Automated train

Automated train
S5A-0043 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Automated train

Automated train

Automated train systems are rail vehicles operated with varying degrees of human intervention by organizations such as Bombardier Transportation, Alstom, Siemens Mobility, Mitsubishi Electric, and Hitachi. They interact with infrastructure managed by bodies including Transport for London, RATP Group, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), SNCF, and Deutsche Bahn. Deployments appear in projects linked to cities and regions like Paris, London, New York City, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, São Paulo, Mexico City, Moscow, Mumbai, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Berlin.

Overview

Automated train systems integrate rolling stock from firms such as CAF (construction company), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Stadler Rail, and Hitachi Rail with signalling by companies like Thales Group, Nokia-owned Alcatel-Lucent, and Ansaldo STS. Typical projects are procured by authorities including Hong Kong MTR, Korea Railroad Corporation, Taiwan Railways Administration, JR East, JR West, and ÖBB. Standards and bodies influencing design include International Electrotechnical Commission, ISO, European Union Agency for Railways, and national regulators such as Federal Railroad Administration and Office of Rail and Road.

History and Development

Early automated concepts trace to initiatives by firms like General Motors and agencies such as New York City Transit Authority during the 20th century, alongside pioneering systems at events like the World's Fair and installations in cities including London's Docklands and Valencia's people movers. Notable milestones involve projects by Siemens on the Nuremberg U-Bahn, Mitsubishi's systems in Osaka, and contributions from Westinghouse Electric Corporation and British Rail. Later commercial rollouts engaged contractors including Bombardier, Alstom, Thales, and national programs such as Japan Railways Group privatizations and RATP Group modernizations.

Technology and Operation

Core technologies include automatic train operation (ATO) developed alongside automatic train protection (ATP) systems from vendors like Siemens Mobility, Thales Group, and Alstom. Communications-based train control (CBTC) implementations reference work by IEEE groups and interoperability efforts from European Union Agency for Railways. Rolling stock incorporates propulsion and braking systems engineered by ABB, GE Transportation, and Toshiba Corporation. Onboard computing platforms often use processors and middleware influenced by standards from Intel, ARM Holdings, and Microsoft Corporation-based software, while cybersecurity measures draw on practices from NIST and collaborations with firms like Cisco Systems.

Classification and Grades of Automation

Grades of automation follow categorizations referenced by bodies such as International Electrotechnical Commission and regional regulators; levels range from driver assistance to unattended train operation as exemplified in projects by RATP Group, Transport for London, Singapore Land Transport Authority, and Dubai Roads and Transport Authority. Operators like MTR Corporation and RATP Dev deploy systems across categories including semi-automatic and fully automatic modes. Classification debates involve stakeholders such as UITP and standards committees within ISO and IEC.

Safety and Signalling Systems

Signalling systems underpinning automated operations include CBTC suites deployed by Thales, Siemens, Alstom, and Ansaldo STS. Fail-safe architectures incorporate principles shaped by historical incidents investigated by agencies like National Transportation Safety Board and regulators such as the Office of Rail and Road. Redundancy and interlocking practices reference legacy frameworks from British Rail and modernization programs influenced by European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Human factors and emergency procedures involve coordination with emergency services exemplified by London Fire Brigade, New York City Fire Department, and municipal authorities in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Implementation and Global Deployments

Notable deployments include automated metros and people movers operated by entities such as RATP Group in Paris, Transport for London on the Docklands Light Railway, LINE projects in Singapore by the Land Transport Authority, Dubai Metro managed by RTA Dubai, and airport people movers at hubs like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Changi Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Frankfurt Airport. Large-scale conversions were undertaken by agencies including SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, MTA (New York City), and municipal authorities in Seoul and Tokyo. Manufacturing and retrofit contracts have been awarded to Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi, and CAF.

Advantages, Challenges, and Societal Impact

Automated systems promise capacity and efficiency gains pursued by urban planners in New York City, Paris, London, and Singapore, influencing modal shifts studied by researchers at institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, and ETH Zurich. Challenges include workforce transitions affecting unions like Transport Salaried Staffs' Association and Unite the Union, procurement controversies seen in cases involving Bombardier and Alstom, regulatory harmonization across jurisdictions such as the European Union and United States Department of Transportation, and public acceptance influenced by media outlets including BBC News, The New York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, and The Straits Times.

Category:Rail transport