Polish rail infrastructure manager PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe has begun testing an anti-theft device for the railway catenary system. The tests in cooperation with Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) are expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe believes the anti-theft system can help reduce financial losses as well as limit the disruption of train services. At the testing grounds in Żmigród, traction poles will be fitted with sensors to detect irregularities, such as wire vibrations, tension and changes in the voltage. These work in tandem with motion sensors that also function at night. The anti-theft system has its own power supply thanks to solar panels and sends a signal to railway staff in case of an incident.