Building Safer Railway Infrastructure with Lightning & Surge Protection
Client Background
One of India’s critical railway divisions recently undertook a large-scale infrastructure upgrade project to improve operational safety and reliability. The project covered a major route of over 120 km, including multiple traction substations, signalling cabins, passenger stations, and control rooms. As a backbone of daily mobility for thousands of passengers, the division required continuous uptime, safe operations, and regulatory compliance. Any disruption could directly impact passenger safety, revenue, and public trust.
Industry Challenge
The railway sector operates some of the most sensitive and safety-critical systems in India. However, it is also one of the most vulnerable to lightning strikes, electrical surges, and grounding failures. Key risks include:
Signalling & Communication Systems – Highly sensitive to transient surges, leading to frequent breakdowns.
Electrification Networks (OHE/Traction Lines) – Continuous exposure to high-voltage surge risks.
SCADA & Control Centres – Any downtime creates cascading operational disruptions.
Passenger Stations – Safety hazards due to poor grounding and lack of proper surge mitigation.
Why this matters: In a high-density network like Indian Railways, even a few minutes of downtime can disrupt schedules for thousands of passengers, lead to financial penalties, and compromise human safety.
Problem Statement
The railway division was facing frequent signalling failures during the monsoon season, primarily due to lightning-induced surges. Grounding resistance at several traction substations was measured above 10Ω, which exceeded the permissible limits for safe operation. This created risks of:
Breakdown of signalling relays and electronic circuits.
Increased downtime of traction substations.
Potential safety hazards to staff and passengers in stations.
The financial impact was significant: multiple lakhs in repair costs per year, in addition to the indirect losses from operational delays.
Our Approach (LPES International’s Role)
At LPES International, we don’t just deliver products—we act as a strategic protection partner. For this project, we adopted a stepwise approach:
Site Risk Assessment – Conducted a lightning and surge protection audit of substations, signalling cabins, and OHE structures.
Design Engineering – Performed grounding grid analysis using IEEE 80 methods and designed a customized SPD deployment plan for signalling and telecom equipment.
Customized Solutions – Engineered application-specific protection for:
OHE traction networks.
Telecom & signalling systems.
Control centres.
Compliance Alignment – Ensured solutions adhered to IEC 62305 (Lightning Protection), IS 3043 (Earthing), IEEE 80, and NBC 2016 standards.
Solution Delivered
Based on the analysis, LPES International delivered a multi-layered protection system:
Lightning Arrestors installed on traction substations and station roofs.
Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) deployed at signalling cabins, telecom panels, and SCADA systems.
Advanced Earthing Solutions – A custom-designed grounding grid achieved <1Ω resistance at signalling cabins and substations.
Structural Bonding & Equipotentialization – Ensured all metallic structures were safely interconnected to prevent potential rise.
Ongoing Support – Provided maintenance training and monitoring support to railway staff for long-term reliability.
Results & Impact
The results were measurable and transformative:
85% reduction in signalling equipment failures during monsoon season.
Grounding resistance lowered from 10Ω to consistently below 1Ω at substations.
Operational uptime improved by 92%, minimizing passenger disruptions.
Significant cost savings due to reduced downtime and equipment replacement.
Enhanced passenger and staff safety, strengthening compliance with railway regulatory norms.
Beyond numbers, the project brought peace of mind to operators—ensuring uninterrupted services across one of the busiest railway corridors.
Client Testimonial
“LPES International delivered reliable protection systems that enhanced the safety and continuity of our railway operations. Their engineering-driven approach and commitment to compliance make them a trusted partner in our infrastructure journey.”
Conclusion
This project demonstrated how LPES International’s expertise in lightning, surge, and grounding solutions directly translates into safer, more reliable railway operations. By combining precision engineering, compliance-driven design, and long-term reliability, LPES International ensures railways are equipped to handle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties.
As the railway sector continues to expand and modernize, LPES International remains committed to building resilient, future-ready, and compliant infrastructure that protects lives, assets, and operations.
