PKP PLK S.A. has given Alstom approval to use the ELS-96 wheel detector system on main railway routes in Poland. The new release of the ELS-96 wheel detector system was designed in Poland and is manufactured by the Alstom site in Katowice. Such systems have already been used in other countries, such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and India.
The authorization was preceded by a two-year certification process involving nine months of field tests. The system is compliant with EU standards and fully compatible with the rolling stock and rail types used in Poland. It also complies with all the strict environmental criteria that apply to this type of system.
The ELS-96 is designed to detect rail vehicle wheel passage on tracks and it is the main part of the axle counter system for train detection. This system can determine if track sections are occupied and is able to identify the location of the train on the railway infrastructure.
“Thanks to the use of this state-of-the-art solution, the volume of equipment that needs to be installed on the tracks reduces significantly. The weight and power consumption of the system is lower compared to the former version and it contributes to reduced deployment, operation, and maintenance costs involved,” said Adam Juretko, Vice-President Alstom Poland.
ELS-96 wheel detector is installed directly on the rails and has been tested in a variety of weather conditions to withstand high and low temperatures, humidity, and vibration. Thanks to a fully automatic setup process, remote diagnostics, and the ability to upgrade the software, its maintenance is easier. The integrated design of the system ensures much higher electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), thereby increasing the safety and availability of the entire system.
