Hitachi Review Vol. 63 (2014), No.

10 655

Featured Articles
CCS TSI Compliant On-board ETCS Development

Alexandre Girardi OVERVIEW: A Standardised Signalling System has been introduced for
Xavier Ricco the further improvement of railway operation and capacity enhancement.
Hiroaki Koiwa ETCS is a common signalling system which has been developed in Europe
to enable train services to cross boundaries between different countries
Masaki Tsuji
without the need to change signalling systems or locomotives. ETCS is part
Takahiro Hosoido of the ERTMS and many systems have already been implemented around the
Keiichi Katsuta world. In November 2013, Hitachi On-board ETCS was formally endorsed
through a rigorous European assessment process demonstrating compliance
with the relevant TSIs and European Norms at the highest Safety Integrity
Level (SIL4). Hitachi’s IEP Class 800/801 will be fitted with Hitachi on-
board ETCS.

reliability figures, the biggest rolling stock contract in

INTRODUCTION
UK railway history has been awarded to Hitachi; known
In the UK, Hitachi has successfully delivered the Class as the Intercity Express Programme (IEP), including
395 fleets for High Speed 1 (HS1) and completed traction rolling stock delivery as well as maintenance (see
replacement for the Class 465 fleets. Thanks to the on Fig. 1). These achievements drive Hitachi’s growth in
time, on budget delivery of these projects and remarkable transportation systems on a global scale.

Fig. 1—IEP rolling stock

This is a computer graphic of Hitachi’s IEP rolling stock for the UK

- 47 -
656 CCS TSI Compliant On-board ETCS Development

Hitachi has commenced the development of an

European Train Control System (ETCS) solution, On-board ETCS
which is a single and harmonised signalling system,
with the ambition of becoming a global market TIU DMI JRU
supplier. This has been a joint development with
Network Rail (NR) who is the Infrastructure Manager
BTM EVC RTM
of the UK rail network and responsible for the
implementation of ETCS in accordance with applicable
EU directives. Hitachi, working in collaboration with
NR, successfully delivered a proof of concept for the GSM-R

on-board Hitachi ETCS. This was fitted to a Class

97 locomotive as part of the Verification Train 3
project. This tested interoperability with a different
supplier’s trackside system that is currently in use on
the Cambrian Line. Eurobalise RBC

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ETCS

Deployment LEU
ETCS is a common signalling system which has been Trackside ETCS
developed throughout Europe, led by the European
Union to enable an interoperable train service. It is
now being embraced by a growing number of other Interlocking
countries worldwide, especially in non-EU countries
TIU: train interface unit, DMI: driver machine interface,
such as China and India. More than 9,000 trains and JRU: juridical recording unit, BTM: balise transmission module,
68,000 km of track have now been fitted with ETCS. EVC: european vital computer, RTM: radio transmission module,
GSM-R: Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway,
RBC: radio block centre, LEU: lineside electronic unit
System Architecture Description Fig. 2—ETCS and Its Interface
Fig. 2 shows the generic ETCS system architecture. This shows an overall ETCS architecture and its interface
Eurobalises are installed between running rails to defined in EU directives.
provide geographical location information to ETCS
fitted trains. For the most basic implementation (known
as Level 1) trackside Lineside Electronic Units (LEUs) including the current speed, distance to end of MA and
generate Movement Authorities (MAs) based on signal the track condition is displayed on the Driver Machine
aspects. These are then transmitted to the trainborne Interface (DMI). The DMI is also used for entering
controller via Eurobalises. For the next step ‘Level 2’ driver identification and train running number. Train
implementation (to be introduced in the UK) an Radio information and behaviour is stored in a train recorder
Block Centre (RBC) is responsible for generating the known as the Juridical Recording Unit (JRU). This
MA and sending it to the train via the Global System for is mandatory by law for the detailed investigation of
Mobile Communication - Railway (GSM-R) network, root causes of incidents, therefore, the JRU has been
giving a continuous communication train control designed for water resistance, fire resistance and
system. For both cases, train detection is managed by crashworthiness.
a trackside subsystem such as track circuits.
The main on-board unit is called an European
ON-BOARD ETCS DEVELOPMENT
Vital Computer (EVC) which supervises the train,
generating a braking curve based on information Key technical challenges
such as the MA, train speed and current position. The following are the key technical challenges for
This braking curve is calculated to protect the train on-board ETCS development:
from overspeeding and exceeding the limit of the • Development of a robust platform applicable for the
given movement authority. The EVC has a major variety of ETCS functions
responsibility for safety critical functions. Information • Compliance with mandatory European Standards

- 48 -
 Hitachi Review Vol. 63 (2014), No. 10 657

TABLE 1. E-OPE module technical data

against European Norms. The key challenge for this
No. Items Technical Data development was the collaboration between Hitachi’s
1 CPU GEMINI
own safety design philosophy cultivated on the
2 Frequency 64MHz
Japanese Railway environment and European design
3 Brake output ATC-LSI
4 Serial communication 12
procedures.
Input: 96 This safety procedure has been formally approved
5 Input / Output
Output: 48 by an ISA (Independent Safety Assessor) as Safety
CPU: central processing unit, ATC: automatic train control, Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4) and the generic product has
LSI: large-scale integration
been fully certified by a NoBo against 2012/88/EU,
2012/696/EU and relevant EN norms.
• Demonstration of interoperability
Demonstration of Interoperability
Robust Platform ETCS is designed for interoperability and therefore
Due to the integration of highly advanced technological must pass a full set of mandatory test sequences
systems, the ETCS platform requires the capability carried out in an accredited laboratory. The Hitachi
to handle a great deal of data compared to existing on-board ETCS solution has successfully concluded
signalling systems. A dedicated fail safe Computer its EVC testing as a generic product, passing all
Processing Unit (CPU) based on a modular system ETCS functional tests. For this project and future
called ‘E-OPE’, has been developed to meet these ETCS projects, Hitachi has selected Multitel ABSL
various requirements. Table 1 shows the technical data laboratories to test its ETCS solutions.
of the E-OPE module. This interoperability testing was conducted against
This module has the following features: Subset 076 version 2.3.3 which consists of 93 train
• Speed supervise function; 10 times as fast as existing operational scenarios, approximately 1,800 test cases
technology given by enhanced operating frequency, and more than 35 thousand steps. ETCS onsite testing
increased built-in RAM and the reduction of data is a very detailed and time-consuming process with a
traffic between Printed Circuited Boards (PCBs) large number of processes to be validated. Multitel,
• Enables connection with peripheral sub-systems the first ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for ETCS
• Further safety improvements with the integration functional testing, completed a full set of tests within
of a newly developed device incorporating proven 2 months (See Fig. 3).
fail-safe CPUs Following the completion of TSI compliant
testing, the Hitachi on-board ETCS solution has
Compliance with European Norms successfully connected to the Network Rail Cambrian
Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs) Line signalling system and achieved ETCS Level 2
are the specifications issued by the European Rail operation. This achievement came as part of Hitachi
Agency and adopted in a Decision by the European Rail Europe’s ‘Verification-Train 3’ project to
Commission to ensure interoperability for the
European Rail network. TSIs consist of several
categories such as Rolling Stock, Energy and
Infrastructure. Signalling is covered in the Control
Command and Signalling (CCS)TSI. For placing into
the market and taking into service, compliance must
be checked and endorsed by an independent Notified
Body (NoBo), initially as a generic product. The
standards that must be complied to include:
• Electrical and mechanical specification standards
• ETCS requirement specifications and associated
Subsets
• RAMS standards (Reliability, Availability,
Maintainability, Safety) Fig. 3—Functional Lab Testing
In addition to the conformance checks above, This shows the interoperability testing environment at Multitel
a rigorous safety justification is also required (European Reference Laboratory).

- 49 -
658 CCS TSI Compliant On-board ETCS Development

Fig. 4—Class 97 Locomotive

This shows the Class
97301 diesel locomotive at
Porthmadog.

trial ETCS on-board equipment in the UK. During through a rigorous assessment process demonstrating
this project, a Class 97 locomotive (97301) was compliance with the relevant TSIs and European
successfully retro-fitted with Hitachi’s on-board Norms at the highest Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL4).
system to prove interoperability with other systems Hitachi’s IEP Class 800/801 will be fitted with Hitachi
currently in use. As part of this recent success, on-board ETCS. Hitachi is now seeking to supply
the Hitachi system was correctly identified by the ETCS solutions to the global market place.
Network Rail Signalling System and Control Centre
in Wales (Machynlleth) without any system failures. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The locomotive was driven under its own power using We want to take this opportunity to express our thanks
ETCS Level 2 and communicating via the GSM-R to Multitel staff for their hard work and tireless effort
radio network in various operational modes. The trial to complete the interoperability testing on Hitachi’s
was completed in September 2013, running more than on-board ETCS solution.
1,200 km without any major failures (See Fig. 4).

References
SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS
(1)) K. Jordan et al., “Railway Business Strategy and R&D in
The ETCS Level 2 in-cab radio based signalling Europe,” Hitachi Review 61, pp. 190–194 (Sep. 2012).
system will also be implemented on the IEP Class (2) UNIFE website, http;//www.unfie.org/home.asp
800/801 rolling stock project, to be delivered onto the
Great Western and East Coast Main Lines.
Hitachi has also separately signed a contract
with NR for the implementation of ETCS on two
Class 37 locomotives. This work will include the
design, vehicle modifications, installation, testing
and commissioning on the Cambrian Line in the UK,
scheduled for completion in August 2015.

CONCLUSIONS
Hitachi On-board ETCS has been formally endorsed

- 50 -
 Hitachi Review Vol. 63 (2014), No. 10 659

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Alexandre Girardi, PhD Xavier Ricco

Joined Multitel ASBL in 2004 and is now Head of the Received his master grade in Information Science
Railway Certification Department and adjunct of the from the University of Valenciennes in France in
Head of the Human Machine Interface Department, 2002. He worked for Multitel in the department of
he also manages a number of R&D groups inside Human Machine Interface since 2001 on a number
the Railway Certification Dept. including ETCS of Framework Programme European Projects. Since
laboratories, as well as a number of TEN-T (Trans 2007, he joined the Railway Certification Department
European Network – EU 60009-S) and INEA as ERTMS group leader responsible to achieve ETCS
(Innovation & Networks Executive Agency – EU equipment test.
60018-P) projects on ERTMS for the European
Commission as coordinator.

Hiroaki Koiwa, MIRSE Masaki Tsuji

Joined Hitachi in 2001 and Hitachi Rail Europe in Joined Hitachi in 1999 , and now works at Hitachi
2006 as a Project Manager for the Signalling & Rail Systems Company, Mito Transportation System
Train Control business; he is now Head of Signalling Division, Japan, as Senior Signalling Engineer. He is
Engineering for the European Rail Business. currently engaged in ETCS retrofit project in the UK.

Takahiro Hosoido Keiichi Katsuta, MIET

Joined Hitachi in 2002, and now works at Hitachi Joined Hitachi in 2001, and now works at Hitachi
Rail Systems Company, Mito Transportatoin System Research Laboratory, as a Senior Researcher. He
Division, Japan, as Senior Signalling Engineer. He is is in charge of R&D for the next generation of ATP
responsible for IEP signalling system integration. systems, and takes a support role for the international
standards.

- 51 -