The VAL by Siemens Transportation Systems Siemens Transportation Systems 50 rue Barbès - BP 531 92542 Montrouge cedex France tel.: + 33 1 49 65 70 00 fax: + 33 1 49 65 70 93 www.siemens-ts.fr Printed in France - April productions 2002 - Trends efficient rail solutions The VAL The most successful fully automated metro system Conceived, designed and developed by Siemens Transportation Systems, the VAL (Véhicule Automatique Léger) is the first fully automated light metro, without driver or attendant on board the vehicle. Since its introduction during the eighties, the VAL system has regularly benefited from the latest technology, constantly improving its capacity, reliability and safety. Today, a fully proven new generation of VAL (VAL 208 and VAL 258) brings to the cities and the airports the appropriate solution to resolve their transportation needs. Inaugurated in Lille (North of France) in 1983, the VAL is also in operation in the cities of Taipei (Taiwan), Toulouse (France), Rennes (France) and soon in Turin (Italy). The VAL system is as well suitable for airport people mover: applications in Paris-Orly and Chicago-O'Hare and soon in Paris-Charles de Gaulle. 3 The VAL VAL 208 2.076 m VAL, the new generation of fully automated metro 2.05 m 1.945 m 3.678 m 0.945 m The VAL system, the first fully automated line haul transit system, without any driver or attendant on board the 1.360 m 3.490 m 1.175 m 1.620 m 1.510 m 12.70 m 2.074 m vehicles, was inaugurated in the City of Lille – France in 1983. Since then, full automation has become a daily reality 10.00 m 26.14 m that matches the challenges of the modern world. The VAL system was selected and put into operation by several cities (ranging in size from 300,000 to more than 2.568 m 2 million inhabitants) and major airports around the world. In each case, the service is tailored to the specific needs VAL 258 3.555 m of each city. VAL, with a capacity up to 30,000 passengers per hour per direction, is more attractive than any other conventional system with equivalent traffic capacity. 10.00 m 1.880 m 13.78 m The new modern VAL system takes full advantage of > A new on-board control unit, featuring an open the latest fully proven technology, enhancing fur- architecture, using standard computer industry ther more its unique and unequalled features with components, to be tailored to each operator's spe- regards to safety, quality of service and flexibility of cific requirements with regards to multi-media and operation. In order to minimize life cycle costs, its maintenance options. 6,175 m7,6 m 6,175 m design benefited from a continuous feedback from 10.00 m4.052 m 10.00 m the operators and STS operation and service activi- > A new Operation Control Center design, using 13,38 m 13,38 m ties during nearly two decades of operation. standard off-the-shelf hardware and software, benefiting from worldwide support. Open archi- The new VAL features: tecture is provided for easy Operator's access and customization to meet his own needs and require- > New rubber tired vehicles developed for ments. Characteristics: VAL 208 VAL 258 Train configuration: 1 to 6 cars better performance in terms of power to weight Base config.: Married pair Single car Power supply: 750 VDC ratio and better comfort, attractiveness, reliability Weight with A/C: 31.2 tons 19 tons Propulsion: 4 motors/car, 65 Kw each Useful interior area: 45 m2 25 m2 Options: Air conditioning and maintainability. Two vehicle widths, based on Nbr seats (mini): 11 8 On-board video surveillance the same subassembly design, are available and Nbr doors / side: 6 2 Dynamic display Variable seating configuration selected based on the specific site requirements. 4 5 The VAL operation Each operator has a console which, in addition to where passenger evacuation and the inspection continuous communication capabilities with the by the operating personnel are more convenient. passengers on board the trains and in the sta- Otherwise, the traction voltage is automatically The VAL system requires no drivers or attendants on board the vehicles or in the stations. From the control center, tions, provides all remote control capabilities for shut-down, all the trains located on the section of only a few operators supervise the whole system as well as the movement of the trains and of the passengers. They train operation, station status and power supply the line are stopped, and the vehicle door located management, failure management. near the emergency handle can be opened. control the system start up and shutdown and respond to any unscheduled events such as failures or emergencies. Beyond the normal operating mode for maximum At Chicago O'Hare airport, since its opening in the service conditions, the system allows for the early 90's, the VAL has been operating around the implementation of alternate modes ensuring a clock, 24 hours a day, all year long on an elevated reduced service, whenever required. guideway contending with most severe weather Depending on the requirements, the operational conditions (123 days per year of subfreezing tem- modes may include pinched loop, bi-directional peratures, 23 inches of snow fall and daily capability, shuttle mode and single track operation. January average temperatures of 19° F). Unlike other systems, the VAL features some auto- 3 matic recovery strategies which do not require the 1 2 intervention of central control or operators. Easy capability to cope in real time with the traffic demand is offered by the automatic insertion- 4 removal of vehicles on the line, either according 5 to a pre-defined time table, or by a simple control 6 by the operator at the Control Center. If exceptionally, a train is stranded on the line, it can be automatically pushed by the following train, 12 8 7 without the need for human intervention, for easy 9 10 11 alighting the passengers at the next station. An emergency evacuation handle is provided at each door of the car. 1 On board video monitoring 4 Station intercom 7 Transmission line assembly 10 Wayside control unit When this handle is pulled, it transmits immedia- 2 On board intercom 5 Platform doors 8 Wayside vehicle communication 11 Operation control center tely an alarm to the Control Center. Whenever 3 Station video monitoring 6 On board control unit 9 Track running rails 12 Guidance/power rails possible, the train continues to the next station, 6 7 The VAL solution, local police services), fraud reduction, etc, for This greatly enhances the feeling of security of improving the quality of service offered. the passenger, especially during off-peak hours, A modern metro for the City when the trains are less crowded. A friendly system without drivers As well it is a tool to record and follow up any inci- An automated people mover for Airports or attendants on-board the vehicles dent. In addition, the built-in safety features of the sys- Safety, the first priority tem are not impaired in the case of loss of com- An optimized solution for return on ve waiting times at transfer stations, even during Full automation precludes the risk of human error munication with the Control Center investment off-peak hours. This greatly enhances the attracti- or misbehavior, a frequent cause of accidents that veness of the system. still occurs in rail transit today. The protection of the environment Reduced initial investment costs Segregated right of way prevents collisions with For a given traffic capacity, VAL’s increased train Minimising the Operating costs road vehicles or pedestrians. This greatly The electrical propulsion system of the VAL frequency (with train headway down to one At any time, trains can be automatically inserted enhances the system availability. vehicles does not contribute pollution to the envi- minute) allows shorter train length. into or removed from revenue service by simple, Platform doors prevent falls on the track, a fre- ronment, the vehicles are designed with regene- VAL achieves the same capacity as other systems remote commands from central control operators. quent cause of accident and delays on systems rative braking for reduced energy consumption. but with shorter train lengths. This is a determi- This translates into unprecedented flexibility for not equipped with platform doors. The VAL vehicles run on rubber-tired wheels for ning factor for reducing the costs of the infra- metro operation The automatic leveling of the vehicle floor to the substantial noise reduction when compared to structure, the length and the design of the sta- The fleet and headway can be adjusted to the station platform level allows safe access for the conventional steel wheel on steel rail vehicles. tions, the size of the tunnels and guideways, optimal transport capacity to match the demand elderly or disabled passengers. On a segregated right of way, the VAL system is contributing also to the reduction of time and nui- in real time. This, of course, yields a transporta- Unique built-in safety features (such as station independent of road traffic. sance during construction. This considerably faci- tion efficiency, since only a minimum of empty door operation or emergency evacuation) have litates implementation in crowded cities where places is transported, and is a significant measure been designed into the VAL system for the protec- smaller viaducts and tunnels can be used. of the operator's profitability. tion of the passengers. Increased revenues Enhancing the Operator’s image A comprehensive, highly reliable communi- On a segregated right of way , with powerful Compared to a conventional system, drivers or on cations system vehicle propulsion and rubber tire adhesion, VAL board attendants are not required for VAL opera- Through telephones, intercoms, public address, provides high commercial speed (nearly twice as tion, and personnel may be reassigned to roving cameras in the stations and in the trains, quick much as LRT's) and punctuality, thus offering services without additional expenses.