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European Railroad Discussion > Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automationDate: 03/15/15 10:26 Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas Today I went to Vuosaari metro station to photograph train access doors which were installed at the platform for the project of metro "automation": to run trains without drivers. A year ago doors were installed and tomorrow, on Monday, removal of the doors will start because the project is cancelled. I do not know the details, but generally, the contractor didn't supply promised technology. That's what I heard.
1. Doors installed at one side of the platform. This side is not in use. 2. Doors. 3. View of the station. Date: 03/15/15 10:29 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas 4. Train leaving the station.
5. Station view from outside. Vuosaari is an end station at the East end. 6. Train is leaving the station by changing the track because the other side of platform is not used. Date: 03/15/15 10:31 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas 7. This is the Eastern end of Helsinki metro line. We should ask McKey for information where to the track continues.
Date: 03/15/15 12:54 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: 567Chant In pic 7, there are two yellow objects leaning over the track.
Are they carstops? If so, what is the proper name for them; I want to learn of their construction. TIA! ...Lorenzo Date: 03/15/15 14:37 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas Yes, this is movable "carstopers". I also wish to hear the proper term from our English language experts. Anyone out there?
Stas Date: 03/16/15 03:54 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: McKey Great pictures Stas, as usual!
Looks like the "car buffer" is actually an "EMU buffer"...though I doubt it would stop anything running from either direction. More likely: it defines how far the metros can run towards Vuosaari harbor line without loosing electrical connection or metro train control systems. This is just about where the track ended years ago. The extension literally over the hill was built after the Viikki/Myllypuro serivce track from Oulunkylä was finally dismantled. Service track is convenient since both national network and metro is built on the same 1524mm / 5" gauge. When the extension was opened, no one seemed to notice that the nearby bridge is built so that metros can run under it but not the VR full sized diesels...resulting with a Dv12 road switcher with a refurbished metro set coming with speed down the hill, crews noticing too late that only the metro will fit there. Nobody was fortunately hurt, but as a result VR has one less of these handy old road switchers. No damage to the bridge either, I think they actually designed it with this kind of accidents in mind. A few more pics from the site show where the track ends and how it climbs between the trees up the hill. Date: 03/16/15 04:18 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: McKey About the platform doors: like Stas says, Siemens could not deliver, instead the project costs (according to buyer HKL) were pushed 4 times the original sum. Not going to details (both parties are to blame for the end result) the project dissolved in early 2015, after new development mgr entered HKL.
Initially the project was sold to city of Helsinki by saying the metro trains can only run with 4 minutes head way without totally automatic train control. With the new management it was finally admitted that for example in Paris metros can run 1,5 minutes between them semi automatically, with a driver overlooking the operations. So the vision is to achieve the targeted peak time 3 minute interval with manned trains, no need for 200 million euro automation. In 2016 the Western new section of metro will be taken into use (Länsimetro). Because the station are built shorter than on other parts (to save costs) the train interval must be much shorter than in the mid or eastern part of the line. Hence the need for automation. The opening of the new lines would have had to been postponed by two years with Siemens, something that the buyer could not go through with after all the earlier postponements. Siemens told HKL they should retire their (now all rebuilt) earliest M100 sets, so this was further incentive to stop the project. Below a M100 and M200 sets, M300 from CAF has just arrived and being put together at the HKL maintenance facilities. It actually looks very much like Bombardier M200, but is twice as long, the length that is needed on Länsimetro. Please everyone, ask if you have any more questions! Date: 03/16/15 12:41 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas McKey Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > diesels...resulting with a Dv12 road switcher with > a refurbished metro set coming with speed down the > hill, crews noticing too late that only the metro > will fit there. Nobody was fortunately hurt, but > as a result VR has one less of these handy old > road switchers. No damage to the bridge either, I > think they actually designed it with this kind of > accidents in mind. When this strange accident happened? Stas Date: 03/16/15 23:59 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: McKey If I remember right it was spring 2013.
For those wondering what the Dv12 looks like here is a view of unit 2556 of the remaining ~150 acting as a Thunderbird after the pantograph of VR "Rabbit" EMU stuck somewhere and came down. Date: 03/19/15 20:57 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: DNRY122 Looks like we have what electric workers call "personal grounds" going from the trolley wire to (we would presume) the rail. Our British colleagues would probably say, the overhead is "properly earthed" to make sure that the wire is not inadvertently energized while work is in progress. When I worked for the Southern California Edison Co., I'd be monitoring the line crew radio channel, and hear "All personal shorts (this would be for 3-phase AC lines) and grounds have been removed, and as far as I'm concerned the Gainsborough 16 kV line is ready for service." Very strict protocols are observed, because trains are fast, but electricitiy is a lot faster.
Date: 03/19/15 21:03 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: DNRY122 Regarding Metro automation: Here in the Los Angeles area, we had a proposal to have the "Green Line" light rail set up for automated operation, and two Siemens cars were modified for testing the system. But the idea was abandoned--the transit operators union wasn't going for it, and I think the politician for whom this was a "pet project" either left office, or figured that automation wasn't worth the fight. Note that the Green Line is the only LA area light rail line that has no grade crossings.
Date: 03/20/15 00:02 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: McKey Interesting! I think we had the same happening here: metro workers union being opposed to change. But still people and politicians decided what systems will be used in the future here. Even then, Siemens failed to convince the buyer city of Helsinki politicians and bureaucrats that they could deliver the the system technically and within economical frame in the end. So two reasons for ditching the project existed.
I believe the automation project will be retried in another 10-15 years, once the M100 fleet of trains is retired, and hopefully then the results will be better. Climate up here is not one of the easiest, so metro operator HKL has been rebuilding all stations so that they are no more directly open to the elements, ready for automation too. Looks like automated Metro is working well on many lines in both Paris, France and Copenhagen, Denmark. Neither of these has a demanding climate. Pictures from Copenhagen. DNRY122 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Regarding Metro automation: Here in the Los > Angeles area, we had a proposal to have the "Green > Line" light rail set up for automated operation, > and two Siemens cars were modified for testing the > system. But the idea was abandoned--the transit > operators union wasn't going for it, and I think > the politician for whom this was a "pet project" > either left office, or figured that automation > wasn't worth the fight. Note that the Green Line > is the only LA area light rail line that has no > grade crossings. Date: 03/22/15 01:41 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: tq-07fan McKey you bring a very interesting point. Vancouver SkyTrain has run for thirty years without much incident but Vancouver also has a temperate climate. Detroit People Mover, using the exact same linear induction propulsion system has had several long term service disruptions. Of course Detroit has extremes in weather very hot Summers and very cold Winters. Toronto attempted to use the same system on the Scarborough Rapid Transit but chose to run their cars with an operator.
Jim Date: 03/22/15 06:11 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: McKey Jim, this is a set of excellent and detailed pictures of those vehicles. Thank you for sharing these!
John tq-07fan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > McKey you bring a very interesting point. > Vancouver SkyTrain has run for thirty years > without much incident but Vancouver also has a > temperate climate. Detroit People Mover, using the > exact same linear induction propulsion system has > had several long term service disruptions. Of > course Detroit has extremes in weather very hot > Summers and very cold Winters. Toronto attempted > to use the same system on the Scarborough Rapid > Transit but chose to run their cars with an > operator. > > Jim Date: 04/11/15 10:53 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas Thank you for very interesting photos!
Date: 04/11/15 11:09 Re: Finland: Helsinki gave up metro automation Author: Stas McKey published photos of connecting track during construction. Today I visited the place and took some photos of the end of the line.
Photo 1. There, behind the gates, in Vuosaari harbour, the track begins. Photo 2. Car bumpers in the harbour. Similar to ones at the station, but with strange big red pointer. Photo 3. View to the Vuosaari metro station from the connecting track side. |