2009 News Archive

2009 Archive

Axia is DeltaRail's New Solution Partner in Spain and Portugal

DeltaRail is pleased to announce the appointment of Axia Ingenieria as its new technology and solutions partner for Spain and Portugal.

Axia, in close cooperation with it's sister company the technology centre Ikertia, has a track record of innovation in many industries, and specific rail experience working with companies such as ADIF, FEVE, Talgo and Sunsundegui.

John Fawcett, DeltaRail's Sales Director said:

"We are extremely pleased that Axia are DeltaRail's Channel Partner for Spain and Portugal. They have an excellent reputation and an established record of providing quality engineering services to the railway industry, and we are confident that our customers in the region will benefit from this partnership.

Working with Axia, we can now provide local support for VAMPIRE® and the rest of our rail technology products, tapping into their technolgical and innovation expertise."

Alicia Alonso, Gerente of Axia said "The agreement reached between Deltarail and Axia Ingenieria means a step forward in our ability to offer innovative solutions to our clients intended to improve the efficiency and profitability of their business.

Axia Ingenieria is delighted to collaborate with an industry leader in the railway sector such as DeltaRail, to bring innovative solutions to this growing market"

Mark Brooks Joins DeltaRail as IECC Signalling Applications Projects Director

DeltaRail is delighted to announce that Mark Brooks has joined the company as a Projects Director, responsible for IECC signalling application projects.

Mark has extensive railway experience and knowledge in relation to signalling, electrification and Smartcard technologies. He has an electronics and software background but has spent many year engaged in the delivery of infrastructure projects.

Mark has previously delivered infrastructure electrification projects at Siemens Transportation Systems and Smartcard fare management systems at ERG Transit Systems. More recently he has managed signalling renewal projects at Invensys.

Network Rail Awards DeltaRail Systems Integration Framework Contract

DeltaRail Group Limited is delighted to announce that it is one of sixteen suppliers who have been awarded a three-year Systems Integration Framework Contract by Network Rail, owner and operator of the UK's railway infrastructure.

The agreement gives DeltaRail, and other suppliers, the opportunity to compete for the large-scale IT Systems Integration and IT Infrastructure projects that will be required to meet the challenges of Control Period (CP) 4 (April 2009-March 2014), and to support Network Rail’s strategy to deliver a world-class rail service across the country.

Under the terms of the agreement suppliers will price individual commissions to undertake a range of services including software supply, hardware supply, maintenance and support, systems or software development, and consultancy services. This will involve rail specific categories such as Intelligent Infrastructure (e.g. Track Status Monitoring) systems, Geographical Information Systems, Geographical Positioning Systems, Rostering Systems, Asset Management Systems, Signalling Systems and Billing Systems.

Anna Matthews, Chief Executive of DeltaRail, said "The contract award emphasises DeltaRail’s position as a leading systems, software and technology solutions provider in the UK rail industry. It demonstrates DeltaRail’s successful track record as a provider of world-class systems integration and bespoke software solutions which capture its industry-renowned railway expertise and knowledge”.

DeltaRail Completes Successful Installation of Software and Hardware at Metro-North

DeltaRail's WheelChex® dynamic wheel load detection system has been successfully installed inside the Park Avenue tunnel, which carries 90% of Metro-North's trains in and out of the famous Grand Central Terminal, in New York City.

Henry Farquharson, Project Manager at Metro-North Railroad said "The Park Avenue tunnel is Metro-North's heaviest travelled location along our rail system and DeltaRail was able to accomplish the installation with minimum track usage time. DeltaRail has provided an excellent package of both hardware and software and the user interface is very user friendly."

DeltaRail Success in Upgrading Quality Management Standard

As part of DeltaRail's programme of continuous improvement its certified management system has been upgraded by LRQA from ISO 9001:2000 to ISO 9001:2008. This means that the company's quality management system has been shown by audit to be compliant with the latest quality management standard.

DeltaRail Appoints WorleyParsons as Solution Partner in Australia and New Zealand

DeltaRail is pleased to announce the appointment of WorleyParsons as our new technology and solutions partner for Australia and New Zealand.

Over the last year DeltaRail has run a program to implement our new indirect channel strategy. The WorleyParsons Team of Rail specialists satisfies all the criteria in our selection process and offers our customers a high level of technical expertise to support VAMPIRE® and the rest of our products.

John Fawcett, DeltaRail’s Sales Director said:

“I am delighted to welcome WorleyParsons as DeltaRail’s Certified Solution Partner for Australia and New Zealand. They have an excellent reputation and an established record of providing quality engineering services to the railway industry, and we are confident that our customers in the region will benefit from this partnership. Working with WorleyParsons, we can now provide local support for VAMPIRE® and the rest of our rail technology products, tapping into their team of rail engineers and rolling stock specialists.”

Warren Williams, General Manager, Rail at WorleyParsons said:

“Our local knowledge of the Australian and New Zealand rail industries and rail operations ensures that we will provide relevant and appropriate support to DeltaRail customers in the region, most of whom already know us well. The DeltaRail suite of products and technology solutions perfectly complements the expertise of our team of rail specialists, and the engineering services we provide to the rail industry. We look forward to working with DeltaRail to serve our customers even better”.

Coaching Stock Design Contract for Chiltern Railways

DeltaRail is undertaking design work for Chiltern Railways to refurbish their Mk3 coaching stock for use on the London Marylebone to Birmingham service.  DeltaRail's scope of work includes producing design drawings and documentation to convert the ageing rolling stock with modern systems including:

• Power operated bodyside doors to replace the slam doors.
• A Passenger Information System (PIS) that is compliant with the latest PRM-TSI (Persons of Reduced Mobility) regulations to allow use beyond 2019.
• New standard and wheelchair accessible toilets.
• New seating and interior design.
• CCTV fitment.
• Power operated bodyend doors between vehicles.
• Controlled Emission Tanks for Toilets.
• At seat sockets for laptops/phones.
• Livery.

Chiltern proposes to start converting the first rake of four coaches towards the end of 2009.

Multi-Million pound IECC Contract Won at Reading

DeltaRail is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a multi-million pound contract for the provision of an Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC) based signalling control solution at the Reading Station Area Re-development (RSAR) Enabling Works Project.

DeltaRail is supplying an IECC control system comprising four workstations with automatic route setting (ARS) functionality which will optimise train movements in and around the area. The selection of DeltaRail for this work comes at a time when several other important signalling control contracts for Network Rail have been successfully delivered, in particular the signalling control solution for the Edinburgh Waverley Phase 1 Project.

The IECC will be housed in a new purpose built signalling centre at Didcot. When fully operational in 2011 this centre will provide the modern flexible signalling control technology necessary to facilitate the follow on delivery of the Reading Station Area Remodelling Project.

DeltaRail to Present at the 10th Railway Engineering Conference and Exhibition

A keynote paper titled "Using vehicle dynamic response to challenge set track standards" will be presented at the 10th Railway Engineering Conference and Exhibition at the University of Westminster, 24-25th June.

In addition DeltaRail will present a paper about its new unattended track geometry measurement system titled "TracklineTwo - a step change in the measurement of track geometry".

Further information about the conference and exhibition can be found at: www.railwayengineering.com

Network Rail Awards CCF Support Contract to DeltaRail

DeltaRail has been awarded a three-year contract by Network Rail Information Management to support CCF, the Network Rail Operations Control System.

CCF is used by Network Rail and Train Operating Companies as a source of train running and performance information.

DeltaRail a Sponsor of the Adhesion Working Group

The annual conference of the Adhesion Working Group will take place on Tuesday 21st April.  The Adhesion Working Group (AWG) is a non-profit making, cross-industry focus group with the sole objective of researching and developing initiatives to combat the effects of low wheel / rail adhesion. The Group was formed by British Rail in 1995 and has continued into the privatised rail industry as a self-funded group.  DeltaRail is a sponsor company of the group.

The website of the AWG can be found at: www.awg-rail.co.uk

Metro-North Railroad Buys DeltaRail WheelChex® System

Following a successful trail of its WheelChex® wheel impact load measuring system, DeltaRail has won a contract to supply Metro-North Railroad with a four-track system.  WheelChex, will be installed this summer inside the Park Avenue tunnel, which carries 90% of Metro-North's trains in and out of the famous Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

WheelChex will be linked to Metro-North's maintenance systems so that the company can benefit from regular and consistent information on wheel condition.

In 2008, Metro-North Railroad had a a record ridership of over 84.2 million journeys (up 3.8% from 2007) and carries passengers into Manhattan from New York State and Connecticut.

DeltaRail to Exhibit its New TracklineTwo® Track Geometry Product at IAF 2009 (Munster)

DeltaRail will display its new TracklineTwo® Track Recording System at the 25th International Exhibition of Permanent Way Technology, at Munster in Germany, 21-23 April 2009.

TracklineTwo® is a powerful track geometry and rail head wear recording system that is compact enough to be fitted to a wide range of rolling stock and in-service applications, including metro vehicles where available space can be at a premium.

We look forward to meeting you at the show if you are able to visit.

Latest UK Station Usage Figures Provided by DeltaRail

The latest UK Station Usage figures produced by DeltaRail have been published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).  Station usage data consist of estimates of the total numbers of people entering, exiting and interchanging at stations.  DeltaRail has produced a series of Station Usage data for the railway industry in recent years.

A spreadsheet containing usage data and a report describing the methodology used are available from the ORR website at: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529

DeltaRail Appoints Rail Sciences as Solution Partner in North America

DeltaRail is pleased to announce that Rail Sciences Inc. is their new sales and support partner for the railway simulation and design software VAMPIRE®, for the United Stares, Canada and Mexico.

DeltaRail has run a program for the implementation of its new indirect channel strategy for VAMPIRE® for over 10 months.  Rail Sciences Inc. fits all of the criteria within the selection process and offers a high degree of expert usage of VAMPIRE® within its own business.

John Fawcett, DeltaRail’s Sales Director said “I am delighted to welcome Rail Sciences Inc. as DeltaRail’s first Certified Solution Partner.  They have a long record of service to the railway industry and we are confident that they will grow the VAMPIRE® user base in the North American market, so giving all VAMPIRE® users confidence in its future.”

Web: http://www.vampire-dynamics.com

DeltaRail Engineer Wins Award from the Permanent Way Institution

DeltaRail's Liam Purcell gave the winning presentation in a recent well attended competition for young engineers, organised by the Permanent Way Institution (PWI).

Liam's presentation, entitled ‘Check Rails: why do we have them & why not on turnouts?’ introduced Check Rails and their history, and then explored how they function and the benefits they produce.  Liam then presented an argument as to why Check Rails should be provided throughout Switches and Crossings.

When trains travel around small radius curves they naturally move to the outside of the curve, which creates high forces at the interface between the outer wheel and rail.  A Check Rail is an extra rail provided alongside the inner running rail to constrain the movement of the wheel, thus sharing the load between the Check Rail and the outer rail.  This reduces the amount of wear and the risk of derailment.

DeltaRail supports the PWI and sponsors the Nottingham & Derby section.  More information about the PWI can be found at: http://www.permanentwayinstitution.com

DeltaRail sponsors the IMechE Annual Seminar organised by Young Railway Engineers

DeltaRail Group Limited is delighted to sponsor this event for a third year.  The seminar will explore various strategies to ensure that the railway delivers maximum value to its customers.  It will cover all aspects of the railways, from rolling stock design to infrastructure maintenance, from metro to intercity services.

The seminar is suitable for engineers at all levels.  Further details and a brochure can be obtained from Sian Clayton of the IMechE on 020 7973 1245. Email: s_clayton@imeche.org

Contract win for DeltaRail with ATOC

DeltaRail Group Limited has been awarded a contract valued in excess of one and a half million pounds by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).

The initial sixteen months of the contract will involve the development and installation of a new economic demand forecasting model to replace the legacy MOIRA model.  This will be followed by three years of support service provision, with options for three extensions of twelve months each.

The new software model will address some of the key emerging issues facing the UK rail industry in the area of modelling for franchise specification.  It will facilitate operational and strategic decision making by enabling industry stakeholders to more realistically predict how operational changes will impact passenger demand, volume, and revenue flows.

Anna Matthews, Chief Executive of DeltaRail said that the company's strong technical expertise, support from its chosen partner Steer Davies & Gleave, and competitive pricing helped secure the deal.

Commenting further, Anna added: "This contract award emphasises DeltaRail's position as the UK's leading solutions provider in the area of operational planning and real time management.  It further underpins our business strategy to deliver world-class software products which capture our industry-renowned railway expertise and knowledge."

DeltaRail's XV Operating System improves LOROL fleet performance

DeltaRail's XV maintenance management system is now in full operation at LOROL's Willesden depot.  Engineering operations have been monitored and controlled by XV since early in the year and materials management, stores and purchasing has recently gone live.

A key reason for LOROL selecting XV was the short timescale in which the product could be implemented "out of the box".  Training and support was an integral part of the project so LOROL were able to rapidly adopt a tool used widely in the industry.  XV has more TOC customers than any equivalent product, and a guarantee of successful adoption.

Peter Daw, Fleet Director of London Overground Rail Operations Limited, said "The interim fleet performance has had steady growth and recently achieved the best performing period ever on record.  Some of this can undoubtedly be attributed to the XV maintenance management system which gives excellent visibility of issues for improvement.  We expect this opportunity to drive improvement to continue with the new fleet when it arrives.  DeltaRail installed XV quickly and efficiently and it has rapidly become embedded as a routine part of our management systems."