Fences are one of the most common and visible methods or perimter security used to keep people and indeed animals away from railway tracks. They're a critical first line of defence, but what happens when a trespasser is determined to get over, through, or even under them?
The consequences of unauthorised access can be catastrophic, leading to tragic accidents, massive service disruptions, and significant costs.
Across Europe, trespassers make up nearly 60% of railway fatalities, more than double the number who die at rail crossings.
2023 European rail fatality statistics Source - Eurostat
A challenge for railway security is to move beyond a fencing being a simple “dumb” barrier and update fences with 21st century technology using it as an intelligence gathering tool to gain real-time awareness of every security breach, no matter the intent. How do we turn a fence into a Perimiter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS)?
The video below explores how a single fiber optic cable can transform a standard fence into an intelligent security tool, listening for the telltale sounds of disturbance and interference to provide near-instant, geolocated alerts to security and operations teams to help keep railways safe.
Turning fences into intelligent security assets is just one application of Distributed Acoustic Sensing technology. Find out more about DAS technology, how it works and its many other security applications below and contact us to discuss your project needs.
