EU DIGITAL AUTOMATED COUPLING TEST RUN BEGINS
On 19 January, a freight train equipped with a Digital Automatic Coupler has started a practical test run across Europe from Berlin, lasting several months. Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) enables freight wagons to be coupled together automatically, without manual intervention by a person, which is now the standard practice. Brakes are also coupled automatically. This enables faster, automated shunting processes, which increases the capacity of rail freight handling considerably.
The test train is part of a research project composed by a consortium of six companies, which the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is supporting with €13 million. In addition to DB and its subsidiary DB Cargo, these include the Swiss and Austrian freight railways SBB Cargo and Rail Cargo Austria and the wagon owners Ermewa, GATX Rail Europe, and VTG. The goal is the EU-wide introduction of DAC.
The DAC freight train will first run from Germany to Austria and then Switzerland. Other EU countries will follow. The DAC system is being tested in different driving situations than would be possible in Germany, including steep inclines, sharper curves or diverse climatic conditions. Ultimately, the test drive should lead DAC to series production, enabling a wider rollout. The final assessment of the field tests will be completed at the end of this year. In recent months, tests have been carried out on various rail links and marshalling yards in Germany.
Source: BMVI