IBM has won a $3 million tender to supply KiwiRail with an asset management system.It has promised the new technology will help keep the rail network up to scratch - something the state-owned infrastructure company has conspicuously failed to do of late,
IBM has won a $3 million tender to supply KiwiRail with an asset management system.
It has promised the new technology will help keep the rail network up to scratch - something the state-owned infrastructure company has conspicuously failed to do of late, especially on its Wellington lines.
The May budget provided a $250 million capital injection to KiwiRail to help it improve engineering and safety standards, with the Treasury advising that another $750 million in taxpayer funds will be required over the next three years.
IBM said its "Maximo" asset management system, which utilises GPS and real-time analytics, coupled with its Cognos business intelligence software, would help KiwiRail improve safety and reliability.
Maximo will supply information on the condition of the 4000 kilometres of railway track, bridges and thousands of pieces of rail equipment as well as the signals that control the safe movement of trains around the country.
Access to up-to-date information would help work crews perform better preventative maintenance and repair lines faster, IBM said.
Certainly, things can only get better.
Some of Kiwirail's current signal-control technology dates from the 1930s.
IBM said it implemented a similar system for Netherlands Railways, one of the busiest networks in Europe. Software was used to weigh more than 50,000 variables, including the railroad’s infrastructure and passenger demand, to schedule more than 5000 trains per day, improving efficiency by 6% with an estimated annual savings of €20 million.
It all looks good on paper. Long-suffering commuters will believe it when it happens.
IBM has partnered with Certus Solutions and Cortell to implement the project.
