Skip to main content

Siemens and Swiss Federal Railways partner on rail traffic control

Siemens and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have signed a contract worth around US$405 million for the automation and centralisation of rail traffic control of the 3,000km, 760 stop Swiss rail network. During the partnership, which will run until 2015, Siemens will continue the development of the Iltis control and information system, which enables a largely automated operational handling of rail traffic. The computer-based system, specially developed by Siemens for SBB, controls and monitors all train oper
September 3, 2013 Read time: 1 min
189 Siemens and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have signed a contract worth around US$405 million for the automation and centralisation of rail traffic control of the 3,000km, 760 stop Swiss rail network.

During the partnership, which will run until 2015, Siemens will continue the development of the Iltis control and information system, which enables a largely automated operational handling of rail traffic.  The computer-based system, specially developed by Siemens for SBB, controls and monitors all train operations in the country, including the remote control of interlocking and the monitoring of operations at stations.

Currently operated from twenty-five locations, it is hoped that Iltis will in future be operated from just four centres, to improve communications and coordination and speed up the provision of travel information.

Related Content

  • Speeding ambulances through borders
    October 26, 2016
    David Crawford sees hope for stricken patients on the wrong side of the border. In treating patients with heart or stroke conditions, speed is of the essence.
  • US favours express buses are for intercity travel
    November 26, 2013
    David Crawford records an upsurge in ground travel. Express buses are powering ahead of air and rail as the US’ most-favoured form of intercity travel and major operators are investing in passenger-attracting and retaining technologies. At the same time ‘kayak’-style price comparison websites are emerging to widen rider choice. Modelled on airline industry search engines that find cheap flight deals by comparing carriers’ offers, these new websites aim to fill the same gap for a ground-travel equivalent
  • Southend-on-Sea opts for Siemens traffic management
    March 18, 2015
    Siemens is to provide Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (SOSBC) in the UK with a new hosted traffic management service operating real-time urban traffic control (UTC) including SCOOT adaptive control. The new seven year contract will see the migration of the current system to a new hosted Stratos solution to control traffic signal equipment across the town at 50 junctions and pedestrian crossings. Hosted UTC-SCOOT removes the need for local authorities to maintain their own office-based hardware and brings be
  • Smoothing out city freight movements
    May 28, 2014
    David Crawford welcomes a national first. Urban freight movements, while commercially and socially vital, are a growing logistical headache for planners and people alike. Figures from France’s Lyon Laboratory of Transport Economics indicate that goods transport in major urban areas accounts for: 20% of traffic; 35% of CO2 emissions made by all urban trips; and 50% of the diesel used; while final km delivery runs account for 20% of the total cost of the transport chain.