By Greg Hookings, Head of Business Development – Digitalisation, Stratus Technologies
The UK railway system is the oldest in the world. Dating back to 1825 when the
first steam train hauled its load. Now the system shifts nearly 2bn personal
journeys every year on 10,000 miles of standard gauge lines – some are single
track, others crisscross into quadruple lines, all need constant monitoring and
management. Then there is the London Underground system which opened in
1863, that carries 1.4bn passengers every year. That’s around five million
passengers a day, on just 250 miles of track.
Since its creation, the UK Rail system has grown at a rapid rate and as operators move
towards computer-based management, control and communications systems, the
sector has set a trajectory for a rapid increase in big data from interconnected
stakeholders. This causes opportunities and challenges for the service providers. And
as the move to decentralise the control systems away from sole management provided
by operations control centres to track-side and train-side localities, the control of data
becomes even more complex. And the capture and analysis of this data moves from a
benefit to a business-critical need, this is where Edge Computing comes in.
The good news is that the UK isn’t standing alone when it comes to building smart
railways, from barrier crossing controls, track circuits, axle counter sensors, on-board
units through to lineside electronic units, times are changing and we have international
standards that we can learn from. The introduction of state-of-the-art digital
technologies across the globe is changing the way railway companies operate. Asia in
particular is an early adopter and leading the industries transformation. From Singapore
to Hong Kong to India, smart technologies, such as computer based management,
control and communication systems, are being deployed to strengthen operational and
network efficiency while maintaining passenger safety.
The UK also has company when it comes to the deployment of Edge Computing.
Collecting and analysing data where it is needed most – the source. This technology
deployment is now becoming common place among the industrial automation, life
sciences, process and retail sectors.
Legacy ICT infrastructure is being replaced by highly effective Train Control and
Management Systems (TCMS) that are empowered by the IoT and big data analytics.
Edge Computing allows real-time data capture from sensors installed within trains and
along tracks that enables reliable monitoring, data collection and analysis. The data
collected plays a dual role supporting remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.
This not only allows equipment, tracks and stations to operate more efficiently but also
improves safety and reduces long-term costs for all elements involved, from the Radio
Block Centre all the way to the barrier drive.
Legacy ICT infrastructure is being replaced by highly effective Train Control and
Management Systems (TCMS) that are empowered by the IoT and big data analytics.
Edge Computing allows real-time data capture from sensors installed within trains and
along tracks that enables reliable monitoring, data collection and analysis. The data
collected plays a dual role supporting remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.
This not only allows equipment, tracks and stations to operate more efficiently but also
improves safety and reduces long-term costs for all elements involved, from the Radio
Block Centre all the way to the barrier drive.
You only need to look at Singapore to see such rapid advancements in its railway
systems. Singapore has successfully embraced digital transformation and digital
readiness across the board – including their immensely efficient railway network.
Singapore is a major Asian metropolitan hub that has set its sights on overcoming land
scarcity by being the world’s first truly smart nation – only 12% of the land in Singapore
is set aside for roads and transport infrastructure. But, with a growing population and
more than one million vehicles on the road, the challenge lies in optimising the limited
space to achieve more efficient, safe, and reliable public transportation.
As a part of the country’s smart nation initiative, Singapore has adopted new smart
technologies across all aspects of its transportation network, especially the SMRT
networks. The goal is to ensure Singapore is “smart city ready”. This not only enhances
back-end operations, such as maintenance processes, but also favourably impacts
customer experience.
Traditional maintenance processes such as train tunnel and site inspections were once
carried out manually by engineers who enter identified problem sites and took photos
and videos, often causing operational disruption. But today, the Land Transport
Authority (LTA) has implemented a Drone Task Force which harnesses the power of
technology to inspect and monitor train tracks and tunnels without any operation
disruption.
With a mandate to improve both operations and maintenance efficiency, The Smart
Urban Rail Corporate Laboratory (SMRT-NTU) has identified three innovative
technology improvement projects that will begin network trials in 2019.
The first is a train mounted, real-time condition monitoring system. This
technology has the foresight to detect defects on power rails and running rails
along the network by using radio frequency technology to monitor the electrical
contact between trains and tracks.
Another innovation set to roll out in 2019 is the Automated Inspection System for
Train Wheels and Axles, which as the title project suggest, automates the
inspection of train axles using a portable robot that comes equipped with a track-
mounted sensor.
Also in the pipeline, is a high precision mobile laser-cladding repair system which
uses laser technology to repair defective rails. This impressive technology can
repair worn-out rails overnight (within regular servicing hours) rather than the
three nights currently required. These trials follow the success of the introduction
of pneumatic train doors that were implemented to monitor air pressure,
movement speed and power systems, which paved the way for enhanced train
reliability.
In view of creating significant customer enhancements, billions of dollars have also
been spent on embedding MRT infrastructure with feedback loops and tracker sensor
systems which calculate journey time. This has provided commuters with real-time
information to plan and estimate trip journeys and has been well-received.
As Singapore sets the benchmark and leads global innovation across integrated
transport networks, it is important to understand and leverage the technological
advancements in order to achieve growth in neighbouring APAC countries.
In India, it has been reported that artificial intelligence-powered trains (known as Smart
Coaches), will be able to detect a range of maintenance scheduling issues including
wheel defects, security and water leaks, and automated reports will signal back to
maintenance offices for immediate repair. The new fleet of AI trains also offer real-time
GPS tracking which will improve network efficiency by providing more up-to-date arrival
time information.
In summary, railways are changing, and Asia is leading the way by becoming early
adopters of smart technologies. On the one hand, efficiency and productivity gains are
supporting railway operators and creating a safer and more reliable journey for
passengers. But, on the other hand, it has created added new complexity in terms of
real-time and on-demand data requirements. The UK is on the precipice of a major
opportunity to make huge steps towards improving this vital piece of our infrastructure,
and the key for doing so rests with Edge Computing.
