DB Cargo equipped a locomotive with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Remote Train Operation (RTO). The unit will be deployed for a one-year trial in October along the Betuwe Line, a key rail freight line connecting the port of Rotterdam to the German border.
The initiative was carried out in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center, Hitachi and Remoot. It is being financed with 18,86 million euros from the German Ministry of Transport, DB Cargo said. “During the trial operation, journeys with various wagon types and loading scenarios will be considered – from heavy bulk wagons to partially filled tank wagons”, they added.
The locomotive was converted in DB Cargo’s facility in Cologne-Gremberg. With ATO operations, the locomotive automatically controls acceleration, driving, braking and stopping. RTO, on the other hand, allows the locomotive to be controlled remotely by a person located at a different location. During the tests, a driver will still be present in the locomotive.
