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02 SAFETY/SECURITYSUPPLEMENT


James Abbott Technical Editor


Sophisticated control keeps urban crowds moving


Effective control is recognised as the key to increasing capacity on urban transport systems. Raising the throughput of vehicles by tightening up headways and keeping vehicles on the move between passenger stops can increase passenger capacity and improve vehicle utilisation without any need to pour more concrete.


Metros can be automated, the ultimate in effective control, but enhanced control can also improve the running of buses, trams and suburban railways. Automation for metros is easiest on a


Greenfield site, where there are no legacy systems or industrial relations problems to deal with. The first automated line in the world was the Victoria Line in London, which has been automated since it opened in 1968. The line had ‘drivers’ in the cabs, but their role was to operate the door controls and check for passenger safety; the movement of the train was controlled by machine. The Victoria Line’s control has recently been renewed with a new high- capacity distance-to-go system from Invensys, and there are still operators in the cabs. The next logical step, to driverless opera -


tion, was taken on the VAL mini-metro line in Lille when it opened in 1983. Since then, driverless trains have been introduced on many other new systems: a recent example is the M2 line in Lausanne, a rubber-tyred driverless metro where the trains and control system were supplied by Alstom. On the Paris Metro,


Eurotransport Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012


Line 14 has been automated and driverless since opening in 1998. Siemens now owns the proprietary technology that controls the VAL lines and Line 14 in Paris.


Line 1 of the Paris Metro Another milestone was reached in 2011 when driverless operation was introduced on a historic metro, rather than a new line. RATP (Paris Transport) is executing a €600 million programme to automate the 17km Line 1, which is the oldest and busiest metro line in the French capital, carrying around 725,000 passengers per day. Alcatel-Lucent has supplied a new


communications system for Line 1. A ground-to- train data transfer system (Transmission de Données Sol Train or TDST) will allow real-time monitoring of the flow of data between the driverless trains and central control. Twin cameras at the front and back of each train provide real-time video control to the centre, while video surveillance streamed in real-time from the cameras inside each metro car enhances passenger security.


The system includes the provision of


passenger information services, including on-board TV programmes, advertising, and updates for travellers and visitors to Paris. In addition, TDST provides rapid notification of maintenance requirements, reducing response and repair time and improving the efficiency of the service. Line 1 has been equipped with Siemens’


Trainguard MT communications-based train control (CBTC) and all 25 stations on the 17km route have been equipped with platform doors from Swiss company, Kaba Gilgen, which made driverless operation on the route, which began in November 2011, feasible. Driverless trains are running in tandem with conventional operation during the changeover phase, but by the end of 2012 the oldest metro line in the French capital should be completely driverless.


Helsinki A similar strategy is being adopted in Helsinki, where the metro is being extended to the suburb of Espoo. As part of the extension works, Siemens has been contracted to supply a driverless control system which is expected to come into service on the existing system in 2012, with extension to Espoo in 2014.


More intensive service The Trainguard system on Line 1 in Paris allows


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