Thales Portugal is working with the Saudi Bin Laden Group to install a European Train Control System on the Saudi Arabia North-south Railway.

 

The railway will be the first ever passenger and freight service connecting Riyadh and the Jordanian border and at 2,00km long will cost more than US$2.8bn to construct.

 

The European Train Control System will allow for communications along the line as well as security and advanced signalling.

 

Thales is connecting a backbone infrastructure as part of the project that will use Brand-Rex multi-loose tube fiber cabling designed to handle the harsh conditions seen in the desert environment.

 

The project will require almost 2,500km of 18, 24 and 36 fiber single mode cables that will sit along the railway track.

 

These cables use loose tube technology, which provides tensile strength and added protection for the fiber. A non metallic strength member, covered by fiber-filled tubes and a layer of water blocking tape and glass yarn protects the fiber from rodents and allows it to be blown into 30mm bore sub ducts using compressed air.