Alstom Debuts New Signalling System With Launch Of RRTS
The inauguration of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) also marked the global introduction of Alstom's advanced signalling systems featuring integrated platform screening doors. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the inaugural Namo Bharat train, covering a 17-kilometre section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS route between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot.
Alstom-India stated, "the European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling system will not only facilitate inter-operability but will also allow to optimise the usage of existing infrastructure, thus reducing the waiting time for passengers."
This signalling system ensures a high level of safety for trains running closely with a headway of 180 seconds through virtual block implementation (referred to as 'hybrid level-3'), ensuring continuous and secure separation, thus minimising accidents resulting from human error.
India's first semi-high-speed regional rail service aims to transform travel in the region with its impressive speed and cutting-edge technology. The RRTS is a novel rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system boasting a design speed of 180 kmph and the potential for operational speeds of 160 kmph.
The ETCS utilises Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication with the RRTS trainsets, all of which are manufactured by Alstom. According to Alstom-India, "These solutions are designed and stacked together to provide utmost safety to passengers. A key feature of the technology being introduced in the RRTS is inter-operability, which facilitates seamless commuter movement across the corridors, without the hassle of changing the trains for passengers."
The service also includes Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Traffic Management System (TMS), and Platform Screen Door (PSD) sub-systems that employ Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication between the trackside infrastructure and the trains.
