Interlocking 4.0: safe rail operations for increased capacity and reliability

Interlockings for tomorrow’s capacity increase 

An interlocking system authorises train movement and ensures safety conditions are met. It operates points, signals and level crossings and checks rail sections are free, establishes routes and prevents conflicts.  

In Alstom’s digital interlocking the technology transmits train control information digitally, via the IP network, providing enhanced coverage. Signals and points can be controlled at much greater distances, enabling capacity and processing speed, fewer cables and the possibility for data and digital analysis-driven maintenance. 

With more than 3,000 installations in over 35 countries, Alstom’s interlocking range, Smartlock™ 400 and Ebi™ Lock 950 ensure integration with the most varied and complex infrastructures. These high-availability platforms are certified to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 4, are redundant and require only minimum line possession during commissioning.

Flexibility and ease of implementation 

While each installation is tailored to the customer’s specific needs, Alstom modular interlocking architecture, with standardised interfaces and maintenance and configuration tools, guarantees easy application to a host of different railway systems, whether new or existing, low density regional or high-speed mainline corridors, or to adapt to a future variation in network traffic. It can interface with existing trackside objects without modification, and it is compatible to signalling principles in any country. With this adaptability, project implementation times are much lower than other options available on the market. 

Seamless integration with ERTMS and CBTC systems 

Thanks to network-based architecture, Alstom interlocking makes for simplified interfaces with advanced train supervision and train control systems such as mainline ERTMS and urban CBTC. In addition to efficient maintenance systems that map out the status of objects along the line. When an anomaly occurs, an alert is sent to the nearest maintenance staff member indicating the part affected and the action required. All of this ensures faster troubleshooting and enhanced availability.