Lightrail signalling of Caen: a 3rd project for CLEARSY and Mobility (VINCI ENERGIES).

21 July 2020

With a new project concerning the lightrail of Caen, following the projects in Luxembourg – city and Nice, CLEARSY and Mobility (VINCI ENERGIES) pursue their collaboration.

CLEARSY and Mobility have a new ongoing project: the design and implementation of the signalling of Caen’s lightrail which includes seven shunting/switching areas. In addition a new depot is necessary to take care of the new cars replacing the tire ones. Mobility, a signalling specialist of lightrail and critical safety lightrail operation, asked to CLEARSY, a specialist of the development of turnkey certified critical safety systems and software, to manage and ensure the safety of the Caen signalling system.

Last summer, CLEARSY has delivered the four software intended to secure the signalling of the nine stations (shunting area) of lines 2 and 3 of the Nice Lightrail. Following the success of Nice project, CLEARSY has been asked to design the signalling of a 10th station in addition to the initial contract (order from the end of January 2019). Safety critical software are at the heart of the architecture proposed and implemented by CLEARSY for Mobility. They are uploaded on safety PLC (HIMA SIL4), mounted in signalling cabinets on the trackside. Then RS4 safety critical relays interface the PLCs to the track equipment. These SIL4 certified relays were developed in the laboratories of the company located in Aix-en-Provence. Finally trains positions are detected by a system of axle counters and track sensors. At the end of 2018, the software has been SIL4 certified by an independent safety assessor (ISA) according to the European railway standard (standard EN 50128 version 2011). It is a good example of CLEARSY’s know-how for securing complex systems.

Concerning Caen, the commissioning is scheduled for next September. As planned, CLEARSY has delivered between January and March 2019, the 8 software of the project after the positive evaluation by the ISA, Bureau Véritas.