After tests on the Øresund Bridge with a Vectron locomotive from Siemens Mobility, the ERTMS installation on the bridge and the transition between the Swedish and the Danish signalling system is validated. This means the on-board ERTMS equipment works for smooth cross-border operation between Sweden, Denmark and Germany.
When a train crosses the Øresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark, it has to transition between the Swedish (ATC-2) and Danish (ZUB 123) signaling system. Over 11 million single journeys across the bridge were made by passenger trains before the pandemic. The tests with a Vectron locomotive had the goal to validate the ground-based ERTMS installations that manage the signalling transition, as part of the process to authorise the future operation of ETCS-fitted trains over the rail link.
Rolf Sundqvist, Head of Rail on the Øresund Bridge: “Having ERTMS installed on the Øresund Bridge is an important step for us and also for the rest of Europe. Trains crossing the bridge cross not only the strait but also the national border. We will be able to enable a much smoother cross-border train operation in the future.”
Trainguard system
The vector locomotive used in the tests was equipped with the Trainguard 200 on-board train protection system from Siemens Mobility, which is a Level 2 system. This means that existing signals can still be used for mixed operation or as a fall-back level, although they are not required for pure Level 2 operations. Two so-called STMs (Specific Transmission Module), necessary for communication with the existing signal systems in Sweden and Denmark, were fully integrated in the onboard system.
“The test runs open up for smoother cross-border rail traffic, which will make transport even more efficient”, says Andre Rodenbeck, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. “In addition, we are very pleased to have been able to carry out the tests despite the challenges posed by the covid-19 restrictions.”
Collaboration
The Trainguard200 train protection system (UNISIG BL3) was already tested in 2016 and 2017 on a Vectron locomotive on the West Coast Line in the UK, with good results. The test runs were then carried out at up to 200 kilometres per hour over ERTMS installations configured in the same way as the installation that has now been validated on the Øresund Bridge.
The test on the Øresund Bridge was carried out on behalf of the Øresund Bridge Consortium in collaboration with, among others, the Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket, Banedanmark and Siemens Mobility. The overall goal was to validate the ground-based ERTMS equipment on the bridge. The goal was achieved and the right technical conditions are now in place for ECTS-equipped vehicles to be able to drive over the bridge.