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What's crazy is the Elizabeth line integrates three different signalling systems. Between Paddington and Heathrow the European Train Control System (ECTS); wes
by guidedlight 4y ago
What's crazy is the Elizabeth line integrates three different signalling systems.
Between Paddington and Heathrow the European Train Control System (ECTS); west of Heathrow and east of Stratford a legacy system is used; and the central section uses a modern signalling system from Siemens.
- dukoid 4y agoWhy not ECTS for the central section, too?
- Tsiklon 4y agoIf I recall, more advanced signalling than ECTS is required to enable metro style operations in the core section.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- stephen_g 4y agoThis article sums it up pretty well: https://www.railengineer.co.uk/crossrails-signalling-challenge/ https://www.railengineer.co.uk/crossrails-signalling-challen... Seems like ETCS couldn’t do automated train operation (ATO) back when the tenders were going out, so they commissioned Siemens to deliver their proven Trainguard CBTC system for the core. Since then, systems like Thameslink have used ATO on top of ETCS Level 2, but that’s still a fixed block system so probably couldn’t do enough trains per hour for Crossrail. ETCS Level 3 can do moving-block, but I don’t think there are any ETCS Level 3 implementations anywhere in the world yet. I believe the way that they operate is that the train is driven by the driver through the ETCS and older TPWS signalled areas, and then when it goes into the core the train switches over to automatic control.
- dukoid 4y agoThanks! Good to see that ETCS seems to be addressing this use case now!