Pilz presents safe and modular track control system at InnoTrans 2024

The rail industry is in a state of flux, with digitization driving improved safety, efficiency and sustainability. Pilz, a pioneer with more than 70 years of expertise in safety and automation, presented their latest innovation at InnoTrans in Berlin: PSSrail. This control system meets the highest safety requirements (up to SIL 4), is approved for railroads, compatible with the EULYNX standard and has a modular design.

"This makes it a flexible solution for the digitization of railroad projects," says Jan van der Heide, business development manager BU Rail at Pilz. He notes an increasing demand for digital railroad solutions. "Infrastructure managers in particular, such as ProRail in the Netherlands but also other European parties, are exploring new technologies to replace outdated relay-controlled systems. These relay solutions are often more than 50 years old, offer hardly any diagnostic information, are costly and not future proof. PSSrail offers a solution for this that is not only safe, but also scalable and easily adaptable to the needs of both existing and future rail projects."

Safe, modular and flexible

"This is due to the modular nature of the platform," explains Jan. "This allows PSSrail to be used for a variety of applications and at various field elements, such as level crossings, switches, signals, or interlockings." Another big advantage is the scalability of the platform. Hardware modules such as Input and Output cards can be easily added or modified depending on the specific situation. In addition, PSSrail has a software suite for programming or configuring user programs. The program library contains function blocks certified for the track, which allow for easy and faster implementation. "Thanks to the modular principle, users can assemble their solutions according to their needs," said Dr. K. K., PSSrail's CEO.

Compatibility with EULYNX standard

Jan mentions another important aspect of PSSrail: "The compatibility with the European EULYNX standard, which promotes interoperability between different systems. The ability to digitize and adapt to new standards during operation, such as EULYNX, makes PSSrail unique in the market. This ensures that rail digitization can be achieved both economically and flexibly."

Step-by-step modernization

When developing PSSrail, Pilz considered not only the need for modernization, but also cost savings. The track control system is based on Pilz' proven PSS4000 technology and developed as a COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) product. "Infra managers can modernize their outdated (relay) systems step by step and increase the reliability and efficiency of rail transport. Thanks to standardization and openness, an affordable and future-proof solution has been developed that reduces changeover times or tests, resulting in significant cost and time savings."

Safety first

"Obviously, safety plays a crucial role within the rail industry," Jan continues. "The safety of both passengers and freight is always paramount. PSSrail has therefore been developed with the highest safety standards in mind." Jan explains that PSSrail is an upgrade of the already existing PSS4000-R system that has already been widely used in railroad applications. "Important point of improvement is that the railroad control system PSSrail as a whole now meets SIL 4, the highest safety certification within the industry. With its predecessor, the PSS4000-R, we needed two systems to achieve SIL4." To ensure that its products meet the strictest safety requirements, Pilz works intensively with external certification bodies such as TÜV.

In practice

Although PSSrail is still in the testing phase, Pilz has already established promising collaborations. In Sweden, for example, Pilz is working with national rail operator Trafikverket on a test track for PSSrail. Also in India, the system is currently being tested in cooperation with local partners. In addition, Pilz is working closely with ProRail to further develop and implement the EULYNX standard in the Netherlands. "This is just the beginning," says Jan. "We continue to develop PSSrail further with new types of safe and standard analog and digital modules, among other things. We will also continue to closely follow the development of EULYNX standards."

With the introduction of PSSrail, Pilz is taking an important step toward the digitization and modernization of the railroad infrastructure, with flexibility, safety and cost savings at its core. "The future of rail is digital," emphasizes Jan. "With PSSrail, we are supporting that transition."