Sepura helps keep SNCF on track

With 3,000 railway stations served by 140,000 trains daily, huge amounts of information are exchanged during each working day to keep the operation running smoothly and safely.

Passenger announcements and tasks like keeping trains running to schedule and ensuring safety at stations all depend on instructions and information communicated by SNCF staff who work on the station platforms and carry out maintenance.

Lending a hand with the mammoth challenge is technology from digital radio specialist Sepura, based in St Andrew’s Road, Cambridge

A set of ‘short data applications’ (SDAs) enables SNCF staff to transmit data messages - similar to text messages from mobile phones - from Sepura digital handheld radios over the terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) communications network.

“SDAs differ from text messages in that dedicated screen interfaces, with menus fit for purpose, can be designed for specific tasks,” said Sepura regional director Emanuele Algieri. “The simple user interface enables rapid data entry and drives its almost instantaneous dispatch.”

In many cases, the data messages replace instructions spoken into an analogue radio - or even shouted to a colleague.

“The SDA system enables more efficient communication - with a much smaller margin for error or misinterpretation - regardless of how busy or noisy it is on the platform,” said Mr Algieri.

“Both the sender - and, indeed, SNCF - can be confident of their being no compromise to the clarity of the message.”

The system can also be used to trigger pre-recorded passenger announcements - simply by selecting the relevant three-digit code from a menu on the Sepura radio and pressing ‘send’.

“The process is much faster and more accurate than when staff had to enter the codes manually,” said Mr Algieri. “And the need to press ‘send’ to transmit the code helps prevent mistakes, as it gives staff a moment to double check that they have selected the correct code.”

When a train is ready to leave a station, a member of platform staff must inform the station supervisor’s main dispatch system.

With the SDA system, the member of staff enters the platform number into their digital radio and selects, for example, north or south to indicate the direction of travel.

“This is much faster than speaking into the radio or shouting to a colleague - and eliminates the risk of this critical information being misunderstood,” said Mr Algieri.

“At a large station, 40 or more trains may be leaving at around the same time - so prompt, accurate information is vital for safe, on-time departures.”

An SDA is also being used to help prepare trains for departure more efficiently - a task that involves around 300 different operations, from general cleaning and restocking the buffet to safety and engineering checks.

“Previously, each team member had to confirm completion of tasks in person to the supervisor, who noted everything by hand,” said Mr Algieri.

“This information was then relayed to an office-based colleague for entry into the nationwide scheduling system that holds information about the status of every train on the network.

“SNCF has replaced this cumbersome and error-prone process with an SDA that lets individual workers update the scheduling system directly from their digital radios with the status of their tasks.

“Once all tasks are complete, the train supervisor sends an overall ‘end of job’ message to the system, confirming that the train is ready for its next journey.”

The success of the SNCF project has prompted Sepura to look at other possible uses for the SDAs - and it is now involved in discussions with other transport companies, airports, utilities and municipal authorities.

“Wherever there are distrubuted staff and the need for timely processes, TETRA has a role to fulfil and Sepura’s unique SDA platform has complementary benefits to bring,” said Mr Algieri.

“The SNCF experience is a multi-faceted example of this role in action.”

Source: www.cambridgefirst.com.uk