

Sir Charles Haddon-Cave presenting his keynote address.
Sir Charles Haddon-Cave presenting his keynote address.

Sir Charles Haddon-Cave is a judge serving in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of England and Wales and has been involved in the fields of aviation, insurance, travel law and arbitration. He was responsible for the damning report into the crash of RAF Nimrod XV230 over Afghanistan in 2006 in which he was scathing about the money-saving edict that took priority over safety: “Unfortunately, the Nimrod Safety Case was a lamentable job from start to finish. It was riddled with errors. It missed the key dangers. Its production is a story of incompetence, complacency, and cynicism.” The report is available as a free download and is recommended reading for any engineer involved in safety engineering.

His keynote address set the tone for the seminar. Mr Justice Haddon-Cave explained that engineers faced a challenge in designing driverless cars, driverless trains, drones, intelligent buildings and robots so that they operate in a way that reflect human values and principles. As Franklin D Roosevelt once said: “Rules are not necessarily sacred, but principles are.”

He commended the codes of conduct issued by professional institutions, but questioned if they go deep enough and help engineers when they may be faced with really difficult ethical and moral decisions. Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said that there are other tools to help, with one being ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable), which is deeply embedded into common law and questions whether an action is reasonable, given all the facts that have to be taken into account.

Making sure a risk has been reduced, ALARP is about weighing the risk against the resource (termed ‘sacrifice’ in law) required to reduce it further. The decision is weighted in favour of health and safety because the presumption is that risk reduction measures should be implemented. To avoid having to implement an action, the sacrifice must be grossly disproportionate to the benefits of risk reduction that would be achieved.

Another ethical tool that Mr Justice Haddon-Cave demonstrated was the Heinrich Triangle Theory. Heinrich proposed that, for every major injury, loss or event, there are 29 minor and 300 no-injury accidents, losses or events. So, ethically, to reduce a major risk, it is necessary to investigate and eliminate the greater number of minor and no-injury accidents or losses. Or, to put it another way, just don’t look at the tip of the iceberg, think about what’s below the surface.

He recommended the adoption of four key ethical principles:

  1. Leadership – strong clear leadership from the very top;
  2. Independence throughout the regulatory regime;
  3. People (not just process and paper);
  4. Simplicity – regulation, processes and rules must be as simple and straightforward as possible.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave finished his keynote speech by emphasising that any safety management system must be made simple, and the greatest risk to safety and ethical engineering is complexity.

Heinrich's safety pyramid, which dates from 1931 and was verified and updated by Frank Bird in the 1970s, is based on insurance company claim records.
Heinrich’s safety pyramid, which dates from 1931 and was verified and updated by Frank Bird in the 1970s, is based on insurance company claim records.

Hindsight bias

Professor George Bearfield, director of system safety and health at RSSB, said that dealing with complex safety engineering in rail can already be an ethical minefield as investment decisions have to be made over very long time-frames over which the political, ethical and social concern and tolerance standards may change. Where safety or accident risk is involved, the tensions will be high and decisions are often governed by what is affordable and the balance of risk.

When making ethical based decisions, one of the traps that can occur is ‘hindsight bias’. This is the inclination to see past events, such as accidents, as being more predictable than they really were. If such events are seen as being predictable – an accident waiting to happen – it places great importance on the ability of a transport operator to argue that they had appropriate safety measures in place.

Hindsight bias can influence knee-jerk reactions. How many times have we heard, after a major accident, a politician quickly say that “money is not a problem”? This is often an unethical statement as, in many cases, money will be a problem when ALARP is applied and it is determined that the money involved could be far better used to lower risk somewhere else.

Professor Bearfield recommended the RSSB document “Taking Safe Decisions – How Britain’s railways take decisions that affect safety” for anyone involved in safety management. This is available from the RSSB website and it discusses many of the topics relating to ethical engineering.

Ethics from a technologist’s perspective

Paul Campion, CEO of the Transport Systems Catapult, observed that society and transport engineering is about to face a huge challenge which will require ethical considerations. Publishing, music, finance, retail (home shopping) and some other industries have been fundamentally transformed by IT and communications, but significant changes to the transport sector have yet to take place.

The silo boundaries of transport are likely to be broken down and transformed by new technology, which will raise ethical questions. This is initially likely to be related to the use of data and the recent Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal has highlighted some of the ethical issues that can arise.

When actress Mary McCormack husband’s Tesla caught fire while he was driving in the Los Angeles area, her post on Twitter was shared 1.5 million times. However, conventional vehicles also catch fire and electric cars may be less likely to catch fire than petrol and diesel vehicles – it’s just that society will require higher standards with new technology.

It has been suggested that an autonomous vehicle will have to be many times safer than a manually driven vehicle for it to be accepted and allowed on the road. Consider the example of an autonomous car in a queue of cars joining a busy main road at a T-junction. Traffic starts to build up and slow down. Cars with drivers in front of the autonomous car, when at the front of the queue, ‘nudge forward’ and cars on the main road let them in. Should the autonomous car be programmed to do the same, or should it wait until the road is clear, which could take hours?

Should the autonomous car have a sliding scale of ‘caution or bold’ that could be selected by the client? If ‘caution’ is chosen, it could be there for hours, waiting. Select ‘bold’ and the risk of an accident increases. Does that sound safe and ethical?

Engineers of the future will face many of these issues. For example, what happens if a perfect autonomous car could be developed such that it will always act to avoid accidents, but other road users know this and start to deliberately pull out in front of the perfect autonomous car? Do engineers then deliberately make the autonomous car less safe? If an autonomous car has to act to avoid an accident what rules apply if the choice of action is to hit a pedestrian or another vehicle?

To be effective, the autonomous vehicle will have to be more human-like and make ethical-based decisions. It will have to be provided with artificial intelligence (AI) so that it will learn and adopt different behaviours, similar to a human. Let’s assume that a car can be taught to drive itself through AI. If it makes a mistake due to the way it has learned, who is to blame? The designer, programmer, tester, or the salesperson?

Some of these ethical issues with autonomous vehicles may also apply to driverless trains.

The use of autonomous vehicles, like this one recently launched by Keolis in Canada, raises many issue.
The use of autonomous vehicles, like this one recently launched by Keolis in Canada, raises many issue.

Unethical AI chatbot

An example of AI behaving unethically was Tay – a Microsoft ‘chatbot’ which used AI to respond to users’ queries and emulate casual, jokey speech patterns. However, when it began posting racist messages in response to questions, it quickly had to be shut down.

It was identified that Tay was vulnerable to people who persuaded it to use racial slurs and defend white-supremacist propaganda – even outright calls for genocide. The racism was not a product of Microsoft or Tay itself, as it was simply a piece of software that was trying to learn how humans talk in a conversation. It didn’t even know what racism was but spouted ‘unethical obscene language’ because racist humans on Twitter quickly spotted a vulnerability and exploited it. The problem was that Tay didn’t understand what it was talking about.

Microsoft’s developers didn’t include any filters on the words that Tay could or could not use and came under heavy criticism for the bot and its lack of filters, with some arguing (with great hindsight of course) that the company should have expected and pre-empted the abuse. Now imagine what unethical behaviours an AI safety-related system may be vulnerable to when interfacing with unethical humans.

Tay - Microsoft's chatbot - had to be shut down for 'unethical obscene language' it had learned from racist humans.
Tay – Microsoft’s chatbot – had to be shut down for ‘unethical obscene language’ it had learned from racist humans.

AI in railway control systems

Artificial Intelligence is an algorithm, mathematical model or software that can ‘learn’ what to do and improve its own performance over time, based on information from its own past performance. While deterministic software does exactly what it was told (by the programmer), AI software is only programmed with a learning mechanism – some kind of trial and error routine. This means the behaviour of AI software can never be completely foreseen, but only taught.

There are a few applications where a computer can’t have the opportunity to make mistakes. Safety is one of these, as a critical software mistake may result in loss of life. AI can therefore never be used to make the final decision, but that doesn’t mean that AI cannot be used in control systems as it can learn to be better than a human but, just like a human, it needs protecting.

If a signaller attempts to put two trains onto a collision course, the interlocking system will not authorise such a manoeuvre. Humans can fail, and AI should be treated in the same way. For some applications, programming and teaching AI can be a lot cheaper and quicker than classical logical programming. AI should therefore not be ignored or avoided in railway control systems. Just like any new technology, engineers must learn new skills to develop and adopt the new ways of working to create a better tomorrow.

IEEE P7000 – Model Process for Addressing Ethical Concerns During System Design.

Professor Ali Hessami is an expert in systems assurance and safety. Technical editor of IEEE standard P7000 – Model Process for Addressing Ethical Concerns During System Design – he represents the UK on CENELEC and IEC safety systems committees. As the discussions during the seminar had identified, engineers need a methodology for identifying, analysing and reconciling ethical concerns of end users.

Approximately 40 people are expected to be actively involved in the development of the P7000 standard, and the scope is to establish a process model by which engineers and technologists can address ethical consideration throughout the various stages of system initiation, analysis and design.

The purpose of the standard being produced by Ali Hessami and the IEEE is to provide engineers and technologists with an implementable method of aligning innovation management processes, system design approaches and software engineering methods to minimise ethical risk for their organisations, stakeholders and end users. It is planned for publication early in 2019 and will be the first global standard to guide ethical principles in engineering design.

Strong clear leadership from the very top was Mr Justice Haddon-Cave's first recommendation.
Strong clear leadership from the very top was Mr Justice Haddon-Cave’s first recommendation.

Apples or cookies

There was an extensive group discussion following the presentations and follow up sessions are being considered. The event reinforced the message that engineering professions must produce engineers who have the will and the intellectual capacity to engage with bigger questions about the ethics and social ramifications of their work, as human behaviour can easily slip into unethical actions.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave told a story to illustrate this point. Children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted it on the apple tray: “Take only ONE. God is watching.” Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written another note: “Take all you want. God is watching the apples!”

Looking forward to InnoTrans 2018

Photo: InnoTrans.
Photo: InnoTrans.

Seen from above during the InnoTrans exhibition, which this year runs from 18 to 21 September, Berlin’s exhibition complex is impressive. 200,000 square metres (that’s over two million square feet) of internal floor space spread across 41 halls, and 3,500 metres of railway tracks on which sit 140 vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from high-speed trains to construction machines.

Inside, more than 3,000 exhibitors from 60 countries will show off their products and services to the 140,000 visitors who come to see them. Exhibitors from as far afield as Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates will be joined by New Zealand for the first time.

119 UK companies will be exhibiting at InnoTrans 2018, from Abtus (Hall 22 stand 102 – rail measurement) to Zetica Rail (Hall 23 stand 209 – trackbed condition measurement services and systems). In fact, even more British exhibitors than that will actually be there – either those which have booked stands through their German subsidiaries or companies who are themselves subsidiaries of foreign groups that have booked space through head office. For example, WSP, although actually a Canadian group, is classified as German in the exhibitors list.

However they are classified, there will be plenty to see this year, as at every InnoTrans. 1,680 exhibitors showing Railway Technology join 589 with Railway Infrastructure, 404 involved in Pubic Transport, 295 suppliers of Railway Interiors and so on. It would therefore be impossible to preview them all, so please forgive us as we cherry-pick a few that visitors to the show may find interesting.

Alstom - H3 locomotives at the Port of Hamburg.
Alstom – H3 locomotives at the Port of Hamburg. Photo: Alstom.

The big boys (and girls)

Alstom (3.2/306 and outdoors), as a mobility maker in the era of digitalisation, will showcase its latest developments aimed at improving the experience of passengers, as well as innovations that empower operators, allowing them to improve their transport offerings and serve cities more efficiently.

On display will be Iconis, a security control centre, and Mastria, a multimodal supervision solution that demonstrates the way advanced data analytics will be central to the future of urban mobility. Infrastructure innovations will include SRS for trams and buses, as well as APS for road – both cutting-edge, ground-based solutions for vehicle charging and power-supply.

External displays include a full-scale model of the Coradia Stream for Trenitalia – named Pop by the Italian operator, this train has been designed for operation in the different Italian regions. An H4 will also be at InnoTrans – the new Prima H3 and Prima H4 locomotives offer optimal shunting performance coupled with world-class energy efficiency, being available with a variety of motive power options including hybrid.

Bombardier (2.2/101 and outdoors) will have a highly digital display, featuring multi-touch screens allowing visitors to configure mobility solutions adapted to the needs of different types of cities, from stable urban environments to megacities, fast-growing cities or even greenfield settings.

A virtual reality exhibit will take visitors on an immersive 360° experience in cities across the world, be it on the Innovia monorail in Bangkok, a Flexity tram in Zürich or a Movia metro in Stockholm. An interactive presenter explores all elements of the value chain and helps customers consider the advantages of a complete mobility solution, including options for signalling, operations and maintenance and components.

Talent3, Bombardier’s battery train, developed for service on non- or partially electrified lines with innovation funds awarded during the last InnoTrans and equipped with a Mitrac traction battery, will be running on a test track near Berlin at the time of InnoTrans. It will enter service in 2019, the first electric battery train to do so in more than 60 years.

With battery power, non-electrified sections of the track are easily bridged with quiet, clean, fully electric trains, removing the need for high-emission diesel engines and train interchanges, reducing travel times and improving service.

Austrian State Railways (ÖBB) will exhibit a Bombardier Talent3 EMU from its Cityjet fleet in the outdoor display on track 8/400.

A Bombardier Talent3 train operated by ÖBB. Photo: Bombardier.
A Bombardier Talent3 train operated by ÖBB. Photo: Bombardier.

Siemens (4.2/202 and outdoors) is taking “Shaping Connected Mobility” as its theme this year. Among the highlights of its displays, both inside and out, will be the Digital Station, Interlocking in the Cloud and new Velaro Novo high-speed train with 30 per cent lower energy consumption.

Railway stations are vital hubs for intermodal urban transport. Only by ensuring that transfers between various transport modes are reliable, seamless, convenient and time-saving will growing numbers of people use the most efficient and eco-friendly transport mode – public transport systems. Siemens’ Digital Station solutions cover a broad spectrum of functions, ranging from infrastructure management and universal intermodal travel information to data analytics needed to continuously optimise operations. These are intended to help operators achieve 100-percent availability, increase passenger throughput and improve travel comfort – important prerequisites for providing attractive public transport.

The Interlocking in the Cloud is intended to revolutionise long-distance rail transport. With this system, interlockings as well as operator control logic can, in the future, be centralised at one location, free of spatial limitations. This will give operators unprecedented flexibility and generate cost savings for their infrastructure and operations – naturally without any compromises in safety and security. Siemens is already working with partners on implementing this advanced technology.

Velaro Novo is a systematic further development of the three preceding generations of Velaros. Numerous innovations and improvements have resulted in a train that consumes 30 per cent less energy and substantially reduces investment and maintenance costs while, at the same time, providing a ten per cent increase in capacity.

With its ‘empty tube’ concept and numerous configuration possibilities, the Velaro Novo is future-proof and can be flexibly adapted to meet new design concepts and operator needs, even after years in operation.

Stadler (2.2/103 and outdoors), the train manufacturer with production sites in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Belarus and the USA, will showcase no fewer than seven vehicle concepts this year:

  • The first completed half-train for Berlin S-Bahn;
  • One of ten Eurodual Co-Co freight locomotives being built for Havelländische Eisenbahn;
  • An electric double-decker multiple-unit for the Lake Malar region west of Stockholm where it will run under the brand name Mälartåg;
  • A Traverso electrical multiple-unit for the SOB Voralpen-Express line, Switzerland;
  • One of 17 underground trains being built for the Glasgow Subway – the world’s smallest underground network with a track gauge of 1,219mm and tunnel diameters of just 3.4 metres;
  • Even smaller in terms of gauge, a ‘Worbia’ one-metre train for Swiss regional transport operator Bern-Solothurn (RBS) which is fitted with eight instead of six pairs of doors along its 60-metre length;
  • An example of Greater Anglia’s new bi-mode FLIRT trains (Classes 745 and 755) which will replace the existing regional, Intercity, and Stansted Express trains.
Siemens Velaro Novo. Photo: Siemens.
Siemens Velaro Novo. Photo: Siemens.

Digital technology

ERTMS Solutions (23/301) creates innovative products that alter the railway signalling world. It not only operates as the only company of its kind to offer testing, maintenance, and software protocol services that are compatible with the European ERTMS/ETCS railway signal standards, it also maintains the agility to tailor its products to existing national standards.

Alongside its partner DMA, ERTMS Solutions will be demonstrating how to do preventive maintenance with its LifeCheck measurement instruments, to use ontologies (knowledge as a set of concepts within a domain and the relationships that hold between them) for IT integration and how to test ERTMS requirements.

Frauscher Sensortechnik (25/232), as digitalisation opens up new possibilities in generating a wide range of highly valuable information, combines proven best-in-class technologies with new digital ideas to create intelligent wayside sensors that deliver accurate data. Consistent development, using the latest technology, has taken track vacancy detection and condition-based maintenance to the next level.

Visitors are invited to meet Frauscher’s experts at its stand and have a look at the current developments, concerns and solutions in the railway industry, helping them to prepare for the upcoming challenges the railway industry has to offer.

R2P (4.1/209), the rapidly growing group headquartered in Flensburg, Germany, operates internationally in 45 countries and has subsidiaries in Denmark, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil. With a silent partnership in Taiwan, a sales office in the Czech Republic and local manufacturing in India, R2P takes pride in being a truly global company.

At InnoTrans, R2P will be exhibiting its IP-based system solutions for public transport covering communication, security and monitoring applications. The fully integrated portfolio of hard- and software products for passenger and fleet flow management R2P offers include CCTV, Passenger Information Systems (PIS), Passenger Announcement (PA), passenger counting, infotainment and fleet management with real-time data transfer and analysis for rail and road vehicles. As of July 2018, HQ Equita acquired R2P and OpenAccess to build a leading player in the fast-growing market for intelligent digital public transport solutions.

Televic Rail (2.1/401) has, since 1985, equipped more than 25,000 rail vehicles worldwide with communication and mechatronics systems. At InnoTrans 2018, Televic will showcase its innovations for passenger information, video surveillance and condition-based monitoring.

Those who visit the stand will have a glimpse of a variety of visual passenger information products, experience Televic Rail’s newest seat reservation system and gain insight into the real-time operational condition of tracks and trains with COSAMIRA.

TrainFX (2.1/417), based in Derby, will be exhibiting its next-generation dynamic, end-to-end, seat reservation system.

The Closer system brings together seat reservation, wayfinding, passenger counting, customer loyalty and TrainFX’s seat sensor technology. It adds to the ecosystem TrainFX currently provides as a lead innovator in the supply and development of real-time passenger information and communication technology for rail.

The Closer dynamic seat reservation system establishes operational efficiencies such as the ability to monitor passenger tidal flow trends and minimising revenue losses while giving customers the possibility of reserving seats on trains already in service. TrainFX’s seat sensor technology can distinguish between passengers and luggage and, coupled with at-seat displays and mobile train crew and customer apps, brings the possibility of better seat-allocation management and at-seat services to personalise the customer experience.

Closer has been developed by TrainFX, together with academic and industrial partners, and has been the successful culmination of a two-year project that was funded by Innovate UK to the tune of £1.2 million.

R2P passenger information screen. Photo: R2P.
R2P passenger information screen. Photo: R2P.

Infrastructure Engineering

CableGuardian (9/202), a new technology developed by Viper Innovations, is being launched at InnoTrans 2018. It monitors electrical faults in real time on live low-voltage unearthed electrical systems used within rail networks, informing the operator about the health status of the system using an intuitive graphical interface, potentially saving rail networks millions in fault finding costs and potential fines for service disruption.

The system can detect the location of both insulator and conductor faults helping operators meet the increasingly demanding regulations pertaining to maintenance regimes. CableGuardian was developed in close collaboration with Network Rail and meets the Intelligent Assets and Condition Monitoring challenge statement for electrical power.

Cable Guardian is currently on trial with a major UK rail infrastructure company.

Nextsense (23/515), the technology leader in the field of optical profile measurement in the railway industry, will present a new module for its multifunctional Calipri profile-measuring device at InnoTrans 2018.

Besides track geometry cars, the Calipri ‘Rail Geometry’ module is a portable system which makes checking the geometric parameters of a track layout simple. A patented measuring method ensures that results are not affected by outside influences such as the operator and the rail surface.

Pandrol (23/210), the global leader in rail infrastructure solutions, is set to put on a show by exhibiting its four specialisms at the Innotrans 2018 exhibition: rail fastenings, aluminothermic welding, electrification and equipment and control.

The company will also be hosting ‘ask the expert’ sessions, where its technical specialists will be running short seminars on topical issues relating to rail infrastructure. Topics will include a look at Pandrol Connect, data processing with the company’s smart monitoring systems, the latest developments in delivering very soft floating slab solutions for urban environments, the development of sustainable rail track tool technology, driving pre-assembly efficiencies with use of robotics and the latest innovation in plinth technology and how it improves quality, reduces labour and offers flexibility in fastening choice.

There will also be an interactive screen on the stand, which will showcase the latest projects in which the company has been involved in providing global solutions.

Plasser & Theurer introduces digitisation into track maintenance. Photo: Plasser & Theurer.
Plasser & Theurer introduces digitisation into track maintenance. Photo: Plasser & Theurer.

Plasser & Theurer (26/222 and outdoors) will have two machines on display on the outdoor tracks, with only one of them being a track maintenance machine. The other will be its EM100VT, a recording car that sends data on absolute track geometry, via the cloud, directly to the maintenance machine.

It combines an inertial track geometry measurement system with a novel optical fixed-point procedure and GNSS/GPS geo-reference data. Previously, absolute track geometry could only be measured during special track possessions at walking speed. The new method is the first to capture absolute track geometry at speeds of over 100km/h.

Powerlines Group (26/226) is presenting itself as a system supplier for rail electrification. The Group’s entire portfolio – from consulting, engineering, product development and distribution, through to installation and maintenance – is to be showcased to international customers on its stand.

In particular, Powerlines will be exhibiting its innovative GRP mast, overhead line components and the 3rd rail system for underground electrification.

Robel Bahnbaumaschinen (26/234), the well-known manufacturer of railway construction and maintenance machines, will be featuring two of its recent developments.

The Rogrind HF Head is the first railhead-grinding machine that comes in two parts. A small, powerful DC motor replaces the combustion engine generally used for grinding machines. Some distance away, at the end of a spark-safe connection cable, stands the second module – a portable unit consisting of a petrol engine, generator and supercapacitor. While this arrangement protects the operator from exhaust fumes and noise and the combustion engine from grinding dust, the biggest advantage is the weight reduction and the convenience it brings – two times 50 kilograms are far easier to transport and position than 100 kilograms in one piece.

A logic-controlled grinding-head feed and Robel’s patented fine-grinding method give a perfect result, even if the operator lacks experience. This was borne out when the new Rogrind HF Head recently won the Network Rail Award for most innovative small plant.

The other new Robel introduction is the Rorunner system of modular engineering trains. The basic combination of two on-track machines and one transport wagon can also be equipped with a drainage cleaning system, a wire drum or a scissor lift. This reduces the fleet, saves time and cuts cost. Two such systems were recently handed over to Transport for London for use on the Elizabeth line (Crossrail).

Rosehill Rail level crossing installation at Snaith, East Yorkshire.
Rosehill Rail level crossing installation at Snaith, East Yorkshire.

Rosehill Rail (21/201), no strangers to InnoTrans, has an ongoing mission to set new standards for rail crossings. With approvals from rail authorities worldwide, the manufacturer’s innovation in rail crossing systems is clear.

At this year’s international trade fair, Rosehill Rail will be showcasing its innovative, engineered rubber rail crossing systems – the Connect Road Crossing System and the Baseplated System, along with the latest version of its Anti-Trespass panels.

Utilised by rail authorities and operators worldwide, the Connect Road Crossing System offers a simple yet reliable level-crossing solution that is designed specifically for all types of roads. Visitors will be able to see for themselves how quickly and easily it can be installed and removed for maintenance.

Rosehill Rail will also be displaying its Baseplated System, which has its own unique advantages compared to other, more rigid crossing systems that cannot be adapted for bespoke site requirements. This high-grade, wear-resistant system allows for fast installation and can accommodate track access, depots and both agricultural and pedestrian crossing applications.

With over 13 years of trusted use across the globe, Rosehill Rail’s Anti-Trespass panels offer a highly effective solution to deterring trespassers and thieves from prohibited railway areas. Designed especially to minimise installation time, this product is proving increasingly popular in a number of international markets.

WSP Infrastructure Engineering GmbH (5.2/531), the German affiliate of international professional services group WSP that was formerly known as IVV, will be hosting a stand at InnoTrans 2018.

Drawing on over 130 years of technical excellence, WSP offers a holistic approach to transport and infrastructure planning, design and management, bringing the latest technologies and a culture of innovation to meet community needs for mobility, connectivity, sustainability and resiliency. In 2017, more than 18,900 company employees worked in Transport and Infrastructure – that’s 45 per cent of WSP’s workforce across the world.

WSP teams were involved in many signature commuter and regional rail projects such as the Eagle P3 Commuter Rail Project in Denver, which was the first public transportation project to use the P3 delivery method in the US. They also delivered KCRC West Rail in Hong Kong, the Nynäs Line in Stockholm and are currently working on Crossrail and High Speed Two (HS2) in the UK.

With over 150 employees, WSP Infrastructure Engineering supplies professional rail infrastructure planning and consulting services covering signalling, electrification, power supply and telecommunications systems, as well as civil engineering. It has been a major player in the planning and engineering of railway projects in Germany and Europe for the last 30 years, involved in key rail infrastructure projects such as the Karlsruhe-Basel high-speed railway, the German Unity Transport Project 8 (VDE 8) and Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel – the world’s longest (57.1km) and deepest (2,300 metres below the surface) railway tunnel.

WSP InnoTrans highlights include:

  • Virtual Reality with BIM – using VR glasses, visitors will be able to watch a 3D visualisation of a modelled approach to P-Hausen Station, designed by WSP for German railway company Deutsche Bahn;
  • A demonstration of the ProSig® planning system for railway signalling and safety;
  • An eye-catching 1:87 scale model train designed and built by WSP engineers that reflects real standards of railway design – a sure-fire attraction for students and professionals alike.

Vehicle equipment

Getzner Werkstoffe (1.1/511) and Herbert Kneitz (1.1/418) – both of which belong to the Getzner Group – share a commitment to continuous optimisation of the comfort and durability of train carriages and their interiors.

Besides punctuality, the comfort level of trains is an important factor for many people in switching from other means of transport to rail travel. Factors such as a quiet, low-vibration environment and comfortable seating enable passengers to make optimal use of their travel time. Getzner will show how the Sylomer® and Isotop® materials can be used to reduce vibration and noise in rail vehicles.

On its stand, Kneitz, one of the leading manufacturers of premium interior textiles for the transport sector, will show how resistant textile solutions increase seating comfort in train carriages and can also protect against vandalism.

Knorr-Bremse has adopted the slogan “Connecting People and Systems” for its four stands this year (1.2/106, 1.2/203, 6.2/212 and 17/208).

The global market leader for braking systems, and a leading supplier of other safety-critical rail and commercial vehicle systems, is reinforcing the connectivity trend while focusing attention on customers, passengers and a consistent agenda of environmental and social responsibility. The company has aligned its subsystems and solutions with four major themes around the main market drivers: system connection, life-cycle efficiency, transportation capacity and ecodesign.

Visitors will discover that system connection covers vehicle subsystem connectivity and the whole range of digital topics, including iCOM (the digital platform for rail transportation) and use of Ethernet technology to streamline and reduce wiring in vehicles.

Life-cycle efficiency refers to the potential savings that operators can achieve by introducing modular products and enabling longer maintenance intervals.

Under the heading of transportation capacity, Knorr-Bremse will show how larger and faster entrance systems and shorter braking distances can increase train frequency, and how to carry more passengers or freight instead of reducing weight.

The fourth theme, Ecodesign, results in products and production processes that can cut CO2 emissions and noise while lowering energy consumption during both production and operation.

Mechan's stand at InnoTrans 2016.
Mechan’s stand at InnoTrans 2016.

Mechan (2.2/206F), the renowned rail depot equipment specialist, is preparing to raise its global profile further by taking its largest stand to date at this year’s InnoTrans trade fair in Germany. Following its busiest exhibition ever in 2016, the Sheffield-based manufacturer has committed to a bigger and more prominent space in the UK Pavilion in September.

A fully working version of Mechan’s flagship lifting jacks will form the centrepiece of its eye-catching display. These cost-effective lifting jacks retain all the features that make Mechan products so great, including its control system, which allows one user to operate synchronised sets and so eliminates decoupling.

Mechan’s sales and engineering team will be on hand to update visitors on the progress the firm has made in the last two years and provide information on its wide range of lifting and handling products.

Engineering manager, Martin Berry, who will be heading up the InnoTrans team, said: “It has been an eventful two years for us and we are looking forward to meeting colleagues old and new in Berlin to showcase our development. We have much to talk about, not only our buy-out by France’s CIM Group, but also the launch of our new light weight jacks, designed specifically for the tram and light rail markets.”

Photo: Frequentis.
Photo: Frequentis.

Electronic control

Frequentis (4.1/315) will demonstrate how it bridges the gap between LTE/MCPTT and GSM-R, and how its Railway Emergency Management (REM) product boosts centralisation, cooperation and speed to support the operator during railway incident resolution.

Control Center Apps GmbH (CCA), a Frequentis company, will show how its innovative mobile services enable a railway company to act more consistently, quickly and flexibly along with ensuring a more professional appearance.

An innovative service guiding the signaller through the considerations involved in issuing written orders will also be on show.

Harting (12/203) supplies appropriate interfaces for a multitude of applications in the railway sector. The company offers innovative designs for the connection of drives as well as for cross-carriage power, signal and data transmission, for example to power and supply passenger information and train monitoring systems.

Robust solutions are required for the exterior areas of trains and carriages, since such connections must withstand harsh ambient conditions and extreme environmental demands such as rockfall, corrosion, moisture and changing temperatures. By way of example, RFID transponders on rails and vehicles, as well as antennas under trains, all collect data on the condition of the carriages and permit analysis to be performed, thus providing information early on potential maintenance requirements.

Connectors are often used for electrical connections in communications and power transmission since they are more flexible in their arrangement and handling than hardwired connections. They also accelerate the assembly of separately pre-assembled modules during installation or final assembly, thus enabling consistent modularisation in production. In general, connectors are ideal for the modular design of rail vehicles – they promote safety and help save time and thus costs.

Pilz (6.2/214), a company that operates internationally as a technology leader, has many decades of experience in the field of safe automation. The highly sensitive and heavily safety-relevant railway sector can benefit from this experience and from the use of proven industrial automation products.

This year, Pilz asks “Are you ready for the digital railway era?” The company’s PSS 4000-R automation system offers a proven, safe and tested system for tailored and, in particular, economical solutions for the railway industry. Visitors will be able to see the variety of application options for themselves.

Harting 3 x 350A connector for traction motors. Photo: Harting.
Harting 3 x 350A connector for traction motors. Photo: Harting.

And that’s not all…

European Union Agency for Railways (4.2/301) will become, in June 2019 and as part of the 4th Railway Package (4RP), an authority responsible for the granting of safety certificates and vehicle authorisations, and for the approvals of ERTMS trackside solutions.

For its 2018 participation in InnoTrans, the Agency will carry out a demonstration of the One-Stop-Shop IT tool through which all applications for safety certificates, vehicle authorisations and ERTMS approvals shall be submitted as of June 2019. Visitors will be able to test the tool and find out how it will work.

Stratasys (8.2/223) will showcase the value of 3D printing for the transport industry. The company will demonstrate how advances in its additive manufacturing technologies, software and materials are enabling customers to accelerate product development cycles and overcome the limitations of traditional manufacturing for low volume production.

Through a series of high-profile customer examples, Stratasys will present how these companies are now able to 3D print realistic prototypes and customised replacement parts on-demand, quickly and cost-effectively.

This article has only scratched the surface of the displays that will be spread over InnoTrans 2018’s 41 halls and 3.5km of railway tracks. Rail Engineer will be there for all four days and still won’t cover everything.

So plan your visit, see what you really want to see, and don’t try to get around the whole show, you won’t!

Enjoy Berlin, and don’t forget to tell us of your experiences afterwards.

Visiting InnoTrans?

Then we want to hear from you.

We are asking Rail Engineer readers to give us their views of InnoTrans, what they hoped for before they went, their impressions of the show, how useful they found it and what lasting memories they have when they get back.

So please email us at [email protected] with your thoughts, views and assessments. Be as concise or long-winded as you wish. Praise and rants are equally welcome. We may even quote you in our review article in November! (with your permission of course)

[email protected]

Read more: Rail Engineer September 2018: Signalling and InnoTrans

 

Werrington dive-under approved

One of the worst bottlenecks on the East Coast main line is the junction at Werrington, near Peterborough.

Currently, slow moving freight trains using the Stamford lines and the Great Northern Great Eastern lines need to cross over three lines of the East Coast main line, causing high speed passenger trains to have to slow down. This multimillion pound investment will mean freight trains no longer need to do this but will instead dive under the East Coast main line.

Network Rail submitted a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) in 2016 to begin work on the project, which is one of the crucial pieces of work to improve travel on the line. Network Rail has worked closely with members of the public and key stakeholders on the project, and the dive under was selected as the preferred option for the scheme based on their feedback.

This investment, combined with the introduction of new trains, other schemes on the route and revised timetables will not only create space for additional train services between London and the North, but will also help ease congestion and reduce journey times.

Network Rail’s delivery partners are Morgan Sindall, Mott MacDonald, and Siemens (signalling), with Arup having conducted some of the environmental and consents work. Construction will begin later this summer and the dive-under is expected to be completed by early 2021.

Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “This is a significant investment into the railway in this area which, when coupled with other upgrades on this route, will have widespread benefits for those travelling between London and the North through an increased capacity of 33 per cent.”

Read more: Rail Engineer September 2018: Signalling and InnoTrans

 

Total Rail Solutions opens in Wales

Total Rail Solutions (TRS), specialists in on-track plant hire and Plant Operations Scheme (POS) services, has opened a new depot in Wales.

The new depot is a direct result of the company’s continued presence in Wales. TRS has been working on the electrification programme between Bristol and Cardiff for the past 11 months, supporting a number of new and existing clients across South Wales.

The investment in a permanent office and yard space in Cwmbran, near Newport, gives TRS an ideal base to grow its business in line with the expansion of the Wales and Borders railways.

Paul Bateman, chief operating officer, said: “TRS is on a journey of growth and investment. We see our new depot in Cwmbran as the next step in expanding our business. It makes sense to locate our next depot in a region where there is a commitment to long-term investment in rail infrastructure.

“With Transport for Wales guaranteeing extensive infrastructure upgrades and the KeolisAmey contract already bringing plans to realisation, we felt the time was right to commit to a permanent presence in Wales. This depot makes us ideally located to support upcoming projects and work closely with clients – old and new.

“Having worked on numerous electrification, civils and enhancement projects across England and Wales, we believe we have the skills and experience to rival the best”.

The depot opening follows a busy couple of years for TRS as the business has invested £15 million in new plant, innovated new plant, introduced an in-house transport service and launched a new online customer ordering system. In addition TRS has expanded its services to include contracting civils work and labour provisions.

Read more: Rail Engineer September 2018: Signalling and InnoTrans

 

Issue 167 – A tale of two corridors

Thameslink’s ETCS level 2 signalling and automatic train operation is an impressive achievement. However, it is misleading for the Digital Railway’s website to state that “digital deployment on the Thameslink will allow 24 trains per hour to run”. Increasing Thameslink’s capacity also required significant infrastructure works, which included increasing London Bridge’s through platforms from six to nine, a new viaduct to double the tracks west of the station, and grade separation at the Bermondsey dive-under.

In Manchester, the recently completed Ordsall Chord removes conflicts at Piccadilly’s station throat by re-routing some trains through the congested Castlefield corridor. For this reason, the Ordsall Chord was to be just one part of the Northern Hub scheme whose benefits were assessed at £2.8 billion over a 60-year period with a benefit to cost ratio of four to one.

The Northern Hub was also to increase trains through the Castlefield corridor from 12 to 16 trains per hour by providing two additional through platforms at Piccadilly and lengthening platforms at Oxford Road. A Transport and Works Order for this was submitted in 2015. However, a decision is still awaited and these projects have disappeared from Network Rail’s website. Further doubts about the future of these platforms were raised when, in July 2017, Chris Grayling advised he wished Network Rail to consider whether digital technology could remove the need for them.

Yet Thameslink shows that significant capacity improvements require both digital signalling and infrastructure work. This is also one of the lessons from our feature on Railtrack’s 1994 proposal to introduce moving block signalling on the West Coast main line. We explain why this case study of corporate self-delusion was instrumental in bringing down the company.

The 1999 report which proposed abandoning moving-block signalling concluded that, although the signalling system is the dominant factor for capacity improvements for metro operations, the capacity constraint is mainly infrastructure on a mixed traffic railway.

Even now, the benefits of the digital railway continue to be oversold. In 2016, the House of Commons Transport Committee considered that Network Rail was “over-heroic” in claiming a 40 per cent capacity improvement and that it should not promise moving block signalling until ETCS level 3 is viable.

Hence, although digital signalling offers undoubted benefits, it is difficult to see how it can remove the need for the Castlefield corridor’s extra platforms if the huge benefits of the Northern Hub scheme are to be realised.

Digital in-cab signalling was essential for the first French high-speed lines, for which the TVM system was developed in the 1970s, well before the ERTMS/ETCS specification was finalised. TVM is also used on the London to Paris and Brussels high-speed routes. However, as Clive Kessell explains, if trains on these routes are to run throughout Europe they will need ERTMS. This is a significant long-term project, especially as, unlike TVM, ETCS requires a radio system.

The importance of a dedicated railway telecommunications network is underscored by it being a fundamental element of ERTMS. In a feature about Network Rail Telecom, we explain its Fixed Telecoms Network and the work of its Network Management Centre, which monitors 200,000 devices connected to its 40,000km of cable and 2,500 radio masts.

Our signalling and telecoms focus this month also includes articles on signalling procurement, electromagnetic compatibility and obstacle detectors at level crossings. It also looks to the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

David Shipman’s feature considers how AI can automate simple and repetitive jobs. With a shortage of skilled talent, the automation of everyday, time-consuming activities enables experts to focus on activities requiring their skills, leaving computational power for repetitive and straightforward tasks.

Paul Darlington’s article considers the difficulties of ensuring that ethical decisions are taken. As Paul explains, AI is programmed to ‘learn’ what it can do and improve its own performance. Hence its behaviour can never be completely foreseen. His article illustrates this point with a nice anecdote about children’s behaviour.

Moving away from signalling, Colin Carr gives us a feature on Brunel’s historic bridge at Steventon, which needs to be demolished and replaced for the GWML electrification. However, the Vale of White Horse district council recently denied planning permission for this despite Historic England accepting the case for the demolition of this listed structure. Yet it seems planning permission was refused due to the villagers’ understandable concerns about the impact of the resultant 10-month closure of the road through their village.

Railway civil engineers routinely demonstrate great ingenuity to ensure that bridge replacements only close the railway for a day or two. It will be interesting to see if the road closure duration at Steventon could similarly be significantly reduced to resolve this impasse.

It is nearly time for the big biennial Berlin rail trade fair that is InnoTrans. In his preview of the event, Nigel Wordsworth can only mention a small number of the 3,000 or so exhibitors from 60 countries that will be there. Rail Engineer will, of course be there and is interested in hearing from you if you are going too, see page 10 for details.

Read more: Rail Engineer September 2018: Signalling and InnoTrans

 

Rail Engineer September 2018: Signalling and InnoTrans

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August Bank Holiday a success

The railway opened for business again this morning (Tuesday 28 August 2018) after a successful bank holiday programme of work.

Although a quieter bank holiday than many recently, only London North West, South East and Anglia were carrying out significant work, it was still enough to have closed the railway in several areas, leading to the inevitable grumbling from passengers.

Euston station had been closed completely as Network Rail replaced North Wembley junction – a major intersection on Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway. Although the railway opened as planned, Euston will be closed again next weekend (1-2 September) as the second phase of work to renew North Wembley junction is completed.

New track at North Wembley junction.

Elsewhere on LNW, buses replaced trains between Birmingham International, Coventry and Rugby as 400 metres of track was renewed in Canley, Coventry and work continued on a £5 million drainage project in Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull, to reduce the risk of flooding on the line between Birmingham International and Coventry.

As Richard Brooks, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, had said before the start of the weekend: “Our aim is to keep people moving if they have to travel over the August bank holiday. Improvement works are never convenient for anyone, but we will be running replacement buses to and from all stations affected to get people where they need to be.”

The upgrade of the railway between Manchester and Preston via Bolton continued and will provide passengers with better, more reliable electric services as part of a multi-billion pound investment across the North of England. The railway will remain closed until Sunday (2 September) when buses will replace trains.

Track renewal at Colchester.

In East Anglia, Network Rail engineers completed an array of improvements on the Norwich to London main line over the three-day bank holiday weekend. Making the most of the closure, engineers completed the following;

  • 120 metres of track, one set of points, one new buffer stop and 1,200 tons of ballast were replaced at Colchester;
  • Installation of nearly 3km of track between Manningtree and Ardleigh;
  • Five structures that carry overhead wires were replaced between Marks Tey and Colchester;
  • Further work on the Felixstowe branch line as part of a £60.4 million programme to install a 1.4km track loop near Trimley station, to enable an increase in freight services, as well as improvements to the reliability of existing passenger services.

Further closures are due to take place between Colchester and Chelmsford to renew the track.

Factory Junction.

Finally, in the South East, engineers were out on track carrying out work described by John Halsall, Network Rail’s South East route managing director, as “absolutely essential”. This included:

·      More track replacement work inside Sevenoaks tunnel, which, at two miles long, is one of the longest railway tunnels in Britain. Over the past year, and as reported in Rail Engineer, Network Rail has completed urgent repairs to stem leaks and improve drainage in the Victorian tunnel, which was built in the late 1800s, before beginning work to replace the track to further improve reliability. Engineers laid another half a mile of track over the bank holiday and are on course to complete the work by mid-October, having now laid more than two miles of new track.

·      Vital track upgrades on the approach to London Victoria station as engineers replaced old switches and crossings with new ones. Further work is set to take place at Christmas.

·      Work to replace all signalling equipment between Lewes and Seaford with new, more reliable technology continued over the weekend as part of a £20 million upgrade. More improvements happening up until March will mean triple the number of trains will be able to use the line via Lewes as a diversionary route for services between Brighton and Haywards Heath when the main line is closed. The railway sidings at Newhaven Marine will also be upgraded to support a potential freight connection in the future.

·      The High Output Ballast Cleaner was also working in Kent between Shortlands and Swanley to improve track quality and prevent speed restrictions that would result from bumpy or uneven track.

The last word goes to Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, who said: “Work like this is essential to keep services on the move. I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work was carried out.”

That’s what it all boils down to. Passengers are being asked to be patient now so that they can benefit from an improved service in the future. Thankfully, most of them understand that.

Read more: Footbridges of the future?

 

Transforming rail travel in the North East

The Great North Rail Project is a multi-billion pound investment aimed at stimulating economic growth in the north of England by 2022 and creating more reliable journeys for the region’s passengers. It will enable 2,000 extra services each week and allow 40,000 more passengers to travel each day.

One of the weak spots on the current network was Newcastle station’s south junction, where the crossing units had a reputation for failure. In 2017 alone, there were a total of 15 failures, disrupting travel for over eight million passengers. In total, there were 19 dilapidated S&C units across a complex track layout, all of which needed replacement.

Network Rail was able to secure a nine-day closure for the completion of the engineering works – a time frame unheard of for such a busy region. To ensure a successful and timely completion, steel engineering giant Voestalpine VAE was approached to supply the required panels.

Bespoke designs

Working closely with Network Rail and the S&C North Alliance, a partnership of Network Rail and AmeySersa, Voestalpine VAE began the project with a technical assessment of the existing tracks, which hadn’t received improvements since the late 1980s. It became clear that complexities such as the waybeams of the King Edward bridge, the inclusion of shallow depth concrete bearers and two instances of congested diamond arrangements meant that bespoke designs would be required for several of the deliverables.

First, Voestalpine VAE developed new adjustment switch baseplate designs to facilitate the standard clamping arrangements at the interface of the bridge and viaduct. This allowed the newly renovated track segments to be accurately secured with the existing waybeams of the bridge.

To provide the S&C to suit shallow depth concrete bearers, the company then designed and manufactured a significant quantity of bespoke cast-iron baseplates, which were kept as close to Network Rail’s standard designs as possible.

Finally, the team also designed two custom 1-in-8 slip switch diamonds – both on concrete bearers – for the two congested arrangements.

Challenging logistics

With all panels designed and manufactured, the next challenge was to ensure successful delivery to the site. Throughout the nine-day closure, Newcastle station remained open to passengers, which meant all south-approaching trains were diverted to the north entrance. This increased activity meant delivery needed to be expertly coordinated.

To transport the 88 completed panels from its Doncaster construction yard, Voestalpine VAE scheduled 52 road trailers from two haulage companies. To overcome the site access constraints, the panels were arranged and stacked in reverse sequence for fitting and each one was restricted to a maximum mass of 15 tonnes.

This logistical preparation paid off, allowing delivery and installation to be swiftly completed within the nine-day window.

“A project of this size requires a lot of faith and trust from all parties involved,” said design manager Richard Parkin. “We developed an open working relationship with Network Rail and the North Alliance to ensure the S&C were designed, manufactured, assembled and delivered with military precision and to the criteria required.”

The bespoke innovations that Voestalpine VAE introduced for the renewal of Newcastle station’s south junction were specifically designed to provide reliability and longevity. With the project successfully complete, it is expected that the improvements will significantly reduce the frequency of signal failures and track issues for years to come.

Read more: The other Northern Powerhouse: behind the scenes at Amey Rail North

 

Traffic Management – Clarity and Purpose?

London Bridge south side workstation in Three Bridges ROC.
London Bridge south side workstation in Three Bridges ROC.

When Traffic Management Systems (TMS) were first described in Rail Engineer (issue 115, May 2014), they were heralded as a quick win to improve train operational performance with systems that could be rolled out in parallel with the Railway Operating Centres (ROCs) then being commissioned. Network Rail staged a ‘beauty parade’ from three suppliers – Hitachi, Thales and Alstom, all of whom had proprietary systems in use elsewhere – to see which ones could be integrated into modern-day signalling practice as employed on the network. From that, two contracts were let with Thales to provide TMS at Romford and Cardiff ROCs and evaluate the effectiveness of the technology.

Things have moved on considerably since that time and it is evident that TMS is a lot harder to implement than first imagined. Neither Cardiff nor Romford can be considered fully operational and other suppliers of systems have since entered the fray. TMS has also positioned itself differently within the Network Rail portfolio, which itself needs explanation, and it has become clear that TMS means different things to different people.

To try and pull this all together, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) staged a seminar in London recently to attempt to clarify what TMS is all about and to bring the attendees up to speed on the progress being made.

It proved to be an interesting day, although not without a few red herrings being injected into the proceedings.

CTC Control Centre, Hong Kong.
CTC Control Centre, Hong Kong.

TMS and the Digital Railway

If ever a word in our current language is overworked, it is ‘Digital’. Everything you touch these days has to be digital to be of any use and regrettably ‘Digital Railway’ seems to be following the same pattern.

Describing the digital railway as the ‘system of systems’, an opening presentation by Vish Kalsapura described how all the main players in the rail industry are working together to produce a shared vision and a whole-industry approach to achieve a railway that will perform better and give the operational benefits that come with digitisation. The vision of Network Rail, the Department for Transport (DfT), the Rail Delivery Group, Rail Freight Group, Railway Industry Association (RIA), the train companies and the supply chain is to deliver more trains with better connections and greater reliability by means of improved journey management, capacity gains, service delivery improvements and life cycle considerations.

There is recognition that the industry is complex and fragmented, with lots of silos, and thus a consistent architectural model with clearly defined interfaces between systems is all part of the digital railway objective.

Heavily focussed on the roll out of ERTMS, TMS will link into ETCS, GSM-R, C-DAS and associated business systems, all connected together by the FTNx transmission network of Network Rail Telecoms. A customer specification is believed to be needed, but one might ask the question “who is the customer?”

TMS is apparently being specified on a prescriptive basis, which reduces the scope for innovation but observers might comment that the original intention was to purchase off-the-shelf proven systems.

There is a need for a Systems Authority to be created – now where have we heard that before? If this leads to a better understanding of the complexity, a minimisation of unintended consequences and an alignment of interest groups, then that can only be beneficial.

CTC Control Centre, Hong Kong.
CTC Control Centre, Hong Kong.

A European perspective

It seems that it is not just the UK that is struggling with TMS. Pio Guido from the European Railway Agency (ERA) – recently rebranded the European Union Agency for Railways (to keep the UK out post-Brexit? Even the railways are not immune from political posturing) – reminded people that, within ERTMS, there is the European Traffic Management Level (ETML) that has made little progress in the aim of developing a Europe-wide standard.

The interoperability vision has resulted in the ETCS safety-critical layer reaching a stable state whereby railways can confidently procure systems from different suppliers that operate to a common standard.

ETML requirements are a long way from being in a similar state and thus lack compatible innovation and investment protection. Moreover, some of the vital information that has to be supplied from ETCS, such as speed and position of train plus train integrity, is missing.

In short there is a need for a closed loop to permit a constant information exchange between track and train. This in turn demands a much-improved radio link between track and train, way beyond what GSM-R is capable of offering. TMS has to provide governance, regulation and collaboration for the successful running of a railway.

TMS benefits and experiences

The emergence of Indra as a TMS supplier is logical as the company has for years engaged in air traffic control, road tunnel management and seaport operation. Javia Pozo outlined some of the realities of applying TMS to existing rail technology – lots of non-standard infrastructure, non-unified operating procedures, many different interfaces, all of which are non-scalable and expensive to set up and maintain. These make implementing TMS a difficult task. Couple this with TMS suppliers having developed proprietary systems and the scale of the challenge is easy to see.

The subsystems of timetable, operations, resources, track works, C-DAS, interlockings and train-operator management have to be capable of integration if TMS is ever going to work successfully. The roll out of the ROCs is the key to making this happen, but the TMS suppliers should, in turn, aim to agree a unified specification with a standard interface to the sub systems. History would show that such co-operation does not come naturally.

The basics for TMS are relatively easy:

  • Constant timetable and track management data;
  • Constant updating and forecasting of train times and routes;
  • Conflict identification;
  • Display of current network and train running data;
  • Production of a Simplifier to advise (or even direct) signallers/controllers on optimum train routing and control.

It can be done: Spain and Lithuania have national-level TMS implementation based on a single-supplier system but integrated with several different types of interlockings. While they are smaller railway systems than the UK, there may perhaps be lessons to be learned.

Thameslink will have one of the first live TMS applications in the UK.
Thameslink will have one of the first live TMS applications in the UK.

The London Underground experience

London Underground claims to have TMS structured in two layers, according to Ivan Curties from Thales: Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) and Automatic Train Regulation (ATR). The former is there to achieve timetable adherence, the latter detects perturbations that the operators might not see. LU operation is recognised as simpler than the main line as trains are usually the same length with the same station stops, have identical performance and do not split or join. Increasingly, LU trains are ATO (Automatic Train Operation) and performance comes from the sequence of ATO –>  ATP (Automatic Train Protection) –> ATS –> ATR.

Traffic management has resulted in some time-honoured practices being revised. Junction control is one example; it used to be first-come first-served, regardless of the timetable. TM now calculates whether it is beneficial to hold a train until the late train goes through. The whole purpose is to give greater flexibility and providing expert decisions to reduce operator workload.

Even on LU, the software to link ATR and ATS is complex, with the number of inputs involved, and the systems do not always deliver what was intended. ATR has, however, proved successful on the Victoria Line and is an inherent feature of the Thales Seltrac system, where its effectiveness has been independently verified on the Jubilee line.

Lessons learned will be applied to the 4LM upgrade involving Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. Using simulators for testing and training is essential, with ATR particularly difficult to test and understand. It is necessary to have people on hand who have the knowledge to recognise how undocumented ‘work arounds’ are used when things start going wrong – good advice for future main line plans.

Platform Docker output from Resonate's Luminate TMS. Photo: Resonate.
Platform Docker output from Resonate’s Luminate TMS. Photo: Resonate.

UK experience to date

Reporting on progress with TMS is not easy. Andy Bourne – ex-LU but now with Arcadis – gave an honest assessment. The prime aim is to achieve timetable de-confliction and reduce knock-on delays when problems occur. Whilst incidents are statistically down in number, the delay per incident has increased, hence the need for TMS.

How to use TMS is also a challenge. There is isolated TMS, which uses it as a decision-support tool to give advice to signallers, and also integrated TMS that will provide semi or fully automatic implementation of a revised timetable plan. Linkage to other systems is vital, as has been noted, but particularly to stock and crew deployment, C-DAS and signalling systems, also to business systems that are the contractual boundaries for how the railway operates.

The project-by-project progress shows mixed results:

  • Romford – Thales Aramis system yet to go fully live;
  • Cardiff – Thales Aramis system is live and used for timetable de-confliction;
  • Thameslink – Hitachi Tranista system is trialling timetable data but not expected to go live before mid-2019;
  • Western London to Bristol – Using the Resonate (ex BR Research expertise) Luminate system, it is live since June 2018 on a trial basis with updates expected during the trial. Whether to proceed further will be decided in mid 2019.

Future schemes are planned for the South East, East Coast main line, TransPennine, Manchester ROC, Anglia, Wessex and Chiltern. Three Northern areas will merge into a single TMS scheme based upon a 20-minute look-back at train running data.

The future intent will be for route-based schemes with standard procurement components and alignment to ROCs. Not having TMS as a standard product is a real problem, as it leads to difficult interfaces and linkage to C-DAS.

Getting TMS provided on Thameslink, with its ATO capability, represents a significant challenge and will require close co-operation between the ETCS/ATO supplier and the TMS contractor, according to Andy Powell from Siemens.

With difficult junctions at both ends and nominal 60-second dwell time at stations, the opportunities for things to go wrong are considerable. The operator’s workstations will need more information, so leaving space for TMS screens is important. Being able to simulate a full workstation with TMS added will be essential for achieving successful system integration.

The Swiss experience

Awareness emerged during the recent IRSE convention that SBB has developed an in-house TMS system for the entire Swiss rail network, and Daniel Achermann provided more detail at this seminar. On a 2,000-mile network, handling 10,500 trains per day, SBB has four operational control centres that absorbed three area centres, 21 local centres and 130 local signal boxes.

The result is a standardised signaller’s desk and MMI from which can be displayed the track layout and signalled movements, the train graph, connections management, station management, energy optimisation and telecoms facilities.

Incorporated into the TMS is timetable, topology, train formation and train movement information that links into and out of signalling, C-DAS and ARS (Automatic Route Setting).

Since 2009, SBB has seen a 28 per cent increase in passenger numbers, a 16 per cent increase in train movements, a nine per cent improvement in track usage, a four per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 25 per cent reduction in train running costs, much of this down to the TMS system.

It’s quite remarkable what a railway organisation can achieve with the right determination, expertise and organisational structure.

Hitachi is supplying the TMS for Thameslink.
Hitachi is supplying the TMS for Thameslink.

Train-braking and TMS

The variables in braking performance of rolling stock are well known, with adhesion in the autumn being a dominant problem. Whilst different types of sanding, and even magnetic track brakes, may be part of the solution, Neil Ovenden from the Rail Delivery Group questioned whether TMS could be used to modify the timetable on a day-by-day basis when adhesion problems were predicted?

Similarly Ian Hersey and Matthew Hattersley from TfL explained the safe-braking model that purports to ensure safe train separation whilst at the same time obtaining capacity improvements. The scope for errors is considerable, with the worst case being a first train stopping short and a following train over-running. Could TMS be used to optimise train propulsion commands, braking instructions and emergency braking rates to obtain a reduced separation between trains whilst retaining a safe distance? Food for thought and probably something the TMS suppliers have yet to consider.

Train Graph output from Resonate's Luminate TMS. Photo: Resonate.
Train Graph output from Resonate’s Luminate TMS. Photo: Resonate.

TMS for the Elizabeth line

The specification for the impending Crossrail train service performance is demanding and requires scheduled departure times on the surface sections to be kept, precision timings at the tunnel portals, and consistent train separation intervals with no bunching through the central London section.

Russell Parish, the performance manager for the Elizabeth line operations team, explained the factors that will make this a considerable challenge. With four different types of signalling system (CBTC with ATO in central core, ETCS, TPWS and AWS on the different surface railways), many trains terminating and reversing at Paddington, three signalling control centres (Romford, Liverpool Street and Didcot) plus Swindon and the underground-section control centre, mixing in with other traffic including freight on the surface lines, some flat junctions, even minor delays will have an exaggerated effect. TMS is needed to re-plan services when the need arises. Forecasting and re-forecasting is likely to be a continuous process.

Blue Sky thinking?

A somewhat fanciful prediction on how the future might look was given by Andy Doherty, the chief technical officer at Network Rail. Expanding on the Digital Railway theme, with the somewhat dubious statement that ETCS Level 2 and TMS is now the norm, he predicted that ETCS Level 3 (both normal and hybrid versions), 5G radio and an open backbone, a supplier-agnostic approach to radio block centres, interlockings and trackside components will all lead to a reduction in signalling costs.

Station systems for customers, dynamic ticketing, real time timetable planning, live interfaces between train and road traffic at level crossings, plus adoption of automotive digital techniques, were all part of the vision. The statement ‘data, data everywhere but not a drop of information’ is thought to be where we are currently, with the Digital Railway being needed to pull it all together. Whether this is realism or a dream world was up to attendees to judge

All in all, it was a strange day with differing requirements for TMS emerging out of the proceedings. One could not help thinking, particularly with the present timetable fiasco, that more concentration on getting TMS put to good use on the present railway is perhaps where the effort should be concentrated right now.

Acronyms defined:

  • 4LM – Four Lines Modernisation programme
  • 5G – Fifth-generation GSM mobile communications
  • ARS – Automatic Route Setting
  • ATO – Automatic Train Operation
  • ATP – Automatic Train Protection
  • ATR – Automatic Train Regulation
  • ATS – Automatic Train Supervision
  • AWS – Automatic Warning System
  • C-DAS – Connected Driver Advisory System
  • CBTC – Computer-Based Train Control
  • DfT – Department for Transport
  • ERA – European Railway Agency
  • ERTMS – European Rail Traffic Management System
  • ETCS – European Train Control System
  • ETML – European Traffic Management Level
  • FTNx – Fibre-optic upgrade to the Future Telecoms Network
  • GSM-R – GSM mobile communications for railways
  • IMechE – Institution of Mechanical Engineers
  • IRSE – Institution of Railway Signal Engineers
  • LU – London Underground
  • MMI – Man/Machine Interface
  • RIA – Railway Industry Association
  • ROC – Railway Operating Centre
  • SBB – Swiss State Railways
  • TfL – Transport for London
  • TMS – Traffic Management System
  • TPWS – Train Protection and Warning System

Read more: Building a world heritage tunnel in Switzerland

Future train radio – What’s possible?

Throughout the world, many railways use the interoperable radio communications network, GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications – Rail), for operational voice communications and to provide the data bearer for ETCS (European Train Control System). Within the European Union, and for all infrastructure managers wishing to adhere to European standards such as ERTMS, this is legally mandated via Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).

GSM-R is a technology system based around standardised commercial GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) equipment (also known as 2G) used worldwide but enhanced to deliver specific ‘R’ (railway) functionality. GSM-R technology is very reliable and has been suitable for serving the railway’s needs over the past decade. However, network demands, coupled with new efficiency requirements and the fact that the GSM technology is not going to be around forever, is driving a need for the next radio technology to serve the railway.

In this context, the International Union of Railways Union (UIC – Union Internationale des Chemins de fer) decided, in 2012, to set up the Future Railway Mobile Communications System project (FRMCS) to prepare the necessary steps towards the introduction of a successor for GSM-R.

As well as being a major player in the provision of 2G, 3G, 4G-LTE and 5G equipment used by all mobile network operators globally, Nokia is also a leading supplier of GSM-R. So, it’s no surprise that the company is a leading participant in the definition of this new standard, which it believes will initially be based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) telecommunications technology.

Safe hands

Nokia was a pioneer in the GSM-R field, being the first company world-wide to contract a commercial GSM-R project in Sweden for Banverket (now Trafikverket) in 1998, commencing operations in 2000. Since then, the company has deployed over 29 GSM-R networks worldwide, from a full ‘turnkey’ deployment (design, radio planning and deployment) through to end-to-end GSM-R network operations as a full managed service – such as the ADIF high speed railway GSM-R system in Spain and the Prorail GSM-R system in Belgium.

To assure interoperability with other vendors GSM-R, Nokia’s GSM-R system has been developed according to the relevant open standards (EIRENE, MORANE and ETSI). Extensive interoperability tests have been performed to verify network-to-network interoperability including full certified interoperability with the Kapsch GSM-R core. This proven and deployed interoperability enables a step-by-step network-wide transformation to a digital platform.

4G, 5G and the railway industry

Railway operators of all types typically run a mix of narrowband and broadband communications technologies to support their safety-critical, safety-related and passenger services. GSM-R is the most widely adopted radio technology for mission-critical voice and train control data. These services typically require low bandwidth, low latency and high availability, which suits GSM-R well.

However, as new requirements emerge, for example to facilitate automatic train operation (ATO), with more video streams from and to the train, a narrow-band technology such as GSM-R will struggle to support these applications.

Migrating to LTE (Long Term Evolution, 4G and 5G) technology has the potential to support broadband services and high-speed mobility, and also to consolidate all communications needs onto one single, highly flexible but secure and resilient network. Furthermore, the high throughput and low latency performance and stringent Quality of Service (QoS) characteristics of LTE will enable the railways to deliver better services for passengers whilst reducing operational costs.

Nokia has been innovating in LTE for 19 years with many world firsts, and is currently the global number one supplier of commercial LTE equipment with its LTE 4.5G Pro, 4.9G and 5G offerings, all of which have the potential to revolutionise communications, including how public safety is ensured and how industrial processes are run.

Technology choice?

Close to 800 operators are investing in LTE in more than 200 countries serving commercial, private and public safety networks. By 2020, LTE is expected to connect more subscribers than any other mobile technology. It can be served on licensed and unlicensed spectrum and continuously evolves via the standardised 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) governing body. A Nokia LTE network will support 5G and is designed for evolution over the coming decades.

As a well-established technology that is supported by a solid and growing ecosystem, LTE has a long future ahead of it. Even when the much-vaunted 5G technologies start to be deployed, LTE will provide a long-term foundation for 5G networks.

Technology migration is not trivial and takes time. However, the sooner the capabilities of LTE are brought into operations, the sooner rewards will be reaped in terms of lower operational costs and new revenue opportunities from passenger services. One of the ways these benefits can be realised is through a Private LTE network (PLTE). This simply means the railway having access to an LTE network that only services railway users.

A Private LTE network can support both human and machine communications on a single, reliable network that offers mobility without cumbersome portable radios and opens up the world of the Internet of Things (IoT). Complementing Ethernet and Wi-Fi, Private LTE will help to enable digital transformation in many industries and pave the way towards the adoption of even more capable 5G mobile technologies.

Future

Nokia, which leads the way in 4G LTE technology with a clear and software-driven path to 5G, leverages its AirScale product for the building of a smooth evolution path to 5G with 4.5G Pro and 4.9G evolution of the 4G standard. The evolution from 4G to 4.5G to 4.9G and 5G is tightly controlled by Nokia and adheres to the global 3GPP set of standards that all telecom vendors follow.

5G will initially be made available through evolution in LTE technologies. It will be followed, later in the evolution of the standards, by the introduction of a new air interface that will be backward compatible with the LTE interfaces, the transport function and the core function.

It is likely that 5G-ready devices will start to become available from early 2019, fast tracking to an era where the internet starts to migrate from a communication platform primarily for people, into a platform allowing devices and assets to connect. Going further, it will give consumers the ability to download a UHD movie to their smartphones in a few seconds. 5G will enable offices, cars, trains and assets to seamlessly connect to each other and the cloud.

In terms of track-to-train broadband, this is something that Network Rail Telecom has been investigating. Nokia’s Bell Labs R&D team has already developed the software algorithms required to deliver 10Gbit/s to a moving train at up to 500km/h using mmWave 5G radio, and the company is currently planning trials on a railway test track within the next 12 to 18 months. (NOTE: 5G radio is not the same as 802.11ad mmWave WiFi standards-based radio.)

If you think about the evolution of 4G, an example of achievable speeds is roughly as follows:

4G – 300Mbps

4.5G – 1Gbps

4.9G – 3Gbps

5G – over 10Gbps

The key point to take away is that the different ‘G’s above are all supported by the same Nokia LTE core, which also supports the full Nokia Wi-Fi portfolio, the GSM-R over LTE transformation and the 3GPP 5G mmWave being developed.

An investment now in an LTE core will serve the future of Digital Railway for many years to come and it is this key point that removes the risk to rail – the migration path can be steady and controlled with a very clear 20-year-plus roadmap.

The other key points are the term LTE (Long Term Evolution) which is ‘what it says on the tin’, and 4G/5G is a standard specified by the 3GPP for use all over the world.

The mantra of the moment is “build it once and build it right” for the railway’s future telecommunications infrastructure.

Autonomous vehicles

Much is being reported that the latency performance of 5G is required for autonomous vehicles. However, in Australia, since commencing trial operations in 2008, trucks fitted with autonomous vehicle technology, communicating via 4G LTE, have already moved more than one billion tonnes of material.

In 2017, Rio Tinto’s autonomous fleet accounted for about a quarter of the total material moved in the Pilbara mines. On average, each autonomous truck was estimated to have operated about 700 hours more than a conventional haul truck during 2017, with around 15 per cent lower load and haul unit costs. There have been zero injuries attributed to autonomous haul trucks since deployment, highlighting their significant safety advantages.

Norwegian airport operator Avinor is developing autonomous snowploughs with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing delays at airports. In March 2018, these autonomous vehicles were tested for the first time at a snowy airport 200km north of Oslo.

Autonomous vehicle technology for rail is already being planned on routes around the world. Rio Tinto is also developing fully autonomous, heavy-haul, long-distance trains for transporting iron ore (see News in this issue) and, in the Netherlands, Prorail has announced it is also planning to trial automated operating freight trains. The CEO of German operator Deutsche Bahn, Rüdiger Grube, has publicly stated the objective of DB is to introduce driverless trains by 2021.

Massive MIMO

Massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) is used in many radio technologies and, in fact, was invented by Nokia’s Bell Labs in America. A basic antenna will have both a transmit and a receive element, and data is transmitted and received via these elements. It follows that, if you employ more antennas, you can transmit and receive more data.

In Massive MIMO, Nokia does just that, using 64 transmit and 64 receive antennas packed into an array to boost capacity and coverage. Massive MIMO is often seen as a future technology to support 5G networks, but Nokia is making it available for deployment within LTE now. Using existing spectrum and base station sites, the Nokia AirScale Massive MIMO adaptive antenna delivers far more capacity than conventional antennas and radios and can be used as part of the railway to deliver secure, guaranteed data streams.

Massive MIMO antennas are capable of handling very large amounts of data. The processing of this data is therefore intensive, requiring a paradigm shift in processing power at the base-station (where the data from the distributed radios is processed). The Nokia answer is the new “ReefShark” chipset contained within the Airscale base-station platform. Made entirely in-house, this bespoke silicon packs more functionality into 50 percent smaller hardware compared to products that use discrete components; it decreases mMIMO antenna size by half; cuts energy use by 85 percent and boosts the intelligence and performance of MIMO antenna, all based on 3GPP 5G New Radio specifications.

Massive MIMO technology is one of the key enablers to deliver the step-change in mobile broadband performance.

UK first deployment of 5G

Nokia has products to deliver a number of wireless and fixed telecoms technologies now, including Wi-Fi and 4G LTE, and is at the forefront of 5G development.

BT and Nokia recently demonstrated the first UK public deployment of 5G. People in Bristol experienced the next generation of wireless technology in a public urban environment. This included spectacular 3D-like projections, a virtual reality dance piece, and a guided tour on which people walked through time.

The public part of the trial only lasted two days, but the trial continues to include Nokia’s Massive MIMO radio access solutions, network slicing (splitting a single physical network into multiple virtual networks) and edge computing nodes functionalities.

Cormac Whelan, CEO of Nokia in the UK and Ireland, said: “As 5G comes ever-closer to commercial reality, the opportunity to contribute to a ‘real world’ test of the technology in Bristol is invaluable. With the UK’s exciting ambition of becoming one of the first European markets to launch 5G, Nokia is thrilled to be working with the University of Bristol and with BT to make this public demonstration happen and to evaluate how the technology will work in a smart city such as Bristol.”

Nokia are therefore ideally placed to guide the rail industry on the roadmap to what is possible for the future of train radio.

Read more: Footbridges of the future?

 

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