Gulf Construction Online - Kapsch ensures safety of Haramain line

Security & Safety

Kapsch ensures safety of Haramain line

01 August 2013

TECHNOLOGY from globally recognised GSM-R specialist Kapsch CarrierCom has been selected to ensure safe train operations on the 450-km Haramain high-speed line between the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia.

The newest technology based on ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) Level Two will be used on the pilgrimage route of the railway line, construction of which has already been under way since 2009. Kapsch was selected by Indra and Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) primarily thanks to its experience in safe system architectures and its reference projects with similarly high requirements.

The company starts work on the project this year. In the first phase, the entire GSM-R infrastructure will be installed and tested. Then Kapsch will support Indra and the prime contractor consortium for the operation and maintenance phase. The term for the operation contract is 12 years.

Commenting on the award, Michel Clement, vice-president railways of Kapsch CarrierCom, says: “We were able to win this project in particular because security, safety and expertise were key criteria. We acquired experience with similar environmental conditions in a project in Algeria and we have already equipped multiple railway stretches with similarly advanced solutions supporting ERTMS Level Two in a high-speed environment. We are particularly pleased that Kapsch can contribute to passenger security and comfort on the world’s most important pilgrimage route.”

Muslim pilgrims from all over the world in future are expected to travel through Saudi Arabia to the holy sites at speeds of up to 320 kmph. The new high-speed rail line from Makkah through Jeddah to Madinah will connect multiple urban regions as well as the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah.

The route features expansive stretches of desert with difficult climatic conditions and high temperature fluctuations. As such, railway communication based on GSM-R technology is an important prerequisite for safe and smooth operation of this railway line.

In addition to the climatic and topographical challenges in construction and operation of the technical equipment along the rail line, consideration must be given to the religious and cultural significance of this route.

In order to ensure this, a fail-safe architecture was designed with built-in redundancy. The network coverage along the railway line is fourfold. In other words, if three base stations in a region fail, a fourth can still serve the entire area. The core based on the newest R4 technology provides full redundancy and will be operated at two different locations.

Part of the Kapsch Group, Austria-headquartered Kapsch CarrierCom is a global system integrator and supplier of end-to-end telecommunications solutions for public and railway operators, urban transport organisations and companies seeking real-time asset management solutions. By providing the full set of professional services alongside mission- and business-critical telecommunications, Kapsch CarrierCom is the trusted partner for clients around the world. Strategic partnerships and a strong focus on innovation in eight Research and Development (R&D) centres in Europe and Asia, make the company a market specialist in telecommunications.