On October 15, with the first electric passenger train slowly leaving the garage for the main track, the signaling system of high speed train commissioning of Nantong Rail Transit Phase I of Line 1 was officially started, marking a step closer to the full operation in 2022 and the "subway era" in Nanchong.

Launching Ceremony for the Dynamic testing, Source: Nantong Metro

Phase I of Line 1, constructed from northwest to southeast, is basically in a shape of W in parallel with the flow of Yangtze River. It is an important backbone route across the city, passing Tongzhou District, Gangzha District, Chongchuan District, Economic and Technological Development Zone, with a length of about 39.146 km, a total of 28 stations (including 5 transfer stations), Pingdong section and Xiaohai parking lot.

Nantong Phase I of Line 1 equiped with CASCO's mature and stable CBTC signaling system as the long subway's "smart brain" to control the flexible operation; the signaling system will reliably ensure the Line's safe and efficient operation. It is noteworthy that CASCO will provide an intelligent operation and maintenance system for Line 1 in cooperation with Nantong Urban Rail Transit Co., Ltd. in the system development, and establish route-network intelligent operation and maintenance center in the control center.

the Dynamic testing is the last hurdle before trial operation and official operation; the signaling system requires hundreds of functional tests and months of commissioning, mainly including: the trackside data calibration, wireless coverage test, dynamic trackside testing of a single train at a low/medium speed, ATO precise braking testing, dynamic multi-vehicle tracking testing, etc.

A picture of CASCO staff working on site

To ensure the smooth commissioning, CASCO planned in advance, strove to mobilize resources, organized elite staff and kept optimizing the test plans and schema, and thereby get fully prepared for the Dynamic testing thanks to the comprehensive arrangement of Nantong Urban Rail Transit Co., Ltd. At present, CASCO is carrying out the commissioning in an orderly manner, with the whole set of equipment running stably as indicated by the data. In the future, CASCO teams will continue to make persistent efforts to lay a solid foundation for the full operation of the subway.