COMMENT
The Rail Technical
Strategy T
he new Rail Technical Strategy, updating the 2007 document, focuses on the
‘4C’ challenges – capacity, carbon, costs and customer satisfaction. The RTS sets out technical strategies across ‘themes’ aimed at supporting the transformation of the railway over the next 30 years.
The industry’s new Rail Technical Strategy was published in December 2012, and is particularly valuable for the rail supply chain according to TSLG chair Steve Yianni explains its content. Adam Hewitt reports.
our ability to meet the challenges over the coming years to improve railways’ competitive position and contribute to the health and wealth of our society.”
The RTS ‘vision’ is set out in more detail below, and there are also specifi c objectives, strategies and enablers given to each theme, as well as a full timeline up to the end of CP9.
Its vision for 2040 is a safe, sustainable, resilient seven-day railway, with optimised passenger and freight capacity, world-class asset management, real-time intelligent traffi c management and in-cab signalling, widespread electrifi cation, industry-wide condition monitoring to cut the need for unplanned maintenance, generic designs rather than bespoke solutions,
personalised passenger
information systems and seamless door-to- door journeys because of more integrated transport options. The RTS has been produced by the Technical Strategy Leadership Group, made up of senior staff from across the industry: Government, regulators, infrastructure owners, TOCs and FOCs, manufacturers, and industry bodies.
Its chair, Steve Yianni, technical director at Network Rail, provides the foreword to the RTS: “RTS 2012 is intended to be particularly valuable for suppliers to the railway, by
presenting an industry view of the direction of technical developments over the coming decades.
“Even in areas where certainty is not possible, a sense of the options to be explored should provide useful indicators of where the industry would expect effort to have most potential to yield value.”
Rail Delivery Group chair Tim O’Toole also endorsed the RTS: “Technical initiatives, such as those described in this strategy, will enhance
CONTROL, COMMAND AND COMMUNICATION • Control centre optimises the positions of trains in real time • Drivers receive information to optimise their speed • Every train is at the right place at the right time • An array of positioning systems contribute to accurate, real time knowledge of train position • Trains travel closer together • Trains arrive at junctions that are unconfl icted • Customers are happy with the reliable service • Energy saved through optimising acceleration and braking
ENERGY • Using lightweight trains with alternative specifi cations for track and train • Away from the mainline, there could be additional lower-spec energy options alongside AC electrifi cation, including battery-power • Less intensive operation could mean alternative signalling solutions
INFRASTRUCTURE • Automated maintenance is quicker, safer and more cost-effective • Well-targeted maintenance enables more train paths to be available at night • Advanced suspension system minimises noise and vibration
ROLLING STOCK • Sensors pick up defects and send automated reports which get turned into a maintenance schedule • Emerging defects are picked up before failure
INFORMATION • New revenue streams from the exploitation of rail information • Improved customer services • Reduced operating costs
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE • Customers receive real-time updates, tailored to their specifi c journey
• On-train communication network selector decides optimum data transmission, e.g. 3G, 4G, LTE, satellite to support laptops, mobile phones, iPhones, tablets, iPads, etc. • Communications are supported for video/ surveillance/CCTV and driver, crew, operator and maintainer oriented services • Safety-related control data prioritised over customer infotainment • Mobile communications gateway prioritises data transmission for multi-media services • The trains have downloaded bulk data from the previous station using WiFi Max
WHOLE-SYSTEM APPROACH • Specifying assets in a whole-system context with a whole-life perspective will initially cost more, but the components will work well together, the system will be reliable and passenger needs will be fulfi lled. Customers will be impressed and more will arrive • Subsystems will be ‘tuned’ to the wider system, assets will last longer, maintenance will be cheaper, there will be less downtime, and the railway will be safer and more reliable
INNOVATION • Innovation makes a signifi cant and continuing contribution to rail business success • An industry with an international reputation for innovation, which contributes to an expanding export market • An integrated cross-industry system for innovation • Innovation requirements are fully supported
PEOPLE • A culture of continuous improvement, effectiveness and customer service • Excellent leadership and a workforce supporting all aspects of the railway • A reliable supply chain for high-quality skills provision
The RTS also includes a number of ‘common design concepts’ applicable across all themes. These are: whole-system reliability; resilience; security and risk mitigation; automation; simplicity; fl exibility; and sustainability.
On February 27, RRUKA is hosting an event to clarify the academic response to the RTS, and how universities will continue to engage with the industry to develop its themes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The RTS can be downloaded from
www.futurerailway.org
rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 13 | 19
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