EUROPE: Siemens Mobility and wagon leasing company VTG Rail Europe are jointly undertaking a one-year trial of a Brake Monitoring System which is being developed to support the automated testing of freight train brakes. The companies say they see great potential for the technology in the European market.
VTG began development of the BMS concept in 2016. ‘With Siemens Mobility we have found a strategic technology partner with whom we can continue to drive innovations forward and develop smart cutting-edge rail technology’, said Dr Hanno Schell, Head of Technical Innovations at VTG, on March 23. ‘The overriding premise of the project is to have direct productivity and efficiency effects for the industry. With the implementation of BMS, network capacity can be used more efficiently, staff will benefit from reduced workload and overall safety will be enhanced.’
The trial involves testing and optimising individual components of the technology, with the first of two sets of wagons now being fully equipped. Brake status data is visible on each side of the wagon, with automated reporting and live updates shown on a display in the locomotive cab. This includes detailed visualisation of incorrect settings, issues with wagon components and early indication of wear and tear, helping to prevent unexpected outages and reducing maintenance costs.
‘BMS, developed by Siemens Mobility, is a crucial step towards a further automated and digitalised freight railway’, said Anne Fischer, Head of Rail Automation Products at Siemens Mobility. ‘Reduced time-consuming manual processes, increased efficiency and guaranteed availability are key drivers to make sustainable rail transport more competitive.’
