Axle Counter Overlay System | UK
Train DetectionUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Axle Counter Overlay System

Operator
Network Rail
Country
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Partner
Siemens
Segment
Main & Regional Line
Application
Track Vacancy Detection
Products
FAdC®, RSR123
Year
2019
Scope of project
45 counting heads, 4 FAdC® location cases
Download

Between London St Pancras International Station and Farringdon Station, there is a history of frequent flooding through the tunnels that adversely affected the reliability of the existing train detection system. Due to this, the installation was non-operational during large periods. However, being a mainline section and a core route through London, high reciliation to any sort of failures is vital.

In 2019, Network Rail started to look at how to improve the overall reliability of the railway without removing the existing detection system. The main requirement was guaranteeing maximum availability considering the local conditions without interfering with the existing installation.

Due to its great reliability under such circumstances the Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC® has been chosen as the most appropriate solution. The FAdC’s® modular design allowed for the establishment of a decentralised architecture, where four external location cases were installed between the two stations to host the axle counter’s indoor equipment. The system is supported by the Frauscher Wheel Sensor RSR123, which precisely tracks every train axle. The sensor is extremely resilient to water penetration and other environmental and external influences. Thanks to the IP68 rated housing, it even works reliably in case of floods.

Excellent match of requirements

The FAdC® units installed in location cases between the stations can communicate with one another via a vital Ethernet interface and also with the higher-ranking system using relay outputs. With overlay systems, the new track sections had to match the existing track section limits. Therefore, the system had a specific requirement to install the RSR123 within 0.5 m of the existing train detection system and within proximity of the neutral section to avoid any impact on the signalling controls.

Great resilience

The RSR123 is highly resilient against any interference or environmental influences.

Similar Projects
This might also interest you
1/5
Train DetectionIndia

Increasing Availability at Adra Yard

Adra Yard belongs to the Southeastern Railway Zone of Indian Railways and is in West Bengal. Initially the yard was equipped with track circuits and there was a requirement to get them replaced with the Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC®. This project is one of Frauscher’s esteemed Indian Railway Projects with a coverage of 139 counting heads and 97 track sections.
Learn More
Train Detection, ServicesIndia

Sini - Chandil Railway Line

The Sini-Chandil railway line is a crucial rail connection located in the state of Jharkhand, which lies in the eastern coastal region of India. This railway line holds significant strategic importance for the entire region, and now incorporates Frauscher solutions, including the Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC®, Wheel Sensor RSR180 and the Frauscher Insights applications Diagnostics and Motion.
Learn More
Train DetectionIndia

Ensuring reliable rail operations across India´s longest rail-road bridge

The Bogibeel Bridge is India’s longest rail-road bridge that connects Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, carrying both rail and road traffic across the Brahmaputra River. Harsh environmental conditions and structural constraints made conventional signalling unworkable. The Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC® axle counting system was selected for its proven reliability and low maintenance under these challenging conditions.
Learn More
Train DetectionFrance

Axle counting adds fail-safe control to laser diagnostics

When MERMEC set out to install a laser-based Wheel Profile Measurement System in close proximity to the Eurotunnel, they faced a critical challenge: how to avoid unintended laser exposure without compromising the system’s ability to inspect up to 200 trains per day. To meet these requirements, MERMEC partnered with Frauscher.
Learn More
Train DetectionCanada

Toronto Transit Commission

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Line 1 Yonge-University is Toronto’s longest subway line, with track circuits utilized for signalling. Due to an increasing number of daily passengers and an aged system the need for upgrading without interfering with the daily operations became readily apparent. It was further required that the new signalling system functions independently of the existing system. It would provide CBTC fallback functionalities, and work as an overlay to the current track circuit-based system.
Learn More