Depot Extension for Greater Capacity, Flexibility and Sustainability for the Future
VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nuremberg (VAG) has successfully added five tracks to the depot on Heinrich-Alfes-Straße to create space for twelve new Avenio trams which are being delivered step by step in order to cope with increasing passenger volume. The depot can now accommodate over 60 vehicles and four types of vehicles, ensuring flexibility and efficiency in the long term. By Thomas Klein
Nuremberg depot originally built with HANNING & KAHL’s HN-P technology in 2000 has been extensively modernised and extended with the objective of increasing parking capacity and enabling new functions like shunting runs into the sheds without having to switch off normal operation.
Important new features and improvements:
Extension of the controller and network technology: The outdated Profibus network has been replaced by modern Ethernet technology. Multimode fibre optic connections have been replaced by single-mode fibre optic cables to meet the requirements of IT security guidelines (EN 62443). These changes enhance the reliability of the infrastructure and ensure future-proof networking.
Migration of central systems: The data collector which supervises secured-route management was migrated from the old SIEMENS-SPS technology to the modern HLU Multi platform. Parallel, the Operate and Observe (O&O) server which manages the ConnAct®system and the database was integrated into VAG`s highly reliable data centre, enabling the use of standard PC hardware and rendering specialised devices superfluous.
New operating solutions: One modernisation highlight is replacement of old analogue pushbutton stations by programmable pushbutton stations (HPTS). These provide greater flexibility when selecting secured routes and enable faster handling of shunting runs. The robust structural design (IP65) with stainless-steel button panel and intuitive operation per LCD display make the new pushbutton stations user-friendly and durable.
Improved signalling technology: The analogue destination-track displays have been replaced by LED displays which are directly integrated into the signal masts which means greater clarity for drivers. The “A signal” could also be dispensed with as the destination track is now indicated via the matrix display.
Modernisation of the user interface: the O & O software was switched to a Java-based platform. This new version offers additional functions such as an Event Viewer with which movement sequences and errors can be analysed in detail. Archived files are generated daily and enable retrospective analysis of incidents, which increases transparency and efficiency.
The new functions and tracks were smoothly integrated into the existing system although working with the 20-year-old software libraries was complicated. Technical progress since the original commissioning made these adjustments more complex than expected.
Conclusion:
The project shows that older equipment can indeed be successfully modernised and extended. Nevertheless, aged equipment should be assessed in future to determine if completely new construction would not be more efficient in the long term.