Integration and testing process of the ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 in the Czech Republic pilot project

Abstract

The contribution describes the Integration and Testing Process applied by Ansaldo STS for the realization of the ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 systems, and it is particularly focused on the Czech Republic Pilot Project, the first ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 application in Czech Republic. Starting from the context of the Czech Pilot Project, its technical features, the scope of supply and the main functionalities of this application, in order to focus the aims of the project, the contribution goes to the description of the Integration and Testing process that Ansaldo STS applies on the ERTMS L2 projects, that is an incremental approach, from laboratory environment to real plant, and the contribution gives details about what each step foresees and implies in terms of results. Then the contribution focuses on the application of this incremental approach to the Czech Pilot Project, and on the peculiarities of this application, which requested special additional integration and test procedures. The attention is focused on particular test architectures, starting from Ansaldo STS laboratory architecture, which uses both simulators and target equipments, but also focusing attention on some tests that have been performed between different laboratories located in different countries (Czech republic, France, Italy), using ISDN connection. The test phase continued then on Velim test ring, a test site in Czech Republic, and, finally, on the real Pilot Project line, where two different test architectures were applied, between Poříčany and Kolín. This integration and test procedure allowed Ansaldo to perform all the functional tests reducing as much as possible the use of the line and the impact on the existing traffic. The contribution ends underlining the current status of the Pilot Project, the results that are reached, and its importance for future applications of ERTMS Level 2 in Czech Republic.