The FIFA World Cup is one of the world’s most famous sporting events, with countries from all corners of the world desperate to host the prestigious tournament. Qatar, the latest nation to successfully bid for the competition, has already begun preparations for hosting the 2022 tournament. HUBER+SUHNER is playing a major role in the creation of what is expected to be one of the most advanced urban rail systems in the world to support the tournament; the Doha Metro.
Phase One of the project is set to be completed in 2019, with three of the four lines completed (Red, Green and Gold) and 37 stations being built in time for the World Cup. Phase Two is set to be finished by 2026 with one new line and growth to the original lines, the resulting network spanning 300km and 98 stations. The Metro’s driverless trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 100mph.
THREE TECHNOLOGIES, ONE SUPPLIER: A ONE-STOP SHOP
A five company consortium to complete the construction of the Doha Metro was chosen, consisting of Kinki Sharyo, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation and Thales. One vital aspect of the project is providing train control as well as multimedia systems on-board. Robust components reliably transmitting broadband data were requested.
For these on-train communications, the consortium needed a trustworthy, efficient, flexible source to provide a whole range of products, starting from energy, signal and databus cables through to entire inter-vehicle jumper systems, coaxial cables and antennas. Deemed a natural fit, HUBER+SUHNER was selected to provide 4.7 million metres of cable and a set of roof top antennas to complete the project.
“We have a close relationship with HUBER+SUHNER through its Japanese distributor and they always deliver exactly what is required,” said Yasushi Kasahara, Engineering Manager, Design at Kinki Sharyo. “The benefits of the full range of products supplied are clear to see, with HUBER+SUHNER willingly providing technical assistance wherever needed.”
HUBER+SUHNER has been involved in the design-in of many critical components, most of which are instrumental to the data communication infrastructure underlying systems.
“HUBER+SUHNER’s involvement in this project has been on a global scale. We have worked closely with Thales’ engineering teams in Canada for the train control aspects as well as with Thales’ engineering teams in France for the Multimedia aspects, including Passenger Information Systems and CCTV,” said Eric Louis-Marie, Railway Market Manager Connected Mobility at HUBER+SUHNER. “We are delighted to be an integral part of delivering such an advanced, forward thinking metro line and that we have been able to demonstrate our ability to deliver all components for power supply and entire communication networks.”
THE LIGHTER THE BETTER
One reason HUBER+SUHNER was chosen as supplier was due to the space and weight saving reached by using the super lightweight RADOX® TENUIS-TW 600. This product has been specifically developed for rolling stock and fits all requirements for international railway standards. Due to the large amount of cabling required for modern trains, the lighter the cable used the better. The RADOX® TENUIS’ thin wall design means that it takes up very little space and weighs much less than the 3GKW alternative.
The RADOX® generation of cables manages to save weight and space without reducing fire resistance. Their robust composition allows the cables to be durable, reducing the life cycle costs. Electron-beam cross-linked insulation also makes the cables resistant to chemical, electrical and mechanical loads as well as helping them survive high temperatures.
The Doha Metro project is ongoing, with manufacturing of the 225 cars for the first phase of the project expected to be completed in November 2018.
