With a capacity to accommodate 48 trains at any given time, Al Qusais Depot is not only the largest of the three depots that serve the Dubai Metro, but is also one of the most advanced in the world.
Fully air-conditioned, the depot is divided into three main buildings — a stabiling shed, a Light Repair Workshop and a Heavy Repair Workshop. Apart from this, there is also a test track of more than one kilometre and a fully automatic washing shed.
The Green Line, which has been in operation for almost five months now, is served by 17 trains on a daily basis depending on the level of demand. There are 18 more trains parked at the Al Qusais Depot, ready for operation on either of the lines.
At a particular time on a given day, 10 trains operate on the Green Line, two are spare on the sidetracks ready for an emergency, while three undergo tests at the maintenance yard. “We keep the balance in terms of mileage among the trains, the system makes sure that every train that is in use gets it share of load, it never lets one train run continuously while the other is idle,” said Ali Abdul Qader, Director of Metro Maintenance, while on an exclusive trip around Al Qusais depot. Importantly, the trains can be switched from the Red Line to the Green Line and vice versa at the Union Square station where there is a link.
The 79 trains that are currently available for use are shifted from one line to another depending on the situation and demand. However, the smart system keeps track of every train and makes sure every train gets an equal share of the load.
Maintenance
Though Al Qusais Depot is different in layout and bigger in area than the other two depots that serve the Red Line, there is not much difference in terms of technology being used in the workshops to service and repair the trains.
“Dubai Metro uses the latest technology for all its operations, be it the Red Line or Green Line, it’s the same project in two phases. The software that is being used for metro operations and maintenance is the latest and is frequently updated,” he added. There are five levels of maintenance that a train goes through. Levels one to four are undertaken at the Light Repair Workshop (LRW), while the Heavy Repair Workshop (HRV) undertakes the last stage of maintenance, which is the overhauling of the train.
First and second levels of maintenance are taken care by Serco, while the rest is done by the manufacture as the locomotives are under warranty for four years.
Faults
There are three categories of faults: priority one, two and three.
The first category faults are transmitted to the Operation Control Centre (OCC) directly through the control system which reads the faults and sends the train immediately to the depot. It also alerts the maintenance team about the type of fault. The second and third category faults are non-serious faults and are recorded by the internal detector that every train is equipped with. Every three days when the train goes for maintenance, the system downloads all the data from the detector and sends a report to the maintenance team, which then takes care of it.
At the LRW, where the trains go for various tests once in three days, once a month and once every three months, a minimum of two engineers are dedicated for each train, who take care of every minor and major aspect of maintenance. If required more are assigned for the task. Trains are either driven automatically or manually depending on the task at the maintenance centre. The OCC can operate it automatically inside the depot till it is parked inside the stabling shed. From there the trains are driven manually by the technicians to the LRW or HRW. It again goes on the auto at the test track and the washing shed.
The HRW is equipped with cranes that can lift the entire train. “The trains come here only for major repair, either in the body or in the engine. If there is a fault in one of the engines of the train, the train is brought here.
The crane lifts the entire train, and the engine which needs repair is removed and a spare engine is fixed to the train. It is then send back to operation,” said Abdul Qader, explaining the functions of the HRW. Interestingly, no train under operation currently has required any major repair so far in its two years of operation.
Smart technology
Here is a list of some smart features that make the Dubai Metro one of most advanced in the world.
Auto coupler: A coupler is used during emergency when a train is stranded in the middle of the track and cannot be moved either automatically or manually. In such a case, another train will couple with the stranded train through the device ‘coupler’ and then tow it to the nearest station.
Stinger: A stinger is a device that is connected to the trains to feed it with power during its stay in the depot. It moves with the train wherever it goes around the maintenance depot. Collector shoe: It is a device that connects with the third rail and supplies power to the train when on the run.
Obstacle detector: It’s a device equipped under the trains to monitor the tracks for obstacles and alerts the Operation Control Centre if the train hit something even if it is very minute.
Primary suspension: It’s a system that keeps all the bogies of the train at one level irrespective of the number of people travelling on each bogie. It also makes sure the floor of the train is aligned to that of the platform at stations.
Unimog: Train and car
A genius of a vehicle that is both a car and a train at the same time and has an ability to run on the road as well as on the rail track, Unimog is specially designed for operation during emergency situations, like derailment.
Related posts:
- Five awesome technology products for early 2012
- AgriMarine Licenses Solid-Wall Containment Technology to a Subsidiary In Norway
- Goverment set to invest £7 billion in low-carbon technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Osamu Hasegawa invents robot that can think
- Power Technology Begins R&D for New Snakeboarder Product Line
