Alstom has been given approval by PKP Polski Line Kolejowe S.A. to use the ELS-96 wheel detector system across the main rail network in Poland.

The certification has taken more than two years and has seen a specific procedure followed, which included 9-months of field testing. The system is now fully compliant with the technical specifications required for interoperability (TSI) and also with EU standards, alongside being totally compatible with rolling stock and rail types used in Poland.

ELS-96 is an innovative system which is used to detect rail vehicle wheel passage on tracks and will be the main part of the axle counter system for train detection.

The system transmits information regarding the number of wheels that have passed over the area where the detector is installed and based on this, the interfaced systems can determine if track sections are occupied, which provides identification of the location of the train on the rail network.

Adam Juretko, Vice-President Alstom Poland said;

“Thanks to the use of this state-of-the-art solution, the volume of equipment that needs to be installed on the tracks reduces significantly. The weight and power consumption of the system is lower compared to the former version and it contributes to reduced deployment, operation and maintenance costs involved.”

“Alstom’s wheel detectors have performed successfully in service both on the tracks in the deserts of Algeria, as well as in frosty regions with temperatures below -50°C“

“Thanks to the use of this state-of-the-art solution, the volume of equipment that needs to be installed on the tracks reduces significantly. The weight and power consumption of the system is lower compared to the former version and it contributes to reduced deployment, operation and maintenance costs involved.”

ELS-96 is an integrated wheel detector that communicates with other systems using a safe data transmission interface. The detector is compliant with all environmental requirements which are applicable to this type of system which is used on high-speed lines and mass transportation systems such as metros and tramways.

The device is directly mounted on the rail and can stand up to any environmental conditions, including high and low temperatures, humidity and vibrations. ELS-96 is also fully operational underwater and offers totally automatic adjustment alongside remote diagnostics and software upgrade capabilities which support maintenance work. The impressive system provides a fully digital transmission without the need for wayside electronics and its integrated design also guarantees increased electromagnetic compatibility, which adds to both the safety and availability of the entire system.

More than 50,000 Alstom wheel detector systems are currently in service around the world, and 15,000 of the previous generations of ELS-95 are currently used in Poland.  The new version of the wheel detector system was designed in Poland and manufactured at Alstom’s Katowice site. The systems are already used in other countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and India.