Adelaide CTC

Picture computers

The Adelaide CTC was an advanced train control system delivered to (then) Trans Adelaide by UGL based on its Sigview and Sigmap products.

By late 2007 the project was on the ground but the closing the gap between customer requirements and delivered capability had become a challenge.

CTC at work in 2007

Peter Burns was contracted to review the current situation and report what could be done.

By re-prioritising some of the contractor works (high benefit low hanging fruit early), establishing a Problem Reporting Board (PRB), the gaps could be agreed and clearly identified, the work needed to close each gap prioritised and allocated, and the ongoing performance of the CTC monitored.

“Grey” requirements were dealt with by structuring an ongoing maintenance contract with a development budget included to allow the most important grey needs to be managed and potentially implemented in a collaborative way against a funding formula within that contract.

Some of the CTC team

The result was a well performing CTC system which has stood the test of time and endured in the face of challenges presented by constant adjustments to track and signal configurations. Not every issue identified at the start was solved. The question of how to manage train movements onto and out of Adelaide Yard adequately to timetable was dealt with when the hospital was built.

Adelaide Yard 2008