UK freight trains to be upgraded with European Train Control Systems

Network Rail has contracted Siemens Rail Automation to install European Train Control System (ETCS) in-cab signalling on 750 of the UK's heaviest locomotives to improve safety and provide better use of the network with plans to retrofit the entire fleet in 2022. This technology forms part of the country's Digital Railway programme, and the government has invested £450m ($602m) as part of its National Productivity Fund. For the first phase, Siemens will install its Trainguard 200 (T200) ETCS on-board
December 20, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
5021 Network Rail has contracted Siemens Rail Automation to install European Train Control System (ETCS) in-cab signalling on 750 of the UK's heaviest locomotives to improve safety and provide better use of the network with plans to retrofit the entire fleet in 2022. This technology forms part of the country's %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Digital Railway programme Digital Railway website link false http://digitalrailway.co.uk/ false false%>, and the government has invested £450m ($602m) as part of its National Productivity Fund.

For the first phase, Siemens will install its Trainguard 200 (T200) ETCS on-board solution, with its Level 2, Baseline 3 system on freight locomotives which operate across the county. It will work with Network Rail and the six Freight Operating Companies.

ETCS is designed with the intention of ensuring trains operate within safe limits and speeds. The system permits the driver to operate the train and comes with on-board equipment that can take control should it go over or be in danger of exceeding the limit. T200 comes with fall-back odometry and radar configuration as well as an Automatic Warning System and a Train Protection functionality integrated into the ETCS driver display.

Siemens and Network Rail will support Freight Operating Companies by training around 2,400 drivers on how to use the solution.

Chris Grayling, secretary of state for Transport said: “We are making the biggest investment in the railways since Victorian times and this includes £450m for integrating digital technology on our railways. This technology has huge potential to improve journeys for passengers and to boost our freight industry by cutting delays and increasing the number of services. Today is an important step towards our future as a digital railway that is fit for the 21st century."

More information is available on the %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external website Network Rail Website link false https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/freight-trains-in-britain-to-be-upgraded-with-delay-busting-digital-technology-in-multi-million-pound-deal false false%>.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ITS America webinar: Off-the-Shelf Road Incident Management
    June 3, 2015
    The ITS America webinar to be held at 2pm Eastern US time on 11 June 11 will focus on Off-the-Shelf Road Incident Management (RIM), presented by Gewi, which recently implemented the first phase of this system for a European customer. The session will focus on the advantages of a system which can be customized to each organisation’s specific response plan, based on the type of incident. Beyond accidents, the RIM system enables organisations to handle traffic infrastructure events as projects, managed by
    Read More
  • Deltabloc shows Zero Debris Concrete barrier
    March 19, 2018
    Austria-headquartered Deltabloc is claiming a world first for its Zero Debris Concrete barrier which the company is unveiling here at at Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018.
    Read More
  • SES America webinar - integrated solar power in dynamic travel time systems
    April 23, 2015
    SES America is offering an ITS engineering webinar on 30 April at 1000 central time. The webinar focuses on a state-wide project exploring the developmental stages and lessons learned on the first phase with the changes to be implemented on the final execution. The webinar will provide information on: Building a reliable solar power system with proper specifications; essentials of solar power design for utilisation on any ITS device; site evaluation and sign design; and lessons learned - the dos and don'ts
    Read More
  • “Data nerds” tackle big data
    September 10, 2014
    Big data keeps these entrepreneurs up at night, but in a good way. Self-described “transit data nerds”, the guys at Transit Labs are working to help build smarter cities through intelligent transportation services.
    Read More

Highlighted Content