The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is a standardised European system for signalling and train control. It serves as the foundation for the automation and digitalisation of the interoperable rail network in most European countries. Central to ERTMS is the European Train Control System (ETCS), which enables the introduction of driver’s cab signalling (FSS). ERTMS also defines the requirements for railway mobile radio (RMR), currently GSM-R, which will be replaced in future by the new 4G/5G standard FRMCS. As such, ERTMS is a key enabler for other technologies, particularly in the area of automated train operation (ATO).
ERTMS outlines the basic operational rules for the introduction of ETCS, with each country retaining flexibility in its application based on the available functionalities of ETCS. In Switzerland, for example, there is a simplified and cost-effective implementation of ETCS L1 with a lower safety level and simplified route engineering. This is only intended to serve as background supervision instead of cab signalling, thanks to the available ETCS-mode Limited Supervision, which makes greater use of national operating rules, including the continuation of lineside/optical signals.
ERTMS is constantly being expanded and optimised, including with new technologies and functions. This is taking place both at European level with new releases of the CCS TSI, as well as in the specifications of national implementations and in the specific products of the industry for trackside and vehicle equipment. ERTMS systems on vehicles, such as ETCS and ATO, are dependent on precise and safe positioning and speed measurement with odometry. Enotrac, in collaboration with PhySens Rail, has developed a new, robust, highly available and safe odometry sensor technology called ODOMAG, which uses a new method based on the magnetic signature of the track for speed measurement. More information about ODOMAG can be found here.
A comprehensive understanding of ERTMS/ETCS covers both the technical aspects and specifications of this technology as well as the functional and railway operational aspects. We offer support in the following areas related to ERTMS/ETCS.
Expertise:
- Extensive knowledge of the ERA’s TSI CCS (Control, Command and Signalling), in which ERTMS/ETCS is specified, both on the trackside and on-board side. This also includes the development of the TSI as part of the CRs for new baselines and system versions as well as the resulting compatibility analyses between vehicle and trackside.
- Interaction of ETCS/ERTMS with peripheral signalling systems and railway automation in general, such as TMS or ATO.
- Knowledge of the country-specific requirements, including the authorisation conditions, e.g:
- Specifications, project planning rules and other specification documents for Switzerland by the system leader ETCS CH, both for ETCS L2 and ETCS L1 Limited Supervision.
- German ETCS specifications (BTSF3) and corresponding planning guidelines for specific route projects.
- National track-side and vehicle-side authorisation requirements. This also includes knowledge of the NNTV/NNTR (Notified National Technical Rules) for the national approval of ETCS on vehicles.
Support- and consulting services:
- Studies, expert opinions and feasibility analyses.
- Migration strategies and business cases, also based on the national ERTMS strategy (Switzerland: ERTMS strategy of the FOT).
- Trackside system engineering, data project planning and integration of ETCS for Level 1 (also Limited Supervision) or Level 2 with RBC. Key activies include:
- Generic specifications for national circumstances in accordance with the CCS TSI.
- Specific implementation for ETCS application projects.
- Interfaces with the peripheral systems of the line, in particular interlockings (also with Eulynx SCI-RBC), control technology/TMS or other applications of the system landscape of the operation.
- Network solutions for integration with peripheral systems, including security architecture.
- Transitions between ETCS and Class B lines, level changes and design of the RBC/RBC handover including interface definition (according to subset 039/098).
- ETCS key management offline or online with KMCs (Key Management Centres) and inline also PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) for vehicles and the RBC for ETCS L2.
- Technical solutions for dual equipment of ETCS lines with Class B systems.
- Support with the vehicle integration of ETCS, and also for dual equipment with Class B systems, e.g. via STM (Specific Transmission Module) or other solutions.
- Support with communication issues relating to ERTMS, in particular GSM-R and FRMCS. Cybersecurity investigations including validations.
- Support for the future development of ERTMS and TSI CCS in international committees.
- Support in the further development and optimisation of national/generic specifications for ETCS, e.g. generic specifications, project planning rules or planning guidelines at operational-functional and technical level, based on the operational and other needs and rules of the railway operators, always in conformity with the TSI CCS.
- Support in data engineering and validation of both the project planning data for the vehicle integration of ETCS and the infrastructure data for the ETCS route project planning, at Level 2 also for the edge node model of the RBC route atlas.
- RAMS support in the life cycle of ETCS and related activities such as CSM-RA.
- Support in the ETCS approval process on the vehicle and track side.
- Risk analyses and hazard analyses for ETCS projects, also using the ETCS Hazard Log (subset 113)
- Introduction of ATO via ETCS according to TSI CCS (see Automatic Train Operation).
