In 2021 trains equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Baseline 3 Release 2 will be ready to enter commercial service in Norway. The first locomotive equipped with the system has started undergoing digital test runs, monitored by Bane NOR’s Nyland facility near Oslo.
The NSB Di 8 test locomotive will do ten days of real runs on the test line between Roa and Hønefoss. Before the end of the year the same locomotive will be tested with the same ERTMS version in Sweden.
After Alstom’s Onboard ERTMS BL3R2 obtained its certificate from an independent safety assessor, a lab at Bane NOR’s Nyland facility started testing the system. The Di 8 locomotive will undergo digital tests and demonstrate its compatibility with earlier ERTMS versions – baseline 2 and baseline 3 release 1 – in Norway.
Alstom will provide an onboard solution that will integrate with the legacy automatic train control system ATC-2 to assist with an efficient migration to a new national digital train control system. This system will be embedded with the onboard unit meaning that no additional hardware is needed. The benefit of this is that this reduces the installation effort and therefore increases train availability.
“Now beyond strategy and plans, I am proud to confirm that ERTMS BL3R2 signalling solution has made the move from paper specification to actual implementation in Norway. After further demonstration and tests, the first trains will be certified for commercial service in Norway in early 2021.”
Alstom won the signalling contract in June 2018. It comprises framework contracts for 14 different rail vehicle owners. Bane NOR negotiated with Alstom on behalf of these owners. The installation works are taking place at a depot next to Campus Nyland, which Bane NOR opened for the implementation of ERTMS in Norway.
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