The high-speed rail network in France is something to behold. While city-goers spend an average of 45 minutes traveling to the office, that same span of time is all it takes to travel from Paris to Reims, cities over 125 km apart.
The National Society of French Railways (SNCF) maintains 32,000 km of railways that span every region of the country. And it has announced a plan to integrate smart technology into its railway lines, which could mean enormous cost savings for one of the most internationally renowned transit systems.
By utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT), the SNCF envisions a railway network that is more energy efficient and less reliant on operator maintenance to function. The organization has dedicated 600 million euros to the project, of which 300 million will be spent over the next three years.
Among the companies partnered with the SNCF for this project include IoT networking company Sigfox, 2G technology and 4G/LTE narrow-band provider Ericsson, and IBM for its PaaS Bluemix cloud platform. The recent start-up Intensens will also participate in the project by providing new IoT sensors.
One Example of How Tiny Sensors Can Make a Big Difference
So how is the IoT used to make trains run more safely and efficiently? One example is temperature monitoring.
When railway lines become too hot it can impede the train’s speed and functionality. This is not only a nuisance, but it may also increase the risk of an accident. Despite the advanced safety features we see on modern trains today, derailings do occasionally happen, and they are more likely to occur if the tracks are at a higher temperature. This is therefore one of the aspects of train operations that the SCNF wants to address.
The design team plans to do this by implementing temperature sensors at every kilometer of the track. When high temperatures are detected in certain locations, a signal is sent to oncoming trains to slow down—improving train operation and decreasing risk to passengers.
It is worth noting that monitoring equipment does already exist on the SCNF railways. It is estimated that around 30 percent of the railway network is equipped with signaling and telecommunications technology. What is different about the IoT is that engineers predict it will allow data infrastructure to be built faster and cheaper, covering far more tracks in the years to come.
Railway tracks are also just one part of the plan. A single train has millions of moving components operating cohesively, with IoT analytics monitoring certain parts and sending data to a central cloud. A model predictive system can help train operators perform proactive maintenance—something that has enormous potential for cutting costs.
It is for this reason that the SNCF believes it is possible to reduce maintenance costs by between 10 and 30 percent—costs that may translate to employee wages or passenger tickets. If you weren’t already on board to go for a train trip through the French countryside, perhaps this project will convince you.