Trains in Italy will be tracked and controlled via space to ensure they run in a safe, punctual and environmentally friendly way.

The project could see satellite technology become a standard way to run trains across the whole of Europe.

The Italian national railway company, Gruppo FS Italiane, is installing systems that will use satellites to monitor the speed of trains on its lines and automatically control the signals ahead to slow any engine that is going too fast. The satellites will add capacity to the existing trackside radio systems.

The satellites will also monitor the distances between trains to avoid any collisions. The system will be more energy efficient than existing measures and therefore better for the environment.

Trains making the 40-kilometre journey between the Italian cities of Novara in the Piedmont region and Rho in the Lombardy region will be the first to use the system, which was originally conceived in 2012 and has since undergone an extensive test campaign.

The project, called ERSAT, is part of the European Rail Traffic Management System, an EU initiative to integrate the separate national rail networks into a coherent Europe-wide system. Once it has demonstrated its success, it will allow satellite technologies to be certified for use under the scheme. This would increase the efficiency of the system, cutting costs and electricity use, and thereby reducing carbon emissions.

The ERSAT project is being implemented in coordination with the Italian Space Agency, with the support of ESA, and with the contribution of the EU's European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency.

Related Links
Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA
Great Train Journey's of the 21st Century

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Virgin's Hyperloop carries passengers for the first time
Los Angeles (AFP) Nov 9, 2020
The Virgin Hyperloop made its first journey carrying passengers Sunday, in a test the company claimed represented a major step forward for the "groundbreaking" technology capable of transporting people at 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) an hour. The Hyperloop is intended to carry passengers in small pods through a vacuum tube, with proponents arguing it could revolutionize high-speed travel. Virgin says the Hyperloop will be able to reach top speeds of 1,080 kilometers an hour (671 mph) - projecti ... read more