Signalling and Telecoms

Signalling Solutions Limited (SSL), the Alstom/Balfour Beatty joint venture, has been awarded a €54 million contract to signal the north-eastern section of Crossrail. SSL will supply and install the signalling system on the existing Network Rail infrastructure from Pudding Mill Lane...

Bombardier and Thales have been awarded a contract by Spain's high-speed rail infrastructure manager, ADIF Velocidad, to deploy ETCS Level 1 between Valencia and Vandellos. The €29.6 million agreement will involve the rollout of ETCS on a 210-kilometre section of...

There have been many articles on ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) and its component elements of ETCS (European Train Control System) and GSM-R, the radio transmission link. Most have been upbeat, confidently predicting that this is the technology to adopt for future interoperability. A minority have alluded to the problems...

Over the next few years, Network Rail is replacing the traditional signal box with 12 Rail Operating Centres (ROCs) and an advanced traffic management system which will make the railway safer, more efficient and easier to run. Six of the ROCs are brand new and that presents a number of...

The Finnish Transport Agency (FTA) and Finnish Railways (VR Group) were one of the first to adopt the GSM-R standard for track-to-train radio based voice communication. They rolled out a nationwide network relatively quickly and duly equipped the train cabs. The system has worked well but is now over 10...

A bill has been introduced to the US Senate seeking to extend the deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC) to 2020. Several senators have introduced legislation which would delay the requirement for all passenger railways to have PTC signalling by five...

Dutch telecommunications company KPN has won a tender to supply and maintain GSM-R cab radios for Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). KPN and Funkwerk will supply 1,400 radio systems to support the Netherlands' plans to roll out ERTMS Level 2 signalling across...

The Alstom-Thales DUAT JV has finalised a contract with MTR to resignal six metro lines and the Airport Express in Hong Kong. The HKD $3.3 billion deal will see CBTC signalling installed across six lines - the Tsuen Wan Line, Island...

Bombardier Transportation has established a 50/50 signalling joint venture the New United Group (NUG) in China. Bombardier NUG Signalling Solutions Company Limited will provide rail communication, signalling and integrated monitoring systems for the Chinese mass transit and light rail markets. The JV will...

Hollysys Automation Technologies has been awarded a USD $95 million contract to supply Automatic Train Protection (ATP) systems for high-speed trains in China. By June, onboard ATP equipment for 20 high-speed trains with operating speeds of 200-250 km/h and 40 sets of...