In mid-February, SNCF and RFF conducted an initial review of the Vigirail programme, which was initiated in early October 2013 to improve the safety and modernise the maintenance of railway switches at a cost of 410 million Euros over 4 years. The Vigirail programme henceforth includes fresh actions in response to the BEA-TT’s recommendations in its interim report, released on 10 January 2014, on the derailment of Intercity 3657 on 12 July 2013 in Brétigny-sur-Orge.

The review of the actions to be taken included:

• Action 1: Renewal of switches (€300 M): SNCF and RFF undertake to industrialise the renewal of switches and crossings, boosting the number renewed per year from 326 to 500.
• Action 2: Video analysis and monitoring of rails (€80 M): an SIM (anomaly detection and geometric measuring) has been undergoing trials since January 2014.
• Action 3: 100% traceability of infrastructure monitoring (€20 M): an initial mobile application is to be trialled then developed during the first half of 2014.
• Action 4: The “ALERTE EXPRESS” platform for the recording and handling of anomalies observed by staff or customers has been undergoing trials in the Pays de la Loire region since January 2014 (€3 M).
• Action 5: Rethinking training using new technologies, in particular the 3D maintenance training simulator for switches and crossings, which is to be delivered during summer (€4 M).
• Action 6: Strengthening and simplifying maintenance rulebooks (€3 M).

These actions take on board the three recommendations made by the BEA-TT:
In order to improve control over bolted assemblies, which are the subject of the first recommendation, SNCF is to issue technical recommendations for the design and/or maintenance thereof, with support from an external consultant.
SNCF has also introduced a directive clarifying the measures to be taken if anomalies are identified on fish-plate bolts. SNCF will report back on experience with this during June 2014.

BEA-TT’s third recommendation was to identify criteria for enhanced maintenance of switches and crossings at a local level, over and above the general requirements. The criteria relate to the technical features of switches and crossings, their operating profile (speed, tonnage), as well as other factors (quality of track bed, ballast, etc.). In applying these criteria, it has been decided to introduce more locally-geared maintenance plans (shorter intervals between some monitoring patrols, quicker decision-making on whether renewal is needed, etc.). The conditions for the implementation of these new maintenance plans will be clarified between now and the end of 2014 prior to broader roll-out across the network.

(Source: RFF – SNCF)