Fixed Track Systems

Rail, underground, tram systems/networks, including vehicles themselves, track/signaling infrastructure, timetabling, and the people involved.
Key Project Drivers
  • Safety
  • Running costs
  • Reliability of service (to passengers)
  • Manning
  • Signaling technology
  
What Goes Wrong
  • Development project cost and programme overruns
  • Train accidents
  • Poor passenger service (cancellations and delays)
  • Losses made in running service
     

Key Systems Engineering or Project Management Techniques

  • Systems thinking (and seeing train, track, signaling, timetables, ... as a system)
  • Safety
  • Human Factors
  • Integrated Logistics Support
 

Case Studies

  • (UK) Advanced Passenger Train programme cancellation
  • Accidents due to technical faults (eg. Clapham Junction 1988; Paris 1988).
  • Accidents due to drivers not responding correctly to signals (eg. Argenton, France, 1977; Paddington 1999).
  • Piacenza, Italy, 1997 - failure to calibrate equipment correctly.
  • Continual poor timetable performance in UK.

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