Design and Supply of Pantograph Collision Detection System and ICT Management

Background

A key component of the Public Transport Authority’s (PTA’s) electrified network is the Pantograph interacting with the overhead lines to supply electricity to the rolling stock. To meet the current and future passenger requirements the pantograph must operate smoothly and remain in contact without excessive wear or chipping. This wear and chipping can be caused by foreign objects intruding on the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) (i.e., vegetation, stray umbrellas etc.) or by the degradation of the OLE equipment itself (i.e., broken droppers).

The PTA currently has 362km of track and OLE, 48 two-car A Series and 78 three-car B Series trains, totalling 126 pantographs. Currently, the PTA operates at a maximum of 12 trains per hour (tph) and plans to increase this to 18 tph between 2022 and 2031, in addition to the expansion of the electrified network through the METRONET projects. With this expansion of the network and increase in train frequency, being able to identify problem areas quickly and accurately before they develop into a defect that causes train delays is critical.

PTA has had three reported occurrences of the pantograph horns rubbing on the contact wires in 2021 and a major incident on the 17 March 2020 where a pantograph became entangled in the OLE causing major delays on the Joondalup line.

Currently, when excessive pantograph wear or chipping is reported, a manual inspection is carried out. This is typically done visually from ground level and using footage from the currently installed pantograph cameras on Rail Car 04 and Rail Car 91. The identification of these defects often requires someone to spend many hours reviewing low resolution video footage and walking the track. Consequently, defects are extremely difficult to pinpoint and often unable to be found and fixed. Left unchecked, they can gradually develop into more significant defects including dewirements, significant network delays and outages, infrastructure repairs and rollingstock repairs.

To manage this interface the installation of a Pantograph Collision Detection System (PCDS) is proposed. This system shall identify, report and show the anomalous behaviour of the pantograph to allow for the monitoring and easy identification of points of interest and provide the opportunity to repair defects before they become a significant problem.

Scope of Works and Specification

The Scope of Works of the Contractor is divided into two Contracts as follows:

1. Contract 1 - Design and supply of PCDS

Design and supply of one PCDS for B series railcar, along with installation support and training.

Initially, a single unit will be provided for a 12-month trial period dedicated to testing on a B series EMU supported by the software platform.

As part of Contract 1, the Contractor is obligated to supply spare parts for the PCDS. Additionally, there may arise a necessity for the Contractor to provide pantographs if permanent modifications are being made, as outlined in PCDS-041 of the PRS.

1. Contract 2 – Design, supply and setup of software platform, and ICT Operation and Management

Design, supply and setup of the supporting software platform which will be included with the PCDS supplied under Contract 1. Following the installation and entering into service of the PCDS, supply ICT operation and management services for the 12-month trial period.

Contract 1 and Contract 2 will be conditional and interdependent with each other, so that PTA will not be obliged to proceed with Contract 1 unless Contract 2 is also being entered into.

1. Options
2. a) Contract 1

Following successful completion of the 12-month trial, PTA has an option to order two additional PCDS units. The Contractor shall supply the two additional PCDS units ordered by PTA. If the additional two units are to be used for A or C series railcars, the Contractor must prepare the design package for these railcars as part of the supply of the two additional PCDS units.

The provision of spare parts for additional two units is included in this Contract.

b) Contract 2

Following successful completion of the 12-month trial, PTA has an option to extend the term for the supply of ICT operation and management services for the single PCDS unit supplied under Contract 1, for a period expiring on the day before the 5th anniversary of the commencement of Contract 1 and Contract 2.

If PTA orders two additional PCDS units, the Contractor must design (if applicable), supply and setup the software which will be included in the two additional PCDS units to be supplied in accordance with the option under Contract 1. Following the installation and entering into service of the two additional PCDS units, the Contractor must supply ICT operation and management services for all three PCDS units for the period expiring on the day before the 5th anniversary of the commencement of Contract 1 and Contract 2.

Note to Tenderers: PTA240029 ICT Services (Book3b) RFT Proposed ICT Services Contract, is currently being finalised and will be released, as soon as it becomes available.