A rail maintenance facility in the heart of Paris, France, is improving staff working conditions thanks to innovative Zonegreen technology provided by Serv Treyvous (STI).
Rail depots present significant hazards, including high voltage systems and moving machinery, meaning a small error of judgment could have dire consequences. Therefore, interlocking solutions are a crucial component in maintenance facilities, as they help to reduce risks by restricting access to dangerous areas and prevent unathorised train or equipment movements.
The Zonegreen Electronic Interlocking System (EIS) is a modern safety electronic interlocking solution that authorises the operation of multiple types of machinery and access to hazardous areas using a Safety Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), which uses programmable logic and electronic sensors instead of traditional mechanical keys.
Working with contractor SDEL, STI provided Zonegreen (EIS) to be been installed in a 2 road shed at the SNFC Massena maintenance depot in Paris.
Both roads have been equipped with an electronic interlocking panel that interlocks the operation of third-party equipment with the retractable catenary, ensuring that it can only be used by staff when it is safe to do so.
The Zonegreen EIS ensures that, once the retractable catenary has been isolated, equipment at the depot, including cranes, gantry access gates, gap filler movable platforms, mobile platforms and fall prevention gates, can be safely authorised for use.
The electronic interlocking control panels on both roads have an intuitive HMI that displays the status of all interlocking equipment. This allows monitoring of the position of third-party equipment, ensuring that the retractable catenary can only be reenergised when all equipment is in its safe and allocated position.
Gemma Houghton, Sentric Safety Group’s EMEA head of rail, said: ‘We are delighted that SNCF have chosen to invest in staff safety at Massena and trusted Zonegreen EIS.
Combining forces with SDEL, who are renowned for their dedication to creating safe environments for industry employees, this installation is a fantastic example of how Zonegreen solutions can not only protect infrastructure and workers but also be tailored to the depot’s individual layout.’
Massena maintenance facility will contribute towards housing and maintaining the 28 Oxygène trains that have been provided by CAF following €850 million funding from AFIT France, which run on the Paris-Clermont-Ferrand and Paris-Limoges-Toulouse TET lines. SNCF Voyageurs, operators of the TET lines, are responsible for the maintenance of these state-of-the-art trains.
Zonegreen EIS is a configurable solution, designed to accommodate individual rail depot installations and their significant variations in operating procedures.