4Tel Digitises ARTC’s Work on Track Activities with eTAP

Delivered eTAP app in 2020; eTAP-Operations in 2022

Project Information

Client:

Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)

Location:

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA & WA

Completed:

eTAP app in 2020; eTAP-Operations in 2022

Project Overview

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) manages the Australian interstate network and facilitates the movement of more than 400 freight and passenger trains every day across an 8,500km network that spans New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

For decades Protection Officers have used voice communications and paper forms to record track access authority details provided over the phone by the Network Controller. This administrative process is slow, vulnerable to human error and adds to the workload of the Network Controller. It can also lead to long delays while the Protection Officer waits in the queue to obtain their track access authority.

ARTC identified an opportunity to apply mobile technology to improve the track access authority process. In 2019, 4Tel was engaged to design the eTAP app to digitise existing manual processes relating to work on track activities. The eTAP app went live in NSW in February 2020 and was expanded across the whole ARTC network in October 2023.

In July 2022, eTAP-Operations was launched for use by Network Control staff across the whole of the ARTC Network. The solutions continue to be enhanced based on user feedback.

Scope of Work

e-TAP App

ARTC’s initial requirement was to eliminate the use of verbal Track Occupancy Authorities (TOAs) from its NSW network to speed up the communication process and improve the safety for staff, contractors and train operators.

A technology-based solution offered the ability to introduce system engineering controls to the track access process and to improve the Protection Officers’ real-time location awareness relative to the protection limits.

ARTC’s approach was to find a fit-for-purpose solution that was proven within the NSW Rail Environment. 4Tel’s solution 4PTW (Permit to Work), already deployed on the NSW Country Regional Network, was selected as the best option for ARTC.

Key benefits of the app include:

Creation and management of Lookout Working and Work in Corridor requests within the app without the need to call network control.

Actioning of Track Occupancy Authorities from within the app via a clear interactive graphical display.

Presenting work on track information via a clear and interactive graphical display.

Providing information of other work on track activities in the area.

In app notifications and reminders for hazardous areas and end of permitted work scheduled.

The app works on train order and signalled territory and integrates with other systems, including TMACS Train Orders.

Detailed logs can be captured and downloaded through the app and can assist Protection Officers to obtain recertification.

Lookout working calculator to review sighting distance.

Interactive map even when out of coverage.

Phone directory.

The eTAP app is available for free on IOS and Android app stores, making it widely available to both ARTC staff and contractors.

The complexity of initially implementing the project in NSW across multi-track territory included:

3,200 control points and locations across 3500km of track.

19 Network Control Boards.

140 Network Controllers and 1,800 Protection Officers required training in the system.

The geographically spread workforce required 4Tel to set up an operational training system that could be accessed remotely for training sessions.

Complying with ARTC standards – this included network designs, and cyber security considerations to support an open communication channel electronically into the control centre.

A hard deadline due to planned changes to Network Rules required the system to be working across all 19 control boards from the initial launch date.

eTAP-Operations 

Following the success of the eTAP app project, eTAP-Operations was launched in July 2022 across the whole ARTC network to modernise train control functions, such as work on track and other operational support activities. It is the ARTC configured version of 4Tel’s 4AMS software, a web browser-based solution, and is deployed in ARTC control centres in Junee and Broadmeadow in NSW, and Mile End in South Australia.

The system empowers Network Controllers to monitor and manage daily train and work on track operations and conditions affecting the network in a dynamic display. It replaced the use of paper forms and other manual processes.

The solution also manages the accounts of 2,300 Protection Officers which are linked to their Rail Industry Workers accreditation. This ensures Protection Officers can only be issued work types for which they are currently trained and certified for – a feature which was not previously possible with administrative processes.

Outcomes & Achievements

eTAP App

The project was implemented in less than 12 months across the NSW track and saw an uptake of 99+% among Network Controllers and Protection Officers.

Use of the app considerably reduced voice communications to Network Control, diverting around 8,700 phone calls per month. At around two minutes per call, this equates to 290 hours of conversations saved every month. It also provides Protection Officer with a quicker way to get in contact with Network Controllers.

The success of the project in NSW saw it rolled out across the whole ARTC network in 2023.

eTAP-Operations

The dynamic and easy to use graphical interface has been well-received by users. In its first 12 months of operations, eTAP-Operations managed over 55,500 work-on-track activities including:

29,000 Work in Corridor (WIC)

16,500 Track Occupancy Authorities (TOA)

10,000 Lookout Working (LOW)

The project highlighted that targeted technology enhancements can be delivered across a complex rail network in a single rollout and achieve significant end-user benefits and positive feedback.