Ineco will continue to offer its experience in railway signalling by working as a systems integrator for the British company, Network Rail Consulting (NRC) until mid-2024. The purpose of the contract is to support Transport for NSW, in the definition, integration and implementation of the network’s new rail systems, as a sub- contracted consultant to NRC together with the companies Acmena and Go- Ahead Group.

The contract is part of the Digital Systems Program, which aims to upgrade signalling to European Train Control Systems (ETCS) Level  2 which is part of the European ERTMS system for the rail operator and manager, Sydney Trains. This is a critical factor in enabling the network to significantly increase its capacity and absorb future demand. The installation of a rail traffic management system will also improve efficiency in incident response.

In December 2018, the NSW government announced an investment of more than $800 million in technology improvements in order to modernise parts of the Sydney Trains network, including the development of digital systems, to be brought into service gradually. The contract extension allows this work to be continued over the next few years.

The modernisation of the network will improve its capacity and efficiency, as well as the comfort of the users. In the image, a view of Sydney Harbor from one of the trains. / PHOTO_JUAN JOSÉ CALABUIG (INECO)

The purpose of the contract is to support Transport for NSW in the definition, implementation and integration of Digital Systems into the rail network. Digital Systems is part of TfNSW’s ‘More Trains, More Services’ program.

Railway signalling specialists

The main activities to be carried out by Ineco, once the requirements and system definition documents have been completed, are the supervision of the design of the systems developed by the different technology suppliers (trackside and on-board ETCS, traffic management system and fixed and mobile communications); the definition and development of operational standards; the definition and management of system integration tests; support in the entry into service; and technical advice. Once the first contracts (track and TMS) were awarded, the Digital Systems Program moved on to the Integrated Preliminary Design Phase (IPDP). Ineco experts in Sydney and Madrid are working with professionals and companies in different countries (Australia, Japan, Germany, Spain, UK, Switzerland, Belgium) under special circumstances, since personal meetings and travel have been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the contract is to support Transport for NSW in the definition, implementation and integration of Digital Systems into the rail network

Ineco is providing its experience in the definition of systems, monitoring, design and testing of the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS), on which it has been collaborating for many years at the highest level, both for its implementation in the Spanish high-speed network (AVE) and in the main corridors of the European continent.

The extension of the first contract in Australia consolidates Ineco’s position as a leading engineering company present in the five continents and demonstrates not only the client’s trust but also the excellent work carried out by our team.

The line from the Black Sea port of Samsun to the city of Kalin is one of six rail routes in Turkey that have been selected to improve connections between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to promote the development of regional transport and to reduce road accidents. This is a 377.8 kilometres railway line (plus the branch between Samsun and Gelemen, which is just over 10 km long) that links the cities of Samsun, on the Black Sea coast, and Kalin, in the centre of the country, where it connects to the Ankara-Sivas line.

29 STATIONS. With a total length of 378 kilometres, the line was built in the first half of the 20th century; it runs through a mountainous area and has 29 stations and 47 tunnels.

The project, run by the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, is funded by the European Union as part of its Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). The scope of the project consists of modernising a conventional line, which was completed in 1932 on single track without electrification and without signalling. This is a very long line running through a mountainous area: it has 29 stations and 47 tunnels, the longest of which is 556 metres long, for a total of 7,259 metres.

The installation of the ERTMS L1 signalling system will increase the maximum speed from 70 km/h to 120 km/h on the entire line

The work of the consortium in which Ineco is involved includes the monitoring and control of the modernisation of the infrastructure, superstructure and installations. Within the consortium, the Ineco’s main role has been to supervise the signalling, communications and power supply works, as well as coordinating the electromechanical installations team.

Other activities carried out by the consortium include track extension supervision, tunnel renovation, platform and station upgrades, and new signalling and train protection systems, including the ERTMS Level 1 system.

Ineco will continue to provide technical assistance in 2021 to complete the signalling and telecommunications work on the line, a necessary step to reduce travel times and increase speeds. The ERTMS L1 train protection system installation will increase the maximum speed from 70 km/h to 120 km/h on the entire line. The new system will be able to perform train traffic operations at 5-minute intervals.

The line, which runs between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, was selected to promote the development of regional transport and reduce the number of road accidents

Provisional acceptance of the works took place in December 2019. Over the course of 2020, runs with test trains and trackside signalling were planned, as well as the completion of the installation and testing of the ERTMS L1 system. These plans were delayed due to the impact of COVID-19, so this work will continue in 2021.