Cloud technology is silver lining to end signal failure train delays

NEW “cloud” technology could make train delays caused by signal failures a frustration of the past.

Siemens, which has 450 trains in service in the UK and recently won the contract to build new London Underground trains, hopes to move signalling to a digital space in “the cloud” to reduce the chance of technical errors.

Signal failures are caused by power cuts or a blown fuse in the train track circuit. Between 2016 and 2017, there were 19,000 signal failure faults which caused delays of 100 minutes or more to a train service.

By removing computers and wires from the rail communication system, Siemens hope to avoid delays caused by broken or faulty equipment.

Cloud-based technology could also allow train operators to predict and avoid delays and overcrowding by collecting passenger data and storing it in one place. Mark Ferrer, operations di- rector for digital railways at Siemens, told The Sunday Telegraph: “[Cloud technology is] just moving functionality and control from one place into another place – which is the cloud. What this gets you is the ability to have a greater level of analytics and predic- tion… It’s about being able to predict what the future would look like in any given scenario, too; for example, increasing passenger demand.

“Really it’s about taking the data out of the system, putting it into the cloud and using the data to improve capacity.”

Mr Ferrer added: “Passenger use has gone up massively over the last 15 years, so if there is a failure of any part of the infrastructure, the impact of that failure is felt wider across the network. The capacity challenge we face in the industry is mammoth.”

The UK plans are in prototype stage, but Siemens has already put one rail line onto the cloud in Switzerland.

Asked how soon we could see these prototypes become reality in the UK, Mr Ferrer said: “I don’t know, but in Switzerland we have taken the control centre from one line and put that onto the cloud. It does sit on the cloud. So it is doable.”

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “In May we launched the new Digital Railway Strategy, which explains why modern forms of signalling and train control are required urgently to improve the passenger experience and bring down the operating costs.”

He added that some signalling systems are still based on Victorian technology and need to be replaced in the next 15 years.