Railway Equipment

Freight Trains in Britain to be Upgraded With New Digital Technology

A less congested, better performing railway comes a step closer to reality today, with the signing of a major, multi-million pound contract that will ultimately see freight trains in Great Britain upgraded with technology to make them safer, make better use of the network, and provide greater flexibility in the timetable.

Freight trains – which can be up to 775 metres long – carry goods and materials all across the country. They support the economy by connecting British businesses to the world through direct links to ports, and reduce road congestion by taking 7.6 million lorry journeys off the road each year. New digital technology will support this essential industry – which directly contributes £870m to the nation’s economy every year – by enabling more efficient and reliable running of freight trains alongside passenger services.

A landmark contract has been awarded to Chippenham based Siemens Rail Automation by Network Rail to start installing European Train Control System (ETCS) in-cab signalling on Britain’s freight fleet with an ultimate ambition of equipping around 750 vehicles, creating skilled jobs within the UK. This technology forms part of the country’s ‘Digital Railway programme’ – the industry’s improved plan to tackle the growing demand and strain on the railway by accelerating its digital modernisation – and will mean eventually, freight trains will have improved operational performance on a mixed traffic network. The Government has announced £450m in funding for digital railway schemes, as part of its National Productivity Investment Fund.

Article from:

      https://railway-news.com/