In the city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic, tram carriages are stored in a depot when not in use or having maintenance. In 2024, a new depot in the Slovany district included video security products from the German video manufacturer Dallmeier.
The project began with analysis of site conditions and requirements for modernising the rolling stock to meet safety and efficiency standards. As part of a reconstruction of the depot, Dallmeier’s patented Panomera products were fitted. Users can zoom in on details e venat long distances, from a minimum number of installation points, which enables monitoring of large scale areas, like a tram depot. PMDP, the public transport operator, had been using a large number of conventional single-sensor cameras. However, the image quality was not enough for recognising or even identifying people. Thus, the security managers looked for a new solution – and found Dallmeier’s multifocal sensors. Install of the Panomera surveillance cameras required preparation and coordination with many stakeholders. PMDP, the installer company Vegacom and Dallmeier, had to carry out a thorough analysis of the site first to go about seeking optimal coverage of the depot area without blind spots. This included calculations of the optimal mounting height of the cameras, their distance and the setting of the viewing angles.
Integration
As for the technical aspects of the project, the Panomera system had to be compatible with the video products already in use, which required the development of specific software for managing and archiving records. New data networks and servers were fitted to process and store the huge amount of data generated by the cameras.
Data protection and cybersecurity
As a public transport operator and therefore part of critical infrastructure, PMDP sought data protection and cybersecurity for the securing of the transmission network. The video recordings had to be resistant to unauthorised access, for example.
Incident resolution
The use of Panomera also changed the approach of PMDP to monitoring the equipment and security of the area. Thanks to the wide viewing angle and high resolution of the cameras, it is now possible to monitor the entire area of the depot in detail, while it is possible to identify and solve almost any security incident or unusual activity, depot managers say.
The project also included a training angle for safety and technical maintenance staff. Daniel Frous, Project Manager at Vegacom said: “The staff of PMDP needed to learn how to effectively use the new system to monitor and analyse data. This meant that one project focus was to use the video footage for training to identify potential risks and prevent potential safety hazards.”
Photo courtesy of Dallmeier.
