The High Speed / High Capacity system currently under construction by
Italian Railways consists of a new network of railway lines running from west
to east and from north to south of the country.
To date, the following have been built and opened for commercial use: the
Rome-Naples section (in service since December 2005) and the Turin-Novara
section (in service since February 2006). These represent a total of
approximately 270 km of double-track line, in addition to the pre-existing
Florence-Rome Direttissima line.
The Novara-Milan, Milan-Bologna and Bologna-Florence lines, covering around a
further 300 km, are still under construction.
The High Speed / High Capacity lines, electrified at 2x25 KVca, allow for a
maximum operating speed of 300 km/h with trains every 2.5 minutes and a maximum
frequency of trains travelling at the same speed of five minutes.The new
stretches of line provide a non-stop connection between the stations of Italy’s
largest cities, and interconnect with the main existing lines through
specially-created links.
In terms of the command and control and traffic monitoring systems, each line
is organised through a central satellite post, which carries out the functions
of managing and supervising the signalling and automation equipment for the
line, and a series of fixed peripheral posts, spaced 12 km apart, for local
control and interface with the individual line and trackside equipment.
As part of the supply of technology systems assigned to a pool of companies
grouped in the Saturno Consortium, Ansaldo STS is responsible for the
development, design and manufacture of the following systems for some High
Speed lines:
Route Management Systems
The system includes all the signalling security functions, and comprises, in
its most recent form, a single central static apparatus, located in the line’s
central post, which governs the peripheral posts located in the stations; the
central post, linked to the service locations through a high-speed fibre-optic
geographical network, enables the management of local operating interfaces and
the distribution of diagnostic information in all technological sites of the
line.The signalling uses new technology designed and produced by Ansaldo STS,
adopted for the first time in 1999 when Rome Termini station was upgraded, and
subsequently supplied to local and international transport operators, both for
rail and metro applications.It is based on securely-configured computers that
interface with signalling components (switch blocks, signals, etc) built
according to solid, state-of-the-art technology patented in Europe.
Separation System
The system comprises one or more Radio Block Centres (RBC), wholly located at
the central post, which following safety criteria, manage distances between
trains according to the specifics of the ERTMS/ETCS system (European Rail
Traffic Management System/European Train Control System) level 2 defined for
the EU and intended to ensure the interoperability of trains on European
railway lines.Depending on the status of the line recorded by the station
equipment and the information sent by the trains for which it is responsible,
the RBC determines their movement authority and sends it through the GSM-R
ground-to-train system, ensuring continuous rail traffic control and
protection.
With respect to the signalling systems applied to Italian High Speed Railways,
Ansaldo STS also:
- supplies ground sub-systems consisting of the interoperable components
(Eurobalise®, Encoder) for the ERTMS/ETCS level 2 system and the functions
provided for the interface and management of transitions between this system
and the national signalling systems (Rail Traffic Management System - SCMT,
Coded Current Block - BACC).
- supplies signal box and trackside equipment for the audio-frequency track
circuits with which the High Speed lines are fitted
- designs and produces onboard systems for the management of ERMTS systems,
ensuring integration with the command and control of domestic systems.
Ansaldo STS is also solely responsible within the Saturno Consortium for the
development, design and construction of the centralised traffic control system
and the electric traction equipment, consisting of a central post, area
maintenance sites, deposits and peripheral posts. These are linked together by
a data transmission network, constructed using the transmission channels of the
long-distance telecommunication sub-system.
The main functions carried out are the supervision and diagnostics of rail
traffic, safety equipment, auxiliary technological equipment and the equipment
of the system itself as well as the remote monitoring of peripheral
installations, through the following sub-systems:
- Traffic
- Mimic Panel
- Electric Traction
- Diagnostics and Maintenance
- Remote Monitoring and Security
- Telecommunications.
Among the activities for which the Saturno Consortium is responsible, Ansaldo
STS also develops part of the power supply for the equipment:it coordinates the
creation of all substations and parallel posts that comprise the power supply
system of the 25 kV High Speed line, and produces part of the power supply and
distribution systems.
The line power supply system comprises electricity substations, spaced
approximately 50 km apart, which from a dedicated primary station (132 or 150
kV a.c.) generate a voltage of + 25 and -25 kV a.c.; this tension is
distributed to the line through the + 25 kV contact line and a –25 kV a.c.
feeder. Parallel posts enable drops in voltage on the line to be reduced
through autotransformers between the contact line and feeder with the centre
tap on its winding permanently earthed.
The power supply and distribution equipment is intended to power all
consumption on the high-speed line.
Through the centralised traffic control system, this innovative equipment
provides all information on the status of the equipment and the ancillary
maintenance equipment.
A case apart is the power supply and distribution equipment for the tunnels,
where all recent safety regulations are applied.
