UK: Siemens Mobility is has begun installing Trainguard 200 onboard equipment on GB Railfreight locomotive 66 784 at EMD Longport, marking the start of early fleet fitment for the network-wide National Freight ETCS Programme which is expected to cover more than 600 locos.
This is the first freight loco fitment outside the first in class process, which covered a DB Cargo Class 66, a Freightliner Class 66V and a DB Cargo UK Class 67.
Network Rail said equipping freight locomotives up to 40 years old is the most challenging aspect of the £1·4bn East Coast Digital Programme, which will see ETCS introduced across 160 route-km of the East Coast Main Line between London and Grantham.
The infrastructure manager has been working closely with Siemens Mobility and the freight operating companies to overcome design and assurance challenges. A baseline design has been produced for the widely-used Class 66 loco type, enabling ECDP to progress an initial fitment schedule of eight locos. Meanwhile, work continues to solve and finalise some aspects of design ahead of Approval to Place into Service for fitted Class 66 locos.
‘We have collaborated with the rail freight sector to address the challenges involved with fitting 21st century technology to 20th century locomotives’, said Network Rail’s Industry Partnership Director for ECDP, Ed Akers, on July 15. ‘ECDP involves learning by doing and much hard work has already taken place to get us to this point. We continue to build our capability in freight fitment as we begin this exciting new phase.’
GB Railfreight’s ERTMS Senior Project Manager Emma Smith said ‘it has taken a collaborative and pragmatic approach, working closely with our partners, to reach this point. While this is just the beginning of our fitment journey, the team’s focus and commitment give me every confidence in our ability to deliver the programme successfully.’
