ERTMS, the European Railway Traffic Management System, is the new interoperable railway signalling system combining automatic train protection and train control with the possibility of enhanced network capacity through more efficient traffic management.
ERTMS includes two basic components:
- ETCS, the European Train Control System, which makes it possible not only to transmit permitted speed and movement authority information to the train driver but also to monitor constantly the driver’s compliance with these instructions.
- GSM-R, based on standard GSM but using various frequencies specific to rail as well as certain advanced functions. It is the digital radio system used for exchanging voice and data information between the track and the train.
Interoperability means that a train equipped with ERTMS can travel without signalling boundaries of any within the ERTMS-equipped rail network, regardless of the country the train is travelling in, the legal nature of the infrastructure manager or the company providing the ERTMS system.
ERTMS provides enormous advantages and a great increase in rail efficiency and performance that Ansaldo STS can offer with the guarantee of a global leader in ERTMS components and systems for Main Lines and High Speed lines, in Europe and beyond.
Main ERTMS features:
- Interoperability for international traffic means that
- stops at borders for crew and traction change can be minimised,
- trains can keep moving / earning
- customers benefit from shorter and more reliable journey / transit times
- Interoperability within individual countries means that
- legacy limited capability and mutually incompatible train control systems can be phased out,
- wayside equipment can be minimised, and
- advantage can be taken of a more competitive supply market
- Communication based train control provided by ERTMS means that train movement decisions reflect the most current applicable conditions including track occupancy and train speed, and giving benefits of:
- Increase in railway capacity – more traffic
- Increase in service performance (better adherence to schedule)
- Cab signalling means that:
- Layout design is no longer inhibited by viewing requirements for wayside optical signals – more efficient and flexible movement arrangements can be supported
- Train service is less prone to disruption by weather events (fog etc)
- System standardisation offers the benefits of:
- Lower ownership costs
- Better protection against premature obsolescence
The ERTMS/ETCS concept supports 3 different levels (architectures) of application, two of which (level 1 & level 2) are already implemented and in revenue service in most European countries and beyond, with Ansaldo STS being the first provider to introduce this technology in the very competitive markets of China and India. Level 3 is subject to further development of common specifications.
