The train operating company Southeastern Rail is using smart video to secure 12 train depots, including five unmanned locations, against theft and intrusion. The TOC provides train services in London, Kent and parts of East Sussex and pre-pandemic was transporting 640,000 passengers each weekday on its 392 trains.
Cameras from the manufacturer Bosch featuring Intelligent Video Analytics were installed and configured to the requirements at the depots by Bosch integration partner Taylor Technology Systems over six months. Machine learning algorithms automatically sound alarms on security threats such as intruders and perimeter breaches. Beyond security applications, the system also tracks metadata on the arrival times of trains while monitoring deliveries at the train depots, among other AI-assisted functions.
The cameras installed have replaced an analogue legacy system. Now fitted are IP-based cameras from the Flexidome, Dinion, and Autodome product lines. These smart cameras include Bosch’s Intelligent Video Analytics, for the most relevant video data to be applied. As night-time security is critical, especially at the five unmanned depots, the cameras rely on starlight technology to provide analytics at night and in low light. The cameras allow colour filtering down to a light level of only 0.0077 lux to deliver detailed monochrome images where other cameras show no image at all, the product firm adds.
To be resilient against false alarms, the cameras can detect movement at the perimeters using a digital ‘trip wire’. In case of a breach, the system alerts Southeastern’s watch personnel, who can view live footage as well as recordings of incidents. Instead of relying on the pre-configured settings such as vehicle tracking, security personnel can also use a camera trainer function to ‘teach’ the product; such as for detecting certain types of objects or situations. The Bosch Divar recorders store footage in encrypted format.
Bosch points to an industry-wide evolution from cameras as video capturing devices to smart sensors capable of collecting metadata. This metadata unlocks insights beyond security: Video analytics at the train depots support applications such as monitoring deliveries to on-site buildings, providing access to personnel and logging the arrival and departure times of trains. The system thereby guards depots 24/7 against criminal access besides providing data for efficiency gains and cost savings, the manufacturer adds.
