Bombela Consortium's reported R1 billion investment in the rapid rail's technology systems was put to work during the Gautrain's successful maiden passenger voyage yesterday.
Journalists and VIPs took their seats on the Gautrain for its first public passenger exhibition run on a test track in Midrand yesterday.
According to the technical executive at the consortium, Errol Braithwaite, almost all the technology and communications systems had to be operational for the test run yesterday. “And everything went according to plan,” he adds.
Braithwaite explains all the technologies running the various Gautrain operations, including overhead power systems, the communications operations, the automatic breaking, signalling and a temporary control centre, had performed perfectly at the exhibition.
The company set up a temporary central control centre for the run, because the final “Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) centre” has not yet been completed.
“We set up a smaller version for this test, since it only had to manage a single train on a pilot track,” explains Braithwaite.
However, he says the company is continually pumping investment into the CTC and will continue to upgrade the systems until the rapid rail is ready for its grand opening. “You have to remember that it's early days yet. We only have 3km of certified track to run, so to have the full centre operational now doesn't make sense.”
The CTC, once complete, will be housed at the operational control centre, in Midrand, and will control the Gautrain's movements and communications. The systems will also monitor the bus feeder systems and, using location-based services, monitor the station and tunnel technology.
According to Bombela, the centre will be equipped with Windows-based systems that will monitor the Gautrain's services. Video displays will be used to track alerts, which Bombela says will be prioritised.
The consortium has committed R1 billion to the Gautrain's ICT. The figure, as a projection, includes the costs for train design, electronic and communication systems to be fitted at the control centre, as well as electronic systems to be fitted at the stations.
The interlocking system, a solution that will control how the tracks are set, which directions the train will run and detecting where the trains are, is also fully computerised. These services will be controlled at the various stations across Gauteng.
Bombela has also started work on the ticketing system, being built by France's Thales Group and its local partner, Stimela Infrastructure Management.
The R100 million contract, now operative, requires Thales to design and deploy a contactless e-ticketing system at all 10 Gautrain stations, including OR Tambo International Airport.
The solution will also be interoperable so that commuters can use the same contactless smart card for different services: the Gautrain, Gautrain station car parks and the Gautrain bus feeder and distributor system known as Rea Vaya, in Johannesburg.
The Thales ticketing and access control system company will include a three-lane entry-exit gate that will allow for flows of up to 60 passengers per minute at peak times.
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