The Australian Rail Track Corporation is trialling the Advanced Train Management System (ATMS) between Crystal Brook and Port Augusta as part of a $500 million plan to enable longer trains to run closer together on the same track.

It is being developed by Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s largest defence contractors, and incorporates Telstra’s 3G network.

The corporation has spent more than $90 million so far on the trial, which is about two-thirds complete.

The system uses trackside transmitters and GPS transmitters on the front and rear of trains, which are up to 2km long. The transmitters send data about a train’s exact location through the 3G network and satellites. An operator at a network control centre would monitor the train and communicate with the driver via voice and data.

ARTC spokesman Brad Emery said freight trains running on the same line must be kept between 10km to 15km apart because their exact location was only known within a general area.

“If we can shrink that gap and safety margin down to 2km, we would obviously get more trains on the track and this system will allow us to do that,” Mr Emery said. “It’s about getting more trains and more freight on the north-south and east-west tracks.”

The new system would allow a train to be remotely slowed or stopped in an emergency situation.

Mr Emery said the technology was being developed at Lockheed Martin’s Colorado base and tested in South Australia because of the terrain.

Tram, Bus and Rail Union secretary Ashley Waddell said it was not known if rail companies would try to introduce driver-only trains if the ATMS trial were successful.

“There are other things like fatigue management impediments that must be taken into account, so ATMS doesn’t automatically mean driver-only trains,” he said.

Mr Waddell said the union would be closely monitoring the situation.

If the trial is successful the system will be used on the ARTC’s 10,000km national rail network.

via AdelaideNow

The Indian Pacific was due in Broken Hill in the far west of New South Wales on Friday but has been diverted through Melbourne for its trip to Sydney.

Passengers have been told the diversion will add just over three hours to their rail journey.

An Indian Pacific official Jessica Playford says intending passengers stranded at Broken Hill will get a refund and the track should be repaired by Saturday.

“The passengers that were hoping to get on in Broken Hill, we’ve contacted all of those passengers and they will either be taking a full refund and making alternative travel arrangements or they’ll have the opportunity to re-book on another service,” she said.

ABC News