Projects

Automatic Train Operations of the Metro in Caracas (Venezuela)

Scope of Business: Traffic Telematics
Focus: Modern Train Control and Safety Systems
Client: ILF Consulting Engineers
Project Term: 2007 - 2008
Project Location: Caracas

Metro station in Caracas
Metro train stopping at the station

Project Description

On four lines with a total of 56 km and 46 stations, the Metro de Caracas which was opened in 1983 was transporting approx. 350 million passengers while the project was in development. Line 1 is the oldest in the metropolis and at the same time the back bone for the local public transport. The line, which in its day was one of the most modern metro lines in the world, had reached its potential capacity. To improve the performance a number of measures were planned from the procurement of new vehicles to the modernization of the automatic train control system. The existing control system of the first generation (System PA 135) was to be replaced by a modern CBTC-System (Communication Based Train Control System) in order to reduce the time between trains to under 90 seconds. The system used should also manage automatic train operation. Special attention had to be paid to the avoidance of interruptions in the transition phase when both the old and the new systems were operating in parallel ('Migration Concept').