Qatar Foundation Tram System

The customer

Qatar is a country with approximately 2 million inhabitants, located in the Arabian Gulf. Gas and oil are its main economic industries although, in recent years, huge strides have been made to diversify its economy. Education City, an initiative by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), is located on the outskirts of the capital, Doha.

Education City, Qatar Foundation's environmentally friendly 'smart city', is striving to become the main education hub in the region, instructing students in fields of critical importance to the Gulf Cooperation Council. The City also acts as a forum, where universities are able to forge relationships with businesses and institutions in both the public and private sectors.

The challenge

The Qatar Foundation Tram System is a ground-breaking project which aims to create a car-free zone to facilitate and improve the mobility of students and employees within Education City, while reducing carbon emissions. Once fully operational, the Tram System will enable people within Education City to park their cars in purpose-built multi-storey car parks, located at the main entrances to the City, and then travel, free of charge, on the trams that connect the various Education City facilities.

The multiple-line tram network, covering a distance of 11.5 kilometres, will link several universities, research institutes, cultural places and residential areas on the North and South Campuses.

A line-free overhead contact system will ensure a highly efficient operation and maintenance system. Thus, the operation performed by this innovative tram model is based on applications, specially designed to ensure the proper working of the trams, always ensuring the safety of passengers. Such applications are supported by a highly reliable on-board radio communication system which is interoperable with a national TETRA network, operated by Ooredoo.

The solution

The QF Tram System will have a total of 19 trams and 24 tram stations across the Qatar Foundation Campus, including a depot facility, which consists of maintenance workshops and administration buildings.

Siemens, the German-based company responsible for the project, is supplying the trams, signalling, communication technology, traffic light control, rail electrification and depot equipment. Siemens selected global critical communications leader Teltronic to provide radio communication solutions (on-board and handheld radio terminals) for the QFEC project.

Teltronic is involved in designing, supplying and integrating a tailor-made communications system for Qatar's first tramway project, guaranteeing integration with a number of on-board subsystems.

An on-board system has been installed in the driver's cabin on each of the trams. Teltronic´s installed radio equipment enables the operator to deliver live announcements to passengers, using the on-board public address system. An additional system records all voice communication that takes place during radio operation, offering the ability to replay and analyse conversations between the vehicles and at the control centre.

Portable communication terminals have been supplied to operate and maintain the trams, enabling staff to be in constant communication with Control Centre operators and other users.

Conclusion

Teltronic's solution draws on its expertise and innovation in integrated systems for the transportation sector. The customised system was selected due to its:

• flexibility and integration capabilities
• guaranteed availability and reliability

Teltronic is proud to participate in this ground-breaking new project in Qatar, which is contributing to the country's technological development.