Invensys Rail expands Turkish Presence with major new signalling contract

A joint venture of Invensys Rail and Turkish civil engineering company Fermak has been awarded a €76 million project from Turkish State Railways (TCDD) to install advanced European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) signalling and communications on the 310km Bandirma-Menemen railway – the main rail link between the Marmaray and Mediterranean seas.

Invensys Rail’s share of the award, worth €59 million, will see the company design, supply, install, test and commission its industry leading FUTUR ERTMS systems both onboard trains and on the lineside. The whole route will run under the sophisticated and proven ERTMS Level 2 regime, and Invensys Rail will also install automatic train stop equipment, WESTRACE electronic interlockings, FS3000 jointless track circuits, level crossing safety systems, GSM-R voice and data communications, and a Central Traffic Control Centre in Balikesir.

Invensys Rail CEO Kevin Riddett was positive about the announcement, saying: “This latest award in Turkey reinforces our commitment to the country’s rapidly expanding rail sector. By working closely with our local partners and drawing on our longstanding experience in Turkey, we look forward to delivering another successful signalling and communications installation on time and on budget.”

Invensys Rail has played a key part in Turkey’s ambitious railway modernisation plans, which are transforming the TCDD network into a key communications hub between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The UK headquartered company has successfully installed and commissioned ERTMS Level 1 signalling on the Ankara-Konya high-speed line and is currently deploying the upgrade to ERTMS Level 2. Last November, Invensys Rail signed a contract to supply the signalling and communications for the high-profile Marmaray link, which will see a new undersea tunnel link both halves of Istanbul by rail. This link will see Invensys Rail deploy both its ERTMS system for conventional rail and its Communications Based Train Control technology for commuter trains on the same railway – the first time this has been done anywhere in the world.