01.03.15
Making the grade: FTNx will yield an asset-rich rail industry with crucial commercial and safety benefits
Source: Rail Technology Magazine Feb/March 2015
Mike Hewitt, head of next generation networks at AlanDick Communications, explains why the UK rail industry’s transition to an FTNx network is far more than a wi-fi upgrade.
It’s hardly news to announce that the rail industry is undergoing a hugely exciting period of technological change. And no discussion of this could leave out FTNx, Network Rail’s new world-class optical and internet protocol (IP) network. With this multi-million build commitment, which marks a key part of its overall strategy of rail digitisation, Network Rail is rising to the challenge of bringing our Victorian infrastructure into the 21st century.
A robust, world-class IP network is a key deliverable of a 10- to 15-year programme to ensure the digitisation of the UK’s rail network, which will include a crucial signalling infrastructure upgrade to European Train Control System (ETCS), increasing the safety and capacity of the rail network to meet increasing demand, improve journey times, and improve reliability.
FTNx is far more than a network transition. Indeed, it is the foundation of the UK’s rail digitisation strategy, and is essential to progressing the operational capability of our railways. It’s the only way to ensure the rail industry will deliver the three billion journeys forecasted per year by 2035.
AlanDick Communications (ADComms) is currently working to connect a significant amount of devices across the network, as Network Rail and train operators continue on their journey to rail digitisation. This ranges from the provision of wi-fi on trains to the wider asset management system.
Network Rail Infrastructure Projects’ investment is a transitional move rich with benefits. Improved connectivity for passengers is assured, as is the enhanced delivery of real-time information.
The transition will generate a vital cost-cutting deliverable that will eliminate reliance on third-party suppliers. But importantly, it will also yield substantial safety improvements. The ability to link to consumer devices could, for example, lead to the deployment of wearable technology to alert rail workers to an oncoming train – as Network Rail has already proposed. Workers will also be able to operate ‘smarter and safer’ through the use of internet-enabled devices.
As we move into an operational comms network, we will see the delivery of a modern network carrying all the safety-critical services required. This includes data delivery that will be used to analyse conditions, predict events and will be able to generate information remotely, which will save having engineers out trackside in a dangerous environment.
Spanning the entire operational network, what we are witnessing is the development of the highest capacity, most resilient, most secure network the UK rail industry has seen to date. A project of huge scale and complexity, this modern marvel has the power to revolutionise the rail industry. With work almost complete on site and ready for handover in April, it’s certainly on track to deliver.
More on FTNx in our interview with Network Rail's Craig Ellis.
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