PTC SIMULATOR – SENTINEL TRAINGUARD BY SIEMENS

CITEF has developed and installed a Simulator capable of reproducing reliably the PTC (Positive Train Control) system, known as Trainguard Sentinel. It has been implemented on the Nacala Corridor line, operated by Vale, which construction began in 2012 and has been recently inaugurated. The system reproduces the integrated system operation, carried out with freight locomotives (type SD70).

The simulator shows the behaviour of the PTC systems both on the onboard part and the trackside constituents, the functioning of the trains and field elements, as well as a full HD hyperrealist visual environment of an area of approximately 20 kilometres of the Nacala corridor between the stations of Nampla and Nampula New in Mozambique.

The trains included in the simulator can be configured as regards the number of locomotives and waggons, and their cargo. One of them is driven by the Virtual Cabin or combining the Virtual Cabin with physical controls that facilitate driving, whereas the rest of the trains are driven automatically by the simulator with the purpose of generating traffic on the line.

Likewise, CITEF has included an energy saving calculation system module in the system, which, together with the DAS (Driver Advisory System), gives indications to the driver advising on the recommended mode of driving to save fuel, respecting the maximum arrival times at each station.

The system simulates all the necessary modules to operate the line and permits exchanging the simulated OCC by the Rail9000 system by Siemens, which controls the line in reality.

The simulator has been installed in the Siemens ShowRoom at Tres Cantos, together with the existing high speed and mass transit ones.



The system is also portable if need be, as its modules can be executed on two tablets, which makes it ideal to demonstrate how the PTC system actually works. This has already been used in trade fairs such as Innotrans, AfricaRail and Minexpo.