What is PROXICOM?

PROXICOM is an advanced railroad worker warning system designed exclusively for metro-rail operations. As a member of the SCADACOM family, PROXICOM is a secondary safety system that will integrate with your existing safety and operational rail systems or with SCADACOM, also from Willowglen Systems.

PROXICOM provides real-time locations of track workers in relation to approaching trains and hazard zones. Alerts are automatically generated by the system and received by both track workers and train operators when an approaching train exceeds a configurable distance threshold or time-to-arrival threshold. Audible and visual alerts along with physical vibrations can be configured to complement current safety procedures. PROXICOM sends a loud audible and visibly flashing alert to the workers with wearable devices (PROXICOM Tags) and the Train Operator minimizing the chance of a potential collision, injury, or loss of life.

Easy to use for workers

1. Remove Tag from charge bank
   PROXICOM Tags will automatically power on and connect to the system.
2. Attach to safety gear
   PROXICOM Tags are worn with an armband or inserted into a safety vest.
3. Good to go
   The worker will now be alerted when they are in a work zone and a train is approaching.

Easy supervisor interface

Workers and trains are identified on transit maps for visual monitoring. The customisable supervisor dashboard is available on a tablet or desktop. No intervention is required to send alerts as automatic alerts are sent to all relevant personnel when worker-train interactions are imminent. Below is a sample dashboard view for an operator.

Easy to use for train operators

PROXICOM Tags have two use options for train operators.

Option 1

1. 1. Remove Tag from charge bank
      PROXICOM Tags will automatically power on and connect to the system.
   2. Carry Tag to your train
   3. Place Tag in the device mount in cabin
   4. Good to go
      The operator will now be alerted when they are approaching a work zone where there is a worker.

Option 2

In this option, the PROXICOM Tag is…

• • Permanently fixed to a device mount in the train cabin
  • Always connected to a charger
  • Will automatically activate when train power is supplied
  • The train operator needs to do nothing to set up

 

Situational awareness

Willowglen works with network operators to deliver PROXICOM for all environments including tunnels. PROXICOM works at ground level, underground, or combination environments with proven off-the-shelf technologies that enable real-time location services (RTLS) and communications.

Willowglen Systems experts work with every client to advise on the technologies needed to provide a reliable multi-use or dedicated communication infrastructure. From simple satellite-based positioning to complex trilateration and hybrid solutions using LTE, Bluetooth, and other technologies enabling real-time location tracking, Willowglen will assist each client in implementing the perfect solution.

PROXICOM provides situational awareness of the real-time location of your workers – this makes it stand out in comparison to other secondary warning systems in the market.

Utilises commercial ‘off the shelf’ hardware

The only field hardware required to operate the secondary warning system is for the PROXICOM Tags (communication devices).

The chosen ruggedized device can be configured to be a dedicated device that only runs the safety application. After a quick configuration, all your PROXICOM Tags are deployable and ready for use. The optional supervisor feature can make use of any off the shelf tablet or desktop hardware.

No signalling hardware installation is required. No proprietary hardware is required to operate PROXICOM. Depending on your specific track areas, like in tunnels, for example, 3^rd party add-on solutions can provide additional data points (simulated GPS) needed for geolocation.

Intelligent integration

Willowglen is focused on protecting your investment and works with the existing infrastructure of most operators. PROXICOM is not tied to a specific RTLS technology ensuring that future technologies for location data can be easily incorporated. Integration costs are also significantly reduced by not needing proprietary hardware installed or acquiring extra infrastructure to operate and maintain.

Quick setup

Willowglen developed PROXICOM with ease of deployment in mind. We purposefully developed a system that would not rely on the installation of customised hardware. This logical choice means that system installation times are drastically reduced. To ensure set-up is as quick as possible with limited interruption to any operations, the configuration of the system can be done from off-site.

Management reporting capabilities

We know you want to keep workers safe. We also know that the more data you have surrounding worker safety, the better! That’s why PROXICOM provides you with access to full historical data on worker safety. With our management and reporting capabilities, you will have a full audit trail.

Open and configurable to your specific environment

PROXICOM is highly configurable and can be integrated with other systems, including SCADA, to enable a single solution for notifying workers and train operators of potential emergencies. Configuration options are available to the Operations Control Centre (OCC) staff so that the system is a perfect complement to current policies and processes.

Lone worker alert option

This system also incorporates man-down sensing along with a check-in and acknowledgement functionality, perfect for if your network operations involve lone workers.

Summary