CTE On Board the New WB

Baselland Transport AG (BLT) is a long-standing customer of CTE. The transport company operates the infrastructure on several railroad lines in the region of north-western Switzerland, and now also on the railroad line to Waldenburgertal (WB). As a service provider, we are responsible for the IT infrastructure of BLT's telecontrol system and thus became part of the major 'New WB construction' project.

In December 2019, the first stage of the new telecontrol system was put into operation and installed on route 10 from Ruchfeld to Dornach, on route 17 from Hüslimatt to Rodersdorf and in the Hüslimatt depot. Further connection of the line networks took place in stages over the following years.

The latest expansion of Baselland Transport AG’s rail network was recently completed. After 20 months of construction, the completely renovated Line 19 between Liestal and Waldenburg (Waldenburgerbahn) was officially opened in December 2022 amid great public interest.

BLT Telecontrol System

CTE planned and implemented a network infrastructure for BLT to reliably monitor and control rail traffic with a modern telecontrol system.

Why a telecontrol system?

The telecontrol system is an important part of Baselland Transport AG's infrastructure. It covers the entire energy supply with the rectifier systems and switching stations on the lines as well as the technical systems including point heating, level crossings, lighting at the stops, uninterruptible power supply systems, rail wetting systems, water detectors and ventilation systems. The various user groups, such as train dispatchers and the electrical team, can monitor and remotely operate the systems using software.

In the event of a fault, an alarm is triggered automatically, so that the issue can be rectified as quickly as possible. As an important part of BLT's infrastructure, the telecontrol system plays a crucial role in ensuring the operation of the tramway and the safety of passengers.

Overall, the telecontrol system contributes to the efficient and reliable operation of BLT, as it enables employees to monitor and control the systems from a central location. The telecontrol system not only helps to identify and rectify problems at an early stage before major damage occurs, but also helps to reduce future maintenance costs.

Reliable IT infrastructure

The IT infrastructure we provide is essential for the smooth operation of the telecontrol system. Industrial networks are specially designed to ensure a high standard of security. To achieve this, the network is divided into very small segments, which often leads to greater complexity than in office IT networks. The advantage of segmentation is that, in the event of a network problem, only the affected part of the network fails while the entire system is not affected.

In a network with over 100 switches, faults can occur. CTE was always reliably on hand to rectify these.

Patrick Baschnagel, Project Manager BLT

In addition, industrial networks are especially designed for availability and robustness. An interruption in the power supply or a failure of individual components must not lead to a system standstill. To ensure this, redundant systems are used that automatically take over in the event of a failure. In addition, the network is permanently monitored in order to detect and rectify faults at an early stage.

Another important aspect is real-time data processing, which is essential for many industrial applications. In automation technology and process control technology in particular, data must be processed in real time to enable fast and efficient control of systems. For this reason, industrial networks are designed to have low latency and ensure fast data transmission.

Protection against network attacks

Most recently, we implemented a NAC system at BLT. This system checks the devices before they are given access to the network. This ensures that only devices with the correct authorisations and settings have access to the network. This reduces the risk of network attacks and increases the security of data and information on the network.

The NAC System offers additional security features such as device integrity checks and restrictions on access to specific areas of the network. In addition, unauthorized devices can be isolated from the network and taken offline to minimize the risk of attacks.

Maintenance and on-call service

In order to provide BLT with the best possible support even after implementation, a framework and maintenance contract was drawn up. We take care of any updates and necessary maintenance for all systems provided by us. In addition, we offer an on-call service so that we are available at all times in the event of an emergency. In this way, we can continue to offer BLT a comprehensive and reliable service in the future.

Photo of Thataniyan Thayaparan, IT/OT Network & Security Engineer at ControlTech Engineering AG.

Are you interested in a similar project?

Schedule a no-obligation consultation with Thataniyan Thayaparan, IT/OT Network & Security Engineer.

More exciting insights into our everyday life: