European Train Control System (ETCS) Digital Consultant Project

Article written by Simon Cave – Sector Lead – Rail & Senior Principal – Project Management

KiwiRail engaged Vitruvius to lead the Digital Integration workstream for its European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 Programme in Wellington. This programme represents New Zealand’s first ETCS Level 2 installation and is a major step forward for the Wellington metro network, enabling increased service capacity through the removal of lineside signals and reduced train headways.

Vitruvius was appointed based on several key strengths, including our established working relationship with KiwiRail’s Digital Engineering team and deep understanding of their digital requirements, our long‑standing knowledge of the Wellington metro area developed through more than 15 years of work in the region, and our collaborative, relationship‑based delivery model. This approach ensures close integration with client teams and supports the detailed design of complex rail features such as turnouts and points of switch (POS), track alignment changes, level crossings, platforms and axle counters.

The ETCS Level 2 Programme spans the entire Wellington Electrified Area (WEA), covering approximately 105 kilometres of rail corridor. Vitruvius’ involvement has focused on early‑stage digital integration to de‑risk design, cost estimation and construction by developing a comprehensive digital twin of the network. This work has been critical in preparing the programme for downstream delivery as procurement and system design activities progress.

The ETCS system requires the installation of extensive lineside infrastructure across the network, including new Combined Services Route (CSR) ducting, balises, cabling and radio network upgrades to support GSM‑R communications. Delivering these works requires access to almost every part of the rail corridor. Establishing a detailed, accurate digital representation of KiwiRail’s existing infrastructure has enabled early identification and mitigation of key risks, clearer definition of scope, and greater certainty ahead of construction.

A core requirement of ETCS Level 2 is a precise understanding of the location and configuration of critical rail assets. Vitruvius’ digital integration work has focused on capturing, validating and digitising this information so it can be reliably used by the ETCS system supplier during detailed design.

The digital twin programme commenced with the establishment of a master survey control network across the WEA, followed by targeted surveying to fill gaps where point cloud data was not previously available. With full corridor coverage achieved, the focus has shifted to extracting key model features and associated asset data to support both the ETCS programme and broader network needs.

Beyond ETCS, the value of this digital dataset for long‑term asset management is significant. The work undertaken through this programme has created a strong digital foundation for future planning, maintenance and operational decision‑making across the Wellington metro network.