Schneider Electric > Case Studies > Keeping the trains on track

Keeping the trains on track

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

Pacific

Country

Australia

Product

EcoStruxure Power
gas-insulated GHA switchgear
MiCOM protection relays
Gutor PXC industrial UPS system
Citect SCADA software

Tech Stack

IoT
SCADA
Remote Monitoring

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Productivity Improvements
Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Applicable Industries

Railway & Metro

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Public Transportation Management
Remote Asset Management
Predictive Maintenance

Services

System Integration
Software Design & Engineering Services

About The Customer

Queensland Rail is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. It is responsible for nearly 51 million customer journeys each year and about 8,000 km of track. The operator used to experience power system incidents affecting the running of its railway network. With 1.5 million visitors expected to descend on the state for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a major international multi-sport event, a much more reliable system was needed. To master this challenge, Queensland Rail decided to upgrade its network and install a second substation for its inner-city services at the busy Fortitude Valley station in Brisbane.

The Challenge

Queensland Rail operates passenger services throughout Queensland, Australia. It is responsible for nearly 51 million customer journeys each year and about 8,000 km of track. The operator used to experience power system incidents affecting the running of its railway network. With 1.5 million visitors expected to descend on the state for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a major international multi-sport event, a much more reliable system was needed. To master this challenge, Queensland Rail decided to upgrade its network and install a second substation for its inner-city services at the busy Fortitude Valley station in Brisbane. The location presented an extra difficulty as the available space allowed for just a 24-square foot (7.3 m2) container. As a result, solutions used for the substation needed to be compact, while still able to function reliably, efficiently, and effectively.

The Solution

Schneider Electric was tasked with designing, supplying, and installing the substation. To meet the tight specifications, the Schneider team proposed a range of powerful solutions for the switchroom, based on the EcoStruxure Power architecture and platform. This included a gas-insulated GHA switchgear, MiCOM protection relays, and a suite of backup protection and automation functions. The 27.5 kV/ 200 A model of GHA switchgear was chosen for its compact design and high dependability, operating reliability, maximum operator safety, and ergonomic operator guidance. To ensure the substation retained its critical power, the Gutor PXC industrial UPS system – ideal for harsh environments with vibrations – was built into the LV Spacial SF switchgear cabinet. The substation is monitored and controlled remotely through Citect SCADA software, giving complete visibility of the system. Schneider Electric built the contained switchroom at one of its manufacturing facilities and field service employees tested all of its components. Final delivery involved two cranes lifting the container and slotting it into place.

Operational Impact

The implementation of compact, highly reliable technology from Schneider Electric has enabled Queensland Rail to enhance the reliability of its services.
As the substation was assembled at Schneider Electric facilities, on-site work was minimized and Queensland Rail avoided as many interruptions to commuters as possible.
The substation offers lower maintenance costs, as all live parts are sealed to prevent exposure to pests and corrosive atmospheres.
In the event of any safety incident, Queensland Rail is able to quickly de-board passengers from the trains if necessary. This is thanks to the Citect SCADA software allowing the operator to respond to safety incidents in real time, as well as safely earth the system from the remote control center.

Quantitative Benefit

Reduction in the number of power system incidents
The upgrade passed the stringent test of coping with an extra 1.5 million passengers during the Commonwealth Games
Engineering, installation, and commissioning costs were reduced and CapEx was lowered