Low adhesion season: helping train operators tackle leaves on the line

Every Autumn, millions of leaves fall on the railway – and low adhesion peaks – as crushed leaves build-up on the track, creating slippery (and hazardous) conditions similar to black ice. Low adhesion is both a major safety risk and cause for disruption this time of year. But real-time data and shared visibility can help reduce the impact of leaves on the line.

The real cost of leaves on the line

When leaves on the line lead to low adhesion, risk rises. Risks associated with low adhesion include signals passed at danger (SPADs), station overruns, and train collisions. Alongside these real safety concerns, low adhesion can cause significant disruption and delays, creating a financial drain for TOCs. In fact, RSSB suggests it costs trains operators and the wider rail industry millions of pounds every year.

Low adhesion – a seasonal challenge

Low adhesion is a seasonal challenge for TOCs across the UK. However, it’s easier to tackle when:

1. Wheel spin detection is automated (using braking, traction, GPS, and speed data)
2. Drivers are alerted to low adhesion hotspots ahead of time
3. Crew can easily be reallocated when delays or cancellations get in the way
4. Operational staff are making decisions based on the same view

So how can this be achieved? Working closely with TOCs, we’ve developed a range of solutions – like Notus, Sirocco, and Solano – that pull in information from a range of sources across the rail network to help teams make more data-driven decisions to prevent disruption and delays. Here’s a glimpse of how they work together to tackle this seasonal challenge…

Proactive wheel slip prevention  

Notus is an intelligent app designed to reduce delays and improve safety by preventing wheel slip incidents. It helps control teams detect wheel slip incidents in real-time using braking, traction, GPS, and speed data from trains.

If low adhesion is detected along a route, drivers of those services receive a notification to make them aware of so they can take precautionary measures (i.e. slower acceleration and longer breaking distances).

Teams can also use Notus to create precise, colour-coloured low adhesion maps, right down to individual track segments with mile and chain markers, and use insight collected to improve track maintenance or Autumn leaf-fall plans.

Learn more about Notus.

Real-time monitoring when low adhesion is widespread

Sirocco is our real-time monitoring system for control teams. It’s been developed in tandem with TOCs to improve visibility, decision-making, and risk management across the railway using data. Our team are always working on solving real control room challenges, so Sirocco has an always-expanding list of modules to address risks like overspeeding in real-time, and tackle visibility issues during extreme weather or blanket speed restrictions (BSR).

When it comes to low adhesion season, Sirocco helps control teams identify hazardous areas through wheel slide protection (WSP) alerts, and tracks things like Rail Head Treatment Trains (RHTTs) in real-time to make sure they’re up-to-date with the status of safety measures taken across the network.

Sirocco in action

Just like ABS in your car, a train’s wheel slide protection (WSP) system prevents wheels from locking or slipping. The round markers in the screenshot below show where WSP systems have been activated, while the square marker is the location of a RHHT.

See what Sirocco can do.

The right people in the right place (at the right time)

Sarma is an intuitive resource management app. We created Sarma to support the people that keep rail services running. Under normal circumstances, it helps ensure train crew are allocated correctly, route knowledge is maintained, shifts are covered and payroll data remains accurate.

When low adhesion leads to disruption, cancellations, or delays, Sarma provides a single operational view that allows control teams and resource planners to reroute resources to keep things moving. The user-friendly interface means it’s easy to reallocate members of crew when required, communicate resource updates to the wider organisation, and control teams have clear view of where staff are at during times of disruption.

Sarma can’t prevent low adhesion, but it can make sure the right people are in the right place when disruption strikes.

Learn more about Sarma.

Minimise disruption during low adhesion season

We develop solutions that help keep train services running smoothly and safely by maintaining real-time visibility even when conditions are challenging – be it extreme weather or low adhesion. We’re focused on connecting people and data to keep everyone on the same page, with the same view, and simple communication.

Want to learn more about how we work with TOCs to improve decision-making and data clarity? Send us a message – we’d love to show you how our partnership can help you keep things moving, in real time.