DB Cargo and ProRail start ATO testing
A new Automatic Train Operation (ATO) test project started this month on the Dutch Betuwe route. It is a German-Dutch cooperation which will run until the end of 2025. The project includes a one-year test...Read more
A Finnish company wants to make freight trains autonomous
An autonomous freight train project is currently unfolding in Finland. Led by Proxion, a Finnish technology company, the autonomous freight train will be electric and aims to revolutionise short-distance transportation from industrial sites.Read more
Shift2Rail announces call for proposals 2021
Shift2Rail has opened submissions for two projects in a call for proposals. It includes the further development of Digital Automated Coupling, and measuring the impact of research & innovation (R&I) on the railway sector in...Read more
DB Cargo tests automated freight train on Swiss tracks
DB Cargo has conducted a practical test with ATO (automated train operation) on a freight train. The test was carried out on the Swiss main rail network in the first few months of this year....Read more
Germany: 200 million state aid for interoperability
The European Commission has approved a 200 million euros scheme by the German state for the upgrade of rail vehicles in the area of Stuttgart. Financial support will take the form of direct grants to...Read more
First fully automated shunting locomotive tested in 2021
Alstom, Lineas and ProRail will start test drives with fully automatic shunting in 2021. The parties announced this on Wednesday 15 July. It concerns Automatic Train Operation Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4). The tests are...Read more
Heavy-hail train runs 48 miles unmanned in Colorado
An automatic test run has successfully been carried out with a heavy-haul cargo train in the US state of Colorado. Three locomotives and 30 loaded wagons carrying 4,725 trailing tonnes were moved without human intervention...Read more
The Netherlands and Germany to test cross-border self-driving trains
The Netherlands and Germany are going to work together to create more attractive conditions for cross-border rail freight transport. Dutch State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven (Infrastructure and Water) and her German colleague State Secretary Enak...Read more
Rollout world’s first driverless freight train network complete
Rio Tinto has completed the rollout of its automated rail network in Pilbara, Western Australia. According to the iron ore operator, it is the world’s first fully autonomous, long-distance, heavy-haul rail network, operating the world’s...Read more
Successful trial with self-driving locomotive on Dutch Betuweroute
On Wednesday, rail freight operator Rotterdam Rail Feeding, infrastructure manager ProRail and Alstom conducted a successful test drive with a self-driving locomotive on the Betuweroute, the freight dedicated railway line in the Netherlands. According to...Read more
Alstom: Autonomous train test in Netherlands includes object sensors
In testing automated freight trains on the Dutch Betuweroute this autumn, sensors will be placed to recognise objects on the railway. This technique will eventually enable complete autonomous train traffic. Director of Alstom Utrecht Alwin...Read more
SNCF to launch driverless mainline train by 2023
French railway operator SNCF is planning to introduce prototypes of driverless mainline trains for freight and passengers services by 2023. Soon after that, the trains will become operative as regular services, the company announced on...Read more
Freight train of Rio Tinto delivers first load of iron
Rio Tinto has achieved a significant milestone with the first delivery of iron ore by an autonomous train in Pilbara, Western Australia. The self-driving freight train travelled over 280 kilometres from Rio Tinto’s mining operations...Read moreTesting of automatic freight trains in The Netherlands confirmed
French rail engineers Alstom have signed a deal with Dutch rail manager ProRail and operator Rotterdam Rail Feeding to begin testing automatic freight trains in The Netherlands. Starting this year, the Automated Train Operation (ATO) test...Read more
Cyber threat presents ‘challenging conditions’ for rail: IRS2017
‘Industrial espionage, blackmail, political motivation…’ – just some of the reasons why cyber criminals might target rail, the Intelligent Rail Summit 2017 was told. Those were some of the observations of Christian Sagmeister of ÖBB,...Read more
Intelligent Rail Summit 2017 starts today – watch the live webinar
The Intelligent Rail Summit in Vienna has started today – and you can follow it all online. This year’s new webinar feature makes it easy to follow all of the sessions that feature keynote presentations...Read more
First fully autonomous train ride in Australia
Rio Tinto has successfully completed the first fully autonomous rail journey at its iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The nearly hundred kilometer pilot run was completed without a driver on...Read moreRio Tinto to operate complete autonomous freight trains in 2018
Mining company Rio Tinto will start operating completely autonomous freight trains by the end of 2018. The trains will move between fifteen iron ore mines and four port terminals in the West-Australian province of Pilbaro,...Read more
Test track for autonomous trains in Austria
Austria has prepared a 25-kilometer long stretch of railway for the testing of autonomous trains in a realistic environment. The Ministry of Traffic supports the project with 16 million Euros. The line is situated between...Read more