Westinghouse Rail Systems Limited, is to undertake major resignalling works on the Thameslink project, following the award of multiple contracts by Network Rail.

Westinghouse has entered into three separate contracts for project execution in the initial stages of the core area; this work marking the beginning of a series of signalling projects for the Thameslink development.  Concurrently, the company is executing the GRIP4 works of the programme, covering scheme development for all stage works of the core area.  Overall, the value of future signalling works for Thameslink is estimated to be in excess of £75 million.

In its entirety, this £3.55 billion programme will see new track, stations, extended platforms and improved signalling across the complete Thameslink route - the first phase of which encompasses the core area of the network, bounded by St Pancras and Blackfriars Stations.

Commenting on the announcement, Westinghouse Rail’s Managing Director, Alistair McPhee, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded these contracts, which are an extension to our existing Framework Agreement with Network Rail, secured in 2005. To be working on such a significant project, at the heart of one of London’s major infrastructure schemes, is a great reflection on the quality and commitment of our people, our products and systems.  We look forward to working in partnership with Network Rail to deliver a first class signalling solution.”

Phase I runs from 2008 to 2011, with final commissioning scheduled for completion in advance of the 2012 Olympics in London.

In November 2007 Dimetronic was awarded with a contract for the supply of ERTMS/ETCS on-board equipment for 94 trains of the Madrid commuter network. This means a total of 114 Euro-cabin equipment for the 446, 447 and 450 series trains of Renfe Operadora – the 450 double-deckers including two equipment each.

Dimetronic’s on-board equipment complies with all current European standards, as shown by the thorough testing carried out at the Ministry of Infrastructure’s “CEDEX” Railway Interoperability Laboratory.

The Ministry of Infrastructure awarded Dimetronic with the contract for the Works of Phase II of the Teruel-Zaragoza line upgrade, for a total €14,2M and 8 months of execution.

This Phase II adds to the Phase I already under execution by Dimetronic. Phase II includes two sections of line totalling 78 Km. The scope of supply includes 3 new Westrace electronic interlocking, the telecommunications system, FS3000 Jointless Track Circuits for the stations, axle counters for the main line, remote control at Fuente de San Luis CTC, in Valencia, and screened cables to avoid interference from the 25 KV ac catenary system.

The Teruel-Zaragoza line is part of the so-called Cantábrico-Mediterráneo Corridor. The line’s main objective is to connect both cities in less than two hours, at a maximum speed of 299 Km/h. A possible upgrade to ERTMS functionality is now being planned for the line.

Westinghouse Rail Systems Australia, part of the Invensys Rail Group, together with a consortium led by NARI Group Corporation has been awarded a contract for the supply of the first driverless Integrated Supervisory Control System (ISCS) for Shanghai’s Metro Line 10.
The Line 10 project forms part of Shanghai Shentong Metro Group’s railway network extension plans to ensure that expected passenger rail demands for the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 can be met. The line stretches 36 kilometers from New Jiangwan Town in the North, to Hongqiao Airport in the South West.
The technology at the heart of the ISCS is SystematICS™; the software platform that will integrate all control and communication systems for the control centre, backup control centre, depot, substations and at least 28 underground stations.
The consortium’s tender proposal was awarded the highest total scores by an independent tender assessment panel using their SystematICS™ solution for integration, safety and performance in a metro control centre environment.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a Euro 3.5 million contract to modify the ASFA national railways network train protection system currently in use on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line signalling system.

The original signalling system was installed in 1992 and now Spanish infrastructure administrator ADIF wants to adapt the operational rules and functional aspects of the existing interlockings to bring them in line with more modern ones being used on other lines.

Under its contract, Invensy Dimetronic will modify the existing ASFA system within the next 18 months.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

 

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth nearly Euro 7 million to supply automatic train control equipment to Catalonian Regional Railways (FGC).

The equipment includes Westrace interlocking, joint-less track circuits (JLTCs) and the Company’s standard AFSA intermittent cab warning and automatic braking system. It is to be used on the 9.5 km Martorell Enllac-Olesa section of the Llobregat-Anoia line which is being double-tracked as part of an overall FGC railway infrastructure project. The project is due for completion in two years.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian Peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic lands signalling contract for high speed rail line in Ordes Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract for nearly Euro 5 million to supply signalling technology for use on a new section of high-speed rail line currently under construction in Ordes, Spain. The Spanish Ministry of Infrastructures is renewing the main line between Vigo and Santiago-Coruna so that it can carry high-speed – up to 200 km/h – trains. Known as the Atlantic Axle, this project involves many new sections of double tracks and by-passes. The Invensys Dimetronic contract covers supply of joint-less track circuits and Westrace electronic interlocking for the new 10 km Ordes-Queixas double track section of this project. Delivery of the Invensys Dimetronic technology is due in 12 months. Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.   more »

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract for nearly Euro 5 million to supply signalling technology for use on a new section of high-speed rail line currently under construction in Santiago, Spain.

The Spanish Ministry of Infrastructures is renewing the main line between Vigo and Santiago-Coruna so that it can carry high-speed – up to 200 km/h – trains. Known as the Atlantic Axle, this project involves many new sections of double tracks and
by-passes.

The Invensys Dimetronic contract covers supply of joint-less track circuits and Westrace electronic interlocking for the new 15 km Santiago-Escravitude double track section of this project. Delivery of the Invensys Dimetronic technology is due in 10 months.
Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth over Euro 4 million to supply signalling equipment for use on line 5 of the Valencia Metro in Spain.

Operated by Valencia Regional Railways (FGV), Metro line 5 is being extended by 3.2 km from Quart de Poblet, via four new stations, to the airport. Under the contract, Invensys Dimetronic is to supply its Westrace electronic interlocking technology, joint-less track circuits (JLTCs) and automatic train protection (ATP) system. The company is also modifying FGV’s control traffic centre (CTC) and providing the company with track-train radio communications – together with supply and installation of the associated fibre optics. The contract is due to be completed within nine months.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a Euro 6.4 million contract from Spanish civil contractor SACYR for signalling works associated with a new high-speed line (HSL) linking Malaga and Cordoba.

The overall project involves building an entirely new line in parallel to the existing one, together with extensive modifications to existing signalling systems. As part of the HSL, the Spanish Ministry of Infrastructures and the local council in Malaga have also agreed on the construction of a new rail tunnel near the city.

Under its contract, Invensys Dimetronic is responsible for modifying both the existing Westrace electronic interlocking system in Malaga and all the trackside equipment involved. This will be carried out in several stages in order to help with the overall project management of the civil infrastructure construction. The company will also be carrying out modifications to Spanish infrastructure administrator ADIF’s centralised traffic control (CTC) technology in Malaga.

SACYR is the main sub-contractor for ADIF on this project, which is due to be completed in 18 months.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a Euro 5.5 million contract to supply signalling works linking the new PLAtaforma Logística de Zaragoza (PLAZA) railway complex in Zaragoza, Spain, with the existing network.

Joining PLAZA to the network involves construction of the new Zaragoza Ronda Sur (by-pass) and the ALDESA-COALVI UTE has won this contract. A UTE is a temporary joint venture formed under Spanish law for a specific contract. The UTE awarded this contract to Invensys Dimetronic.

The project involves supply of joint-less track circuits and modification of the Westrace electronic interlockings included in both the PLAZA complex and the new Zaragoza by-pass. The project is due to be completed in 15 months.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic lands major contract for Madrid Metro extensions

Invensys Dimetronic has won a Euro 18 million contract to supply signalling equipment for two major extensions that are currently being made to the Madrid Metro (MM).

The first extension, MetroNorte, goes an extra 15.8 km north of Madrid to connect with Alcobendas and San Sebastian do los Reyes. For its part, MetroEste extends an extra 8.4 km eastwards to connect with Coslada and San Fernando de Henares.

In order to fulfil this contract, Invensys Dimetronic is supplying its proven Distance To Go ATP/ATO system which is currently in operation on lines 8, 10 and 12 of the MM. In addition, the company is also supplying ATO track-train bi-directional communications together with the associated Platform ATO Communicator (PAC) system needed at the stations.

The contract was awarded by MINTRA, the company owned by the regional government in Madrid. Delivery for MetroNorte is due in 25 months while that for MetroEste will take three months longer.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Dimetronic play key role in Metro de Madrid enhancement plan
 
During the period 2003/07 the Council of Transport and Infrastructure of the Autonomous Region of Madrid has implemented the biggest network enhancement in the history of Metro de Madrid. A total of 53.14 Km of heavy metro plus 27.77 Km of light rail have been constructed representing 80.91 km’s of new line.

Dimetronic, part of Invensys Rail Group, has been heavily involved in the Madrid Metro’s Enhancement Plan, installing the company’s Signalling and Automatic Train Control systems both in the heavy metro’s lines and rolling stock.

Westrace electronic interlocking, FS5000 Jointless Track Circuits and MD2000 electric point machines have been installed along with TBS 100 (Speed Codes) and TBS 500 (Distance To Go) Automatic Train Control systems in all 53.14 Km of conventional metro. This network has also been integrated within Dimetronic’s Centralised Traffic Control at Alto del Arenal.

Part of the enhancement plan included the acquisition of new rolling stock. The TBS 500 ATC system has now been installed by Dimetronic in 90 of the 3000 series trains and 52 of the 9000 series trains. TBS 500 allows trains to run in Distance To Go and Speed Code ATP functionalities – depending on the equipment installed track-side. These trains are now ready to be upgraded to a CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) moving block system. SIRIUS, Dimetronic’s CBTC system, works through a digital transmission radio system for the continuous bidirectional interchange of information between the line’s fixed equipment and the on-board sub-system.

A total of nine lines were awarded to Dimetronic by the contracting authority, MINTRA, in order to ensure the reliable performance of this ambitious Enhancement Plan. The number of km’s to be equipped within the project timescale of six months represented a real challenge and included the commissioning and opening for revenue service. Dimetronic’s particular focus was to ensure the seamless integration of the nine line terminals connecting to the existing lines, all of which need to be modified without causing service disruption.

Dimetronic’s proven engineering and project management skills coupled with a history of manufacturing excellence all contributed to the success of this project and satisfaction of the Madrid Council.

Project milestone dates.

•24-11-2006 - Line  5 (Canillejas - Alameda de Osuna), Length: 2,5 Km, New stations: 2

•18-12-2006 – Line 11 (PanBendito– La Peseta), Length: 2,7 Km, New stations: 3
• 22-12-2006 – Line 10 (new station - AviaciónEspañola)
• 15-01-2007 – Line 8 (new station - Pinardel Rey)
• 16-02-2007 – Line 2 (Ventas – La Elipa), Length: 1,6 Km, New stations: 1
• 30-03-2007 – Line 1 (Plaza de Castilla – Estaciónde Chamartín) and 11-04-2007 – Line 1 (Estaciónde Chamartín– Pinarde Chamartín), Length: 2,7 Km, New stations: 3
• 11-04-2007 – Line 4 (Parquede Santa María– Pinarde Chamartín), Length: 2,7 Km, New stations: 3
• 21-04-2007 – Line 3 (Legazpi – Villaverde Alto), Length: 8,7 Km, plus 1,2 Km to the Depot, New stations: 7
• 26-04-2007 – MetroNorte or Line 10b (Fuencarral - TresOlivos- Alcobendasand San Sebastiánde los Reyes), Length: 15,7 Km, New stations: 11
• 03-05-2007 – Line 8 (Barajas – Airport, T4), Length: 2,5 Km, New stations: 1
• 05-05-2007 – MetroEste or Line 7b (Las Musas – Olympic stadium – Coslada and San Fernando de Henares), Length: 12,4 Km, New stations: 8
• 16-05-2007 – Line 1 (Congosto – Ensanchede Vallecas), Length: 1,6 Km, New stations: 3

Invensys Dimetronic lands Madrid Metro contract
 
Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth Euro 7 million to supply automatic train control equipment for use on a new extension to the Madrid Metro (MM).

MINTRA, a company owned by the regional government of Madrid, is currently extending line 3 of the MM from 6.3 km and 11 stations to 14.9 km and 18 stations. The same company is also responsible for placing all contracts associated with the project. Under its contract, Invensys Dimetronic is to supply the Westrace electronic interlocking system, joint-less track circuits (JLTCs), and automatic train protection (ATP)/automatic train operation (ATO) Distance To Go technology. The company is also responsible for carrying out modifications to the control traffic centre (CTC) in Madrid. 

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Major Madrid Metro contract for Invensys Dimetronic

Invensys Dimetronic has won a Euro 4 million contract to supply signalling equipment for use on the Madrid Metro (MM).

MINTRA, the company owned by the regional government of Madrid, is currently carrying out a three-year upgrade of the MM. This includes an automatic train operation (ATO) signalling system on five of the MM lines, the connection of four MM line extensions to the Alto del Arenal centralised traffic control (CTC) system and the connection of this CTC to the Metronorte and Metroeste lines. The upgrade also includes four automatic train protection (ATP)/ATO test tracks for the Canillejas rail depot. For its part, Invensys Dimetronic is responsible for supplying the track ATO system, ATP/ATO test track system and the modification of the CTC. Delivery is due in 10 months.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth over Euro 8 million to supply control equipment and expertise for use on  PLAtaforma Logística de Zaragoza (PLAZA), a new rolling stock maintenance centre and trains depot being built in Zaragoza, Spain.

The contract includes the supply of jointless track circuits, axle counters for the depot tracks, and three new electronic interlockings. One of these is for connecting tracks to the Zaragoza by-pass, another for the depot, and the third for the maintenance centre.The project is expected to last 16 months overall, with the first phase involving the Zaragoza by-pass connection and the second to finish all works related to the PLAZA complex itself.

Dragados-Tesca UTE, a combination of two well-known Spanish civil contractors, awarded the contract. A UTE is an entity formed under Spanish law for the purposes of carrying out a specific project. Invensys Dimetronic has previously worked very successfully with both companies on an individual basis.

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth over Euro 33 million to supply its Digital ASFA product to Spanish train operator RENFE.

ASFA has been Spain’s national railway network train protection system for the last 30 years, preventing wayside signal overruns and enhancing traffic safety. However, component obsolescence has recently lead both RENFE and Spanish infrastructure administrator ADIF to specify technical and functional requirements for a new on-board ASFA system

The contract covers the supply and installation of 1200 sets of Invensys Dimetronic’s new ASFA-TBS system, together with the engineering needed to adapt it for use on several different types of train.
The contract is divided into two parts: the first 18 months are devoted to developing the system prototype and gaining approvals for it, while the following 12 months will focus on manufacturing and installing the new sets. The contract also includes a two-year maintenance clause. It follows on from a contract awarded in 2006 to supply, install and commission 80 ASFA-TBS sets for ADIF and 400 ASFA-TBS sets for RENFE.
Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian Peninsula.

Invensys Dimetronic has won a contract worth Euro 7 million to supply signalling technology for use on an extension to Metro Madrid’s (MM) line 3.

The extension involves an extra increasing track length from 6.3 km to  14.9 km and adding  7 stations. MINTRA, the company owned by the regional government of Madrid, is in charge of the project.

For its part, over the next year Invensys is to supply its Westrace electronic interlocking system, joint-less track circuits (JLTCs) and automatic train protection (ATP)/automatic train operation (ATO) Distance To Go technology. The contract also covers modifications to the control traffic centre (CTC).

Based in Madrid and with facilities in Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto, Invensys Dimetronic is the leading supplier of signalling and control systems for both mainline and mass transit railways in the Iberian Peninsula.

The Invensys Rail Group
The Invensys Rail Group is a global leader in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of safety-related rail signalling and control systems and other rail signalling products for mainline, metro and freight railways.

Westinghouse to supply Melbourne with a world class train control system

Westinghouse Rail Systems Australia Limited (WRSA), part of the Invensys Rail Group, has been awarded a A$27M contract to design, install, commission, maintain and support the Core Train Control and Monitoring System (Core TCMS) at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Train Control facility, known as ‘Metrol’.

The contract has been awarded by the DOI (Department of Infrastructure, Victoria) as part of their progressive upgrade of the urban rail transport system serving the Melbourne area.

The existing train control system was first installed in 1982 and still relies on much of the technology supplied at that time. Many of the operations are paper or manually based, limiting the potential capacity of the railway.

Melbourne has the second largest metropolitan rail network in Australia catering for 146 million passengers each year, travelling over 850 kilometres of track. The main station of Melbourne’s metropolitan rail services, Flinders Street, supports a maximum density of 410 train movements during its morning peak from 7-9am. The new system will coordinate the city's 11,000 weekly train services and allow for future expansion.

WRSA has worked with the DOI to agree a detailed system definition as part of the tender process and will supply a SystematICS™ control system, customised to meet DOI needs. SystematICS™ is a certified Safety Integrity Level 2 environment that integrates all other functional subsystems required for total control of any railway. The extremely high availability and advanced train control features of SystematICS™ will assure Melbourne commuters of dependable rail services under all conditions.

With expertise gained worldwide on similar projects, WRSA will replace the train control and monitoring system at Metrol without causing disruption for commuters. This stage of upgrading work, due for completion in November 2010, will be carried out whilst the existing control site is still operational.

The new system will be designed to enter timetables and generate traffic plans as well as provide train reporting, train describer, electronic train graph and automatic route setting functionality.  These train control applications will provide real time data of train arrivals and departures to enhance the existing passenger information systems and facilitate on-line staff and fleet resource integration.

Supporting the whole operation will be a dedicated test and training simulator used both to validate the system’s functionality and certify trained staff on its operational use.

The contract includes five years maintenance support of the core TCMS with an option for a further five years support.

The Westinghouse SystematICS™ platform is ideally designed to support any future enhancements to the Core TCMS, providing DOI with a world class train control and monitoring system that can be easily expanded for many years to come.

With the Westinghouse SystematICS™ platform and the ongoing maintenance support for core TCMS, WRSA aims to provide Melbourne with the latest technology to provide reliable rail operations into the decades to come.

On December 18, 2006, the Minister of Infrastructure Magdalena Álvarez and the President of the Catalonian government, José Montilla, headed the inauguration of the High Speed Line section between Lleida and Roda de Barà in the HSL linking Madrid with the French border.

The section between Lleida-Pirineus station and Roda is 91 km long, with an automatic gauge-changing device located in Puigverd. From there the line includes a total of 20 bridges and viaducts totalling 6,178 metres, among which the one at Vinaixa stretches along 1,044 metres. Tunnels cover a total length of 8,040 metres - the longest ones, Lilla and La Riba, roughly digging two kilometres each.

In October 2003, a consortium by Dimetronic, Siemens, Alcatel and Indra was awarded by the Railway Infrastructure Administration (GIF) with the contract for the “Design, execution and maintenance of the interlocking, train protection, telecommunications and GSM-R radio systems for the Lleida-Barcelona section within the Madrid-Barcelona-French border High Speed Line”. This 185 Km section is the enhancement of the previously commissioned Madrid-Lleida project.
Within the said consortium, Dimetronic is responsible for the design, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of the line’s Signalling System.
Dimetronic’s scope of supply includes Westrace-type electronic Interlocking and Local Control Panel, including sub-systems for Diagnosis, Maintenance and Register facilities. The Westrace interlocking will control all trains in the line through the relevant track equipment. This includes the ASFA ‘national’ train protection system, now installed in all conventional-speed lines. Also included is the Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) system of the section, which will be able to take place either at the existing Control & Regulation Centre (CRC) of Zaragoza, or at the Barcelona new one.

On December 16, 2006, the President of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, headed the official ceremony opening to revenue service the High Speed Line section between Córdoba and Antequera in the HSL linking Córdoba with Málaga.
The commissioned section stretches over some 100 km within the total 155 linking the two Southern cities. The line follows the valley of the Guadalquivir river from Almodóvar del Rio until the automatic gauge-changing device of Antequera, where the trains shift from the standard 1,435 mm gauge of the HSL to the conventional lines heading to Málaga, Granada and Algeciras through the Iberian 1,668 mm gauge.

 
When fully operating to Málaga, journey times between Madrid and Málaga will shrink to two and a half hours from the current four hours and 20 minutes.
In November 2004, the Consortium Dimetronic-Alcatel was awarded a 210 million euro contract for the “Project, works and maintenance of the interlocking, train protection systems, telecommunications, GSM-R moving radio system and associated elements for the High Speed Line (HSL) Córdoba-Málaga. Phase 1: Córdoba-Bobadilla. Phase 2: Bobadilla-Los Prados. Phase 3: Los Prados-Málaga”. This 155 Km length project is the extension to Málaga of the existing Madrid – Sevilla High Speed Line.
Within the total contract, Dimetronic is responsible for the design, installation, tests and commissioning of the systems below:
-                 LED wayside signals.
-                 FS3000 audio-frequency Jointless Track Circuits.
-                 ERTMS level 1.
-                 ERTMS level 2.
-                 ASFA, national ATS.
-                 CTC/CRC and associated elements.
Dimetronic’s scope above includes day-night functionality for the wayside signals and full compatibility of the JTCs with the 25 KV overhead electrification system.
The ERTMS train protection system includes Level 2 through the installation of 4 Radio Block Centres RBCs, Level 1 with centralised Line Equipment Units LEUs plus Dimetronic’s traditional ASFA train stop system. 4 on board equipment are also included, along with the Central Control Post for ERTMS, where command operations take place and real time Temporary Speed Restrictions may be established in the line.
Also within Dimetronic’s scope is the Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) system, that can be established either at the existing CTC at Atocha’s station in Madrid or at the new CRC at Córdoba.

The Queensland Government is have embarked on an ambitious plan to improve the Brisbane transport infrastructure in order to reduce the traffic congestion between buses and train at St Roma station which is near the Suncorp stadium. The 1.3km extension of the Inner Northern Busway which will connect the existing INB with the South East Busway network includes an interchange to city trains at Roma St Station.

Queensland Rail awarded Westinghouse Rail Systems Australia, part of Invensys, the AUD $4.5m contract for design, supply, install, set to work, test and commission of the associated Roma Street signaling changes for the conversion of platform 1 to a Busway platform and changes to platforms 2 and 3.

“There are a number of  programming challenges surround this project apart from the signaling technology”, said Programme Manager Alan de Reuck, “Westinghouse Rail Systems offered a combination of the correct signaling solution and at the same time demonstrated the project management skills required to coordinate this work around numerous other civil works. It was essential that the tight schedule was met without negatively impacting current Roma Street Station passenger services”.

Works commenced in June this year and has a target completion date of May, 2007.

The forecast tonnage to be exported from central Queensland’s coalmines is forecast to increase by a staggering 45% - 5% in the next few years. The coal is currently transported to Port of Gladstone and power station in the Rockhampton and Gladstone district via the Blackwater rail system. This exponential growth in regional Queensland’s coal industry has also forced Queensland Rail to plan for increased capacity in its domestic and export coal freight services.

Queensland Rail National already operates over 470 services a week from over 30 coal mines in Queensland.  In 2005/06, QR National transported approximately 147 million tones of coal per annum.  Current estimates of expected coal haulage in 2008/09, is likely to increase to 197 million tones and expanding to approximately 233 million tonnes per annum by 2009/10.

In order to keep up with increasing demand, Queensland Rail has contracted Westinghouse Rail Systems, part of Invensys, to deliver a suite of main line duplication projects designed to incrementally increase network capacity to service the forecast volume, whilst maintaining QR’s existing service obligations.  These works are designed to increase the capacity of the Blackwater System, forming part of the Queensland Government’s $3.5B coal rail programme.

This important order follows tight on the back of two other projects successfully delivered by Westinghouse Rail Systems in 2006 which used the WESTRACE signaling interlocking technology:

The first of these projects was for the third loop at RG Tanna Coal Terminal. This installation allowed the network to increase additional network capacity to in excess of 62 Million tonnes per annum. The second project for the Grantleigh track saw some similarities to the Blackwater project in that the signalling had to be duplicated over distance of 7km. In fact this project saw the very first installation of the Westinghouse WESTRACE Hot Standby Installation in Australia.

In 2007, Westinghouse Rail Systems will be delivering a further three line duplication projects with a commissioning scheduled virtually every month until completion.  Additional works in the region will continue throughout 2008.