Joncherolles rail maintenance facility, situated in Paris, France, has installed the Zonegreen Electronic Interlocking System (EIS). This modern safety electronic interlocking system authorises the control of multiple types of machinery and access to hazardous areas using a Safety Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
An SNCF maintenance depot designed for servicing, light maintenance, and periodic replacements, Joncherolles, also known as ‘Reseau des Technicentres’, was first founded in 1934 by the “Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Nord” to maintain steam locomotives. Since 2015, it has overseen all suburban train operations for the SNCF Paris-Nord region. With three municipalities spanning 12 hectares, an impressive 456 SNFC workers maintain the trains, handling an average of 60 trains every 24 hours.
Rail depots are notoriously high-risk environments due to the presence of high-voltage systems, heavy machinery, and moving vehicles. Even small mistakes can have serious consequences. To mitigate these risks, interlocking systems play a vital role in ensuring safety within maintenance facilities. By integrating interlocking solutions, rail operators can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents, safeguarding both personnel and infrastructure.
Serv Treyvous (STI) have installed Zonegreen EIS on three tracks at the facility and electronically authorises the operation of cranes, gantry access gates, gap filler moveable platforms, and train gap cushions, which are manually chained into position with sensors to ensure that they are in a safe position. The system authorises the operation of the third-party equipment only when the catenary has been isolated and retracted, and when the train is safely in position and powered down.
The electronic interlock panels are equipped with an intuitive HMI to allow the operation of the system and provide users with information on the status of the interlocked equipment.
Gemma Houghton, EMEA head of rail, said: ‘ It is fantastic to have been trusted by SNFC to install the innovative Zonegreen EIS at Joncherolles. The site has a long history with trapped key interlocking, first introduced at the maintenance facility in 1998 by STI, to manage safe access to gantries, overhead cranes, and barriers.
It is fantastic to see SNCF’s continued confidence in our solutions more than 16 years later.”
The Zonegreen EIS also complements the electro-mechanical TKI (Trapped Key Interlocking) system, which was installed in a newly constructed workshop at Joncherolles in 2018 by STI. This system utilises simple logic control to authorise when mechanical trapped keys can be released, allowing for more complex authorisation protocols to be implemented.