Lxinfo - Technology

Praskintie, Finland: Invensys Rail Commissions WESTRACE Level Crossing
Invensys Rail has successfully installed, tested and commissioned a new WESTRACE level crossing controller and a Frauscher axle counter detection system on the Vaasa line at Praskintie in Finland. WESTRACE now controls a full crossing with barriers at Praskintie, as well as LED road warning signals, audible warning and Tarmo remote monitoring. In addition, comprehensive fault reporting and monitoring is provided by a SIL3 Programmable Logic Controller which interfaces directly to the WESTRACE controller. The project represents the first installation of a WESTRACE level crossing control solution in Finland, with the system providing electrical immunity from the 25KV electrification that is currently being applied to the Vaasa line.		The upgrade was planned to be non-intrusive, with the WESTRACE controller retaining the previous level crossing system’s core functionality, sequencing and alarming. All interfaces to the remote monitoring system remain the same and the alarms were moved from the existing system to WESTRACE, which now also performs the event logging function. Following a commissioning inspection by Finnish company VR Track, the level crossing was formally signed into operational service on November 10th, 2011. (December 5th, 2011)