Intrusion Detection in Railway Tunnels: The Technical Approach of REDSCAN Pro

Ensuring safety around railway infrastructure—particularly tunnels and trackside areas—is critically important, as unauthorized entry by people or animals can lead to serious accidents. To address these challenges, intrusion detection solutions utilizing LiDAR technology are gaining attention.

REDSCAN Pro is a high-precision LiDAR-based sensor developed by OPTEX. It uses laser beams to detect the movement of objects. It’s effective in challenging environments—such as enclosed spaces and low-light environments like railway tunnels, REDSCAN Pro is equipped with advanced algorithms that distinguish between trains, humans, and animals. This enables the system to minimize false alarms and issue alerts only when truly necessary.

REDSCAN Pro’s Dynamic Event Filtering can be applied to intrusion detection in railway tunnels. When a person enters the tunnel, the system triggers an alarm, whereas no alarm is issued when a train passes through.

To realize it, the REDSCAN Pro sensor is installed vertically to create a virtual wall at the tunnel entrance. The detection area is then divided into two zones: the upper part is configured as a judgment zone (for train passage), and the lower part as an alert zone (for intrusion detection), typically separated at a height of around 2 meters or so from the ground.

When a train passes, both the judgment zone and alert zone detect. However, in the case of a person or animal, only the alert zone is triggered. This configuration allows the system to distinguish between train movements and unauthorized intrusions, effectively preventing false alarms during train operations while ensuring immediate alerts when intrusions occur.

REDSCAN Pro has already been deployed at tunnel entrances by multiple railway operators in various countries. Its high detection accuracy and operational stability in actual environments have been highly evaluated. And the system maintains reliable detection even at night or in low-visibility conditions—situations where traditional camera-based systems often struggle.

In addition, REDSCAN Pro features IP66-rated dust and water resistance, ensuring long-term stable operation even in harsh outdoor environments.

REDSCAN Pro is a sensor that achieves both high-precision detection and false alarm suppression in the unique environment of railway tunnels. Its area-based detection and zone identification using LiDAR technology are effective even in scenarios where image sensing systems face limitations, contributing to enhanced safety and optimized human resource allocation.

Moreover, REDSCAN Pro’s compliance with the ONVIF standard ensures seamless system integration, while its logging capabilities provide operational flexibility. These features significantly reduce the burden on railway operators after deployment.

OPTEX remains committed to advancing its technology and expanding real-world applications to support the safety initiatives of even more railway operators in the future.