Thales Rail Signalling Solutions
{{Short description|Rail automation products company}}
{{Infobox company
| logo = Thales Logo.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| type = Division
| successor = Hitachi Rail
| location = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| key_people =
| industry = Rapid Transit Signalling
| products = SelTrac
| founded = {{start date and age|1998|12|31}}
| defunct = {{End date|2024|05|31}}
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees = 2000
| parent = Thales Group
| subsid =
| footnotes =
}}
Thales Rail Signalling Solutions was a division of Thales Group that supplies transportation-based automation solutions{{buzzword inline|date=November 2021}} for railways. Its operations are controlled from several locations:
History
The original moving block signaling system for rapid transit was introduced by Urban Transportation Development Corporation (an Ontario Crown corporation) for its Intermediate Capacity Transit System (ICTS). In 1985, the ICTS technology was successfully implemented on three new railway lines in North America, all of which continue to use the system today:
- SkyTrain (Vancouver, British Columbia) - original installation now part of the Expo Line and later used on new lines and extensions
- Scarborough RT (Toronto, Ontario), part of the Toronto subway network
- Detroit People Mover (Detroit, Michigan), opened in 1987
UTDC's rolling stock manufacturing operations were later absorbed by Bombardier Transportation, who divested the signalling technology to Alcatel-Lucent. In April 2006, Thales Group announced it would be acquiring Alcatel Rail Signalling Solutions in a deal which also raised Alcatel's ownership of Thales to 21.66 percent.
In August 2021 Thales announced that the ground transportation business was to be sold to Hitachi Rail for €1,660 million.{{Cite web|title=Thales enters into agreement in view of selling its Ground Transportation Systems business to Hitachi Rail|url=https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/group/journalist/press-release/thales-enters-agreement-view-selling-its-ground-transportation|access-date=2021-08-04|website=Thales Group|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Press {{!}} Hitachi Rail|url=https://www.hitachirail.com/press/#/pressreleases/hitachi-rail-enters-agreement-to-acquire-thales-ground-transportation-systems-business-3119538|access-date=2021-08-04|website=www.hitachirail.com}} The process has been completed on May 31, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Hitachi Rail acquires Thales' Ground Transportation Systems for €1,660m |url=https://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/month/2024/05/240603a.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=www.hitachi.com}}
Products
Various railway signalling systems:
- SelTrac (communications-based train control for mass transit)
- AlTrac
- ComTrac
- NetTrac
- FieldTrac
- RBC (Radio Block Controller)
- OBU (OnBoard Unit)
- ETCS
- LZB
Besides its signalling solutions{{buzzword inline|date=November 2021}}, Thales additionally develops electronic interlocking systems, axle counters that can replace track circuits, various types of point machines, and railway worker protection systems.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Thales Group}}
{{Railway signalling}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Thales Group divisions and subsidiaries
Category:Train protection systems