ALSTOM will equip 34 new Coradia Stream EMUs being built for Luxembourg Railways (CFL) with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) at Grade of Automation Level 2 (GoA 2) in combination with ETCS.
The manufacturer claims this is a European first for regional trains and is seen as an innovative way to increase network capacity while also reducing energy consumption.
GoA 2 means the trains are fitted with fully automated starting, driving and stopping capabilities but a driver can still intervene in the event of an emergency. Alstom will install the system to the CFL trains at its Signalling Centre of Excellence in Charleroi, Belgium.
The €360m order for the double-deck trains was placed in December 2018 and they are due to be delivered from this year. The Coradia fleet will also operate in Belgium and France and all 34 sets will be in service by the end of 2024.
“In the future, automated trains will optimise regional rail operations, reduce energy consumption and increase passenger comfort,” says Mr Bernard Belvaux, managing director of Alstom Benelux. “Automatic operation will make a decisive contribution to the development of a modern, attractive railway network.”
