Contactless Control

Kazakhstan Railroads (KzR) and TMH Intelligent Systems LLC put the CTRL@LOCK 400 microprocessor interlocking system into permanent operation in May. Today this technology is available at the Maylytogai station of the Kyzylorda section of the railroad, but KzR intends to scale it up to the entire network of the company.
The system is designed for contactless control of points, traffic lights and other objects of railway infrastructure.  According to Andrey Romanchikov, CEO of TMH Intelligent Systems LLC (TMH IS), the technology was created in March 2021 on the HMR-9 platform developed by the Italian company ECM S.p.A.  Kazakhstan has become the first 1520 country to operate CTRL@LOCK 400, for which purpose the representatives of KzR and TMH IS signed a memorandum of cooperation in the modernization of train traffic control systems at small, medium and large railway stations last year. The system is tailored for 1520 gauge railroads. In particular, new software and solutions for linking with related systems have been tested. In addition, full compliance of the system with the regulations of the Customs Union has been ensured. “Before the system was put full time service, it was tested at the Maylytogai station, through which Moscow - Tashkent trains pass,” says Andrey Romanchikov. “During the test, the new system worked in real time and controlled passenger and freight train throughput. As a result, the technology proved its effectiveness and on May 4 the customer recommended it for permanent operation by KzR and its subsidiaries.”  It should be noted that in addition to the microprocessor interlocking system at Maylytogai station, TMH IS specialists introduced technology for track circuits monitoring and coding and installed a subsystem for real-time display of information on railway automatics and telematics on the operator's monitor.  “All this reduced downtime and delays in train traffic, and contributed to an increase in the capacity of busy stations,” says Andrey Romanchikov.  “The microprocessor of the new system may replace 25 relays previously used at the station,” says Bakhyt Toibayev, the Head of the KzR Automation Center. “Normally, at least 25-30 relays are needed to activate an electric interlocking system-connected switches. Now their work is performed by one system.”  Anastasia Baranets 23 may 2022