The first light metro line in Macau was inaugurated on December 10 2019.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) supplied rolling stock (55 two-car Crystal Mover) and automatic train control (ATC) system for the Macau Light Rapid Transit (MLRT) system. It consists in a fully automated, driverless rubber-tired mass transit system (automated people mover (APM) system) to connect Macau Peninsula and Taipa Island.
In this context, a new axle counter system based on new sensors was delivered by to MHI for working with the particular rubber-tyred cars chosen for the Macau Light rail Transit. This axle counter system gives to the interlocking system the occupancy state of the section between 2 or more sensors.
In fact, normally axle counter systems are based on sensors detecting the iron wheels of the trains. Solution adapted for MHI is now able to detect other piece of iron placed on the rubber-tired cars, by increasing sensibility range of the sensor.
This new axle counter was preliminary designed and tested for rubber-tyred trains in the metro of Paris for RATP (Paris subway).
This axle counter system is safe: SIL4, certified by an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA): TUV.