Automated Rolling Stock Control System
Market Consultation
UPDATED! Currently we are in process of market consultation only. We ask you to answer few questions about it. The deadline has been extended. Please respond until 11/12/2020.
UPDATED! We have recently updated Q&A section. Please see below.
Context
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LTG Infra is a state-owned railway company of Lithuania, responsible for managing country’s railway infrastructure network, ensuring its safety and development. It is headquartered in country’s capital city of Vilnius. LTG Infra aims to become the most efficient railway infrastructure manager in Central and Eastern Europe. The company strives for the position of a regional leader by modernizing the country railway network in order to maximize the safety of the railway traffic and provide customers with services that meet their needs.
Continuing down the path of modernization, LTG Infra now plans to implement the project “Automated Rolling Stock Control System (RAKS)”, in the scope of which it intends to upgrade the existing rolling stock control equipment by adding new, previously unused solutions and integrate them into a unified system.
Consequently, a market sounding prospectus is aimed at exploring available solutions in the market, as a preliminary step to a public procurement procedure to-be launched in the beginning of the year 2021 by LTG Infra.
Challenge
LTG Infra operates a number of rolling stock control and monitoring solutions (or subsystems). These subsystems together form the RAKS (Lithuanian abbreviation for automated rolling stock control system) system. Each of these subsystems have a corresponding subsystem code.
The RAKS system, currently operated by LTG Infra, consists of three subsystems:
- Dynamic Weighing (RAKS-1), measuring weigh-in motion of each rolling stock;
- Wheel Impact Load Diagnostics(RAKS-5), detects wheel flats, wheel contact fatigue, out of roundness)
- Hot Box and Hot Wheel Detection(RAKS-4)
Apart from these subsystems, two more subsystems are operated, the control function of which is not integrated with the RAKS system:
- Commercial Inspection and Rail OCR Solution, reads freight wagon numbers and allows visually assess the overall condition of rolling stock;
- Gauge Measurement
The rolling stock monitoring subsystems currently in operation are outdated, inefficient and do not meet the needs of carriers and infrastructure safety requirements. Their level level of interoperability and centralized data management is insufficient.
Solution
The vision for the new RAKS system is a unified and geographically optimized solution that is managed centrally. The system will consist of 6 diagnostics subsystems integrated together though a central management software (CMS) solution, ensuring greater reliability of rolling stock control and rail traffic safety. The below summarizes each of the 6 diagnostics subsystems that LTG Infra intends to procure, and a CMS solution. For more details please check Marketing Sounding Prospectus under Documents section below.
Dynamic Weighing
The subsystem shall be able to perform dynamic weighing of all rolling stock, both when full and empty. The system shall be able to perform on electrified tracks and withstand electromagnetic forces.
Wheel Impact Load Diagnostics
The Wheel Impact Load system shall detect wheel surface defects (e.g. wheel flats, out of round).
Pantographs Diagnostics
The system will perform pantograph diagnostics of electric traction rolling stock to prevent damage to catenary. It shall provide 3D images of pantograph and its components, as well as visual footage of damaged area.
Commercial Inspection and Rail OCL Solution
The system will perform inspection of rolling stock and identify rolling stock as well as transported container numbers. It shall provide video footage of rolling stock for effective monitoring of the condition of wagons and containers. It shall also provide rolling stock and container ID numbers readings.
Hot Box and Hot Wheel Detection
The system will monitor temperature measures of axle boxes, locked wheels and rails. Sensors shall be installed in or on special metal railroad ties and monitor temperature for each axle box from both sides. Sensors shall also be able to differentiate between cassette and roller axle box bearings.
Gauge Measurement
The system shall generate 3D images of rolling stock gauge violations. It shall have two alarm levels for structure gauge violations (minimum clearance outline) and load gauge violations. System performance shall be independent of environment or weather conditions.
Central Management Software (CMS)
The central management software (CMS) will integrate all 6 rolling stock control solutions. It will intercept their readings and alarm notifications. Its secondary functionality will be monitoring the condition of the diagnostics equipment itself. It shall provide users with display of the system map and technical condition of the monitoring checkpoints.
Procurement
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- It is planned to announce the public procurement in the beginning of 2021;
- The company intends to run a single tender, divided into multiple lots (parts of contract) for different automated rolling stock control subsystems and a central management software (CMS) solution to integrate them;
- The procurement of dynamic weighing and wheel impact load subsystems will be combined into a single lot;
- Suppliers may bid (individually or through a joint venture) for the whole contract (all 6 lots – the whole solution), a combination of several lots, or a single lot (partial solutions). In any way, each lot will have a separate contract, thus, when bidding for the whole solution or any multiple lots, it is required that combinations of lots would be priced separately for different parts of the tender;
- LTG Infra intends to announce the contract (or parts of the contract) award by August 2021.
Currently we are in process of market consultation only. We ask you to answer few questions about it. The deadline has been extended. Please respond until 11/12/2020.
Video
Market Consultation Workshop was streamed on 19/11/2020.
Documents
Q & A
The questions and answers are listed under the Documents section, there is a summary document of the questions. Please see there.
Q: Does accuracy (for subsystems) of 95% mean 5% uncertainty?
A: The probability of error for all measurements on the rolling stock controlled by the subsystems shall not exceed 5%.
Q: Can the wheel impact load subsystem be integrated with the weighing subsystem?
A: We intend to have the following functionalities: 1. wheel impact load diagnostics (wheel rolling surface control) 2. loading imbalance 3. Dynamic wagon scales. Whether these functionalities will be performed by one or more subsystems (except for one check point – Kybartai – Border Crossing, where a subsystem with dynamic wagon scale functionality is required only).
Q: Is white light allowed or is only non-visible light permitted?
A: It may be visible, but the most important thing is that it does not impair vision of train drivers.
Q: 1520 mm means "Russian wagon numbers" 1435 mm means "UIC wagon numbers" Right? So OCR means: Russian numbers, UIC numbers and Container code. Right?
A: 1520 mm refers to Russian wagon numbers with an eight-digit inventory number;
1435 mm refers to UIC wagon numbers with up to 12 characters;
Container number – 11 characters according to ACCR standard.
Q: Operating speed range for wheel impact load detectors and scales?
A: Wheel impact load diagnostics subsystem – train speed ranges from 30 to 120 km\h.
Dynamic weighing – train speed ranges from 5 to 60 km\h.
Q: What is the maximum speed of trains passing?
A: Currently maximum allowed speed on LTG rail network:
• For passenger trains: 120 km/h
• For freight trains: up to 80 km/h
Q: Hot box detection measurement at inner and outer side at the same time? HBD measurement: both target areas 900mm and 110mm at the same time because of different bearings.
A: According to the wheelsets rolling in the LTG network, the measurement of the axle box shall be performed from the outside of a wheelset and shall include the axle box and axle end areas. Measurements shall be made on both sides of the wheelset.
A schematic diagram of the controlled areas is provided in Annex No. 1 (please check the document).
Q: Are you planning to introduce any specific technical requirements for the CMS? E.g. software requirements such as programming languages or tools used, etc. Can you share any of them already?
A: We do not plan to introduce special technical requirements for the RAKS monitoring system (CMS), but it should be noted that the planned user interface solution should be web-based.
Q: Do you plan to use existing monitoring sites, or are you going to establish new ones?
A: Existing inspection sites will be used, with existing infrastructure.
Q: Do you have any preferences in selecting a product-based CMS solution (off the shelf product which could be customized/tailored) or custom developed solution (built from scratch)?
A: CMS solution based on configurable solution would be more preferred than developed solution. It is important to have an off the shelf product that is only tailored to the needs of the LTG. The advantage would be if the CMS solution was already implemented and successfully used in practice.
Q: Will it be reflected in the procurement as well (different weight/points for off the shelf solution vs custom developed solution)?
A: No, it will have no impact.
Q: Should old systems also be integrated into the new CMS?
A: Just a few. Such as Kena – Border Crossing section where we already have a new wheel impact load diagnostics subsystem installed. Other – Plunge – Šateikiai section. We will provide data protocols.
The are more questions and answers that listed under the Documents section. Please see there.