GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn and Alstom have demonstrated the remote control of an S-Bahn trainset within a depot as part of a project to make shunting movements faster and more efficient and to reduce the distance staff need to walk.
Remote control technology
The technology trial is being undertaken at München Steinhausen depot, where there are around 350 shunting movements every day. DB has spent €1m equipping a BR423 EMU with technology from Alstom and creating a remote operating station which has a generic driving interface that could be applied to different train types. Additional cameras and sensors have also been installed on the train to provide the remote operator with increased situational awareness. The depot’s private 5G network provides the data connection between the EMU’s legacy train control system and the workstation.
The remote operator can control the EMU, close the doors, switch on the lights and trigger the horn. Large displays show live images. The train can also be controlled from anywhere via a tablet.
‘Shunting trains by remote control can reduce the workload for our employees and significantly speed up processes in our depots’, said Harmen van Zijderveld, DB board member for regional transport. ‘In just four months, we have put the test system on the rails: from the local 5G network to the control centre and the technology in the train.’
Potential for deployment
The trial is intended to provide insights to support the further development and approval of remote train operation for everyday shunting operations. The system uses industrial technology, and DB said the components are already available on the market and retrofitting would be technically possible relatively quickly.
DB says there a large potential for deployment, with around 400 BR423 EMUs in use throughout Germany and the ability to use the technology on other types of train; Alstom says it is suitable for retrofitting to classes 423, 430, 442, 490 and 1440 trainsets.
Any deployment is subject to approval of the technology and the availability of funding; DB says a rollout in München could begin as soon as 2028.
‘Innovations such as the remote-controlled S-Bahn show how digitalisation can make rail transport more efficient and reliable’, said Bayern’s Minister for Housing, Building & Transport Christian Bernreiter on January 29. The tests ‘will lay important foundations here in München and gain valuable insights for a possible rollout in the future’.
