Network IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS

Project Description

The Corporation strives to provide a safe and reliable service to customers and always seeks continuous improvement. Through a rigorous process of research, design, production and testing, MTR engineers successfully combined the mature and widely used technology of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to develop the “Integrated Speed and Position Supervision System” (iSPS). During operation, the speed data as well as the position of Light Rail vehicles will be relayed back to the Light Rail Operations Control Centre via a mobile communications network for real-time monitoring. Train captains will receive an audio reminder from the system when the speed of the Light Rail vehicle is about to reach the limit of the section being traversed.

Version 1.0 of iSPS developed by the MTR operations engineering team is patented in Hong Kong and has been adopted across the whole Light Rail network since 2019. The team has been continuing developing an upgraded version 2.0 which provided additional functions of “Gap between trains” and “Alerts for the coming train” to ensure the safe distance between trains. The new function of “Gap between trains” can monitor the position and speed of LRVs and calculate the distance between two LRVs, as well as remind train captain when necessary in order to avoid or reduce potential touch. The new function of “Alerts for the coming train” can prioritize LRVs sequence at the junction or turnout zone to ensure safety distance. iSPS version 2.0 was launched in end 2021 and patent was also granted in Hong Kong.

In response to changing environment, the Corporation will explore other features to add to the system for continuous improvement in providing safe and reliable service to customers.