GERMANY: Final preparations are in hand for a programme of tests to determine the feasibility of regular operation of long freight trains with distributed power using LTE technology.
To be carried out in February 2021 on the steeply graded line between Probstzella and Hochstadt-Marktzeuln near Lichtenfels, the tests will involve three locomotives and a 650 m long train running twice a day in each direction.
A single Bombardier Transportation Class 188 Traxx MS3 and two Class 187 AC3 locomotives will be used, with one of the Class 187 locos marshalled in the middle of the train, together with a measurement and data recording coach. The locos will be matched with empty wagons of types Facns 124, Facns 133 and Rens 677 and with laden wagons of Type Eanos 059.
Preliminary tests with the three locomotives were carried out in the week commencing December 14. Funkwerk is supplying the LTE modules and Faiveley is responsible for the distributed brake controls.
The tests form part of the FR8RAIL II programme within the Shift2Rail research and innovation initiative focusing on the development of distributed power, including safety management and in-train forces.
The work will continue in 2021-23 as FR8RAIL IV, which will take the programme a stage further by developing plans for regular operations. This will include operational rules for operators and infrastructure managers and a migration concept. Further work will lead to the development of a demonstration train up to 1 500 m in length.
The tests follow a demonstration in May 2019 involving a 530 m long block train grossing 3 500 tonnes using ‘sandwich operation’ of two locomotives, one at the front and one at the rear, on the flat route between Hamburg and Bremen. In contrast, the Probstzella – Hochstadt-Marktzeuln line has gradients of 2∙7%.
A separate demonstration trial with a 835 m long train is planned in January 2021 on the route through Denmark between Maschen yard in Hamburg and Malmö in Sweden. At the moment 835 m long trains run up to 23 times a week between Maschen and Fredericia in Denmark.
Details of the tests were given on December 18 at an interactive conference representing the final event of the Marathon2Operation covering radio communication and simulation of train dynamics for distributed power within long trains; Marathon stands for Make Rail the Hope for Protecting Nature.
