All ERTMS articles – Page 2
-
In depthSafety: Railways must report, learn and improve
The EU Agency for Railways is continuing its campaign to develop a risk-based safety culture across Europe’s rail networks, as Executive Director Josef Doppelbauer explains to Chris Jackson.
-
In depthSignalling: Visualising designs at an earlier stage
Most signalling schemes across the sector are designed using 2D schematic plans. But this approach can make it difficult to visualise what drivers in the train cab will see, and when and how they will react. To address this and other challenges, Arup has created a signalling visualisation tool that is being deployed as part of Network Rail’s Transpennine Route Upgrade.
-
In depthItaly: Accelerating ERTMS deployment offers great benefits
Italian infrastructure manager RFI has launched an accelerated programme to equip the entire national network with ETCS by 2036. National ETCS Project Manager Nazzareno Filippini explains the thinking behind the strategy.
-
Rail Business UKFreightliner opens Doncaster training centre to support ETCS roll-out
UK: Freightliner has officially opened an Operational Training Academy in Doncaster to prepare its northern-based drivers for the introduction of ETCS Level 2 between London King’s Cross and Stoke Tunnel near Grantham as part of the East Coast Digital Programme. A similar facility for southern-based drivers ...
-
In depthFreight: Alpine corridors reflect rail’s struggle for modal share
Anchored in Italy, three north-south Rail Freight Corridors provide significant opportunities for modal shift in line with the European Commission’s Green deal objectives. However, the transalpine routes still face many challenges that need to be addressed, suggests Reinhard Christeller.
-
NewsETCS Level 1 deployed around Bangkok
THAILAND: A consortium of Thales and River Engineering has completed a project to deploy ETCS Level 1 across 321 route-km and 48 stations on State Railway of Thailand’s Northern, Northeastern, Eastern and Southern lines radiating from Bangkok. The programme began in 2019 and covered routes from ...
-
NewsAustrian ETCS roll-out advances
AUSTRIA: ÖBB-Infrastruktur and Siemens Mobility have commissioned ETCS Level 2 on the Linz – Wels – Vöcklabruck and Wels – Haiding routes as the first project under a 2021 framework agreement for a roll-out on main routes across the country. This will involve installing a total ...
-
NewsCork Area Commuter Rail programme makes progress
IRELAND: The Cork Area Commuter Rail programme is progressing ‘swiftly’, according to Iarnród Éireann CEO Jim Meade, with the award of the signalling works contract for the project. The programme to upgrade the lines radiating from Cork to Mallow, Cobh and Midleton is intended to improve ...
-
NewsSiemens Mobility to supply 28 EMUs for Digital Node Stuttgart project
GERMANY: Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract to supply electric multiple-units equipped for attended automated operation as part of the Digital Node Stuttgart pilot project within the Digital Schiene Deutschland (Digital Rail Germany) programme. The €300m contract awarded by the Land of Baden-Württemberg’s rolling stock ...
-
In depthComment: Green credentials on the line
The European Commission’s Greening Freight proposals reiterate the EU’s commitment to growing rail’s share of the logistics chain, but they also set out the challenge the sector will face amid the complexity and cost of building new infrastructure, and as measures are adopted to aid the decarbonisation of competing modes.
-
In depthTrain Control: Say goodbye to lineside hardware with satellites and digital comms
A marriage of satellite communications with fully digital train control could eliminate lineside signals and related equipment, achieving huge savings and making the rail mode more affordable. Preliminary trials are already in progress.
-
In depthSpace Technology: European aerospace bodies see rail opportunities
European aerospace organisations ESA and EUSPA are developing dedicated initiatives aimed at facilitating the use of satellite technology in rail applications, with ERTMS a particular focus. Nick Kingsley reports.
-
News‘Over and back’ speeds Brisbane ETCS testing
AUSTRALIA: Hitachi Rail has adopted ‘over and back’ switching principles to speed up the testing of digital train control systems being installed on the southeast Queensland rail network. ETCS Level 2 operation is being introduced in conjunction with Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project, which will see ...
-
NewsRail projects receive share of €6·2bn of Connecting Europe Facility grant funding
EUROPE: Various rail enhancement schemes are among the 107 projects on the Trans-European Transport Network which have been allocated a total of €6·2bn under the latest EU Connecting Europe Facility grant provisions.
-
Rail Business UKThameslink EMUs to get ETCS onboard upgrade
UK: A five-year contract to upgrade the Class 700 Thameslink EMU fleet to the latest specification of European Train Control System has been awarded through the cross-industry East Coast Digital Programme. The £32·7m contract announced on June 21 was signed by infrastructure manager Network Rail, operator ...
-
NewsETCS Level 2 installed on Sopron – Szentgotthárd line
HUNGARY: Thales has completed equipping the 110 km Sopron – Szombathely – Szentgotthárd line with ETCS Level 2, the supplier announced on May 30. The single-track electrified line is maintained and operated by Austro-Hungarian cross-border railway group GySEV. Thales says its equipment is capable of automatically ...
-
In depthComment: Member states hold key to a Single European Railway Area
The European Commission has bold plans to create a Single European Railway Area, but these ambitious aims remain firmly dependent on cooperation from member states across the Eurozone, suggests our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
-
NewsHitachi Rail awarded TGV cab signalling contract
FRANCE: National operator SNCF has awarded Hitachi Rail a framework agreement to supply dual ERTMS/TVM onboard signalling equipment for its high speed train fleets, including the future Alstom TGV M trainsets. The equipment will combine the European standard ETCS with the TVM high speed line cab ...
-
NewsItalian ERTMS support scheme approved
ITALY: A €300m scheme to provide direct government grants for the acquisition and installation of ETCS onboard equipment has been approved by the European Commission under EU state aid rules. The programme running to the end of 2026 aims to encourage passenger and freight modal shift ...
-
NewsBulgarian ETCS support scheme approved
BULGARIA: The European Commission has approved under EU state aid rules a €32m Bulgarian scheme to encourage freight and passenger modal shift from road to rail. To be funded through the Recovery & Resilience Facility, the scheme aims to remove technical barriers to rail interoperability and ...