TRACK TECHNOLOGY
European-sized freight trains could soon be operating on High Speed 1 alongside cross-Channel and London commuter passenger services after a DB Schenker trial.
G
etting more use out of the HS1 infrastructure is a win-win for the rail industry, so there were celebrations all round after another milestone was reached.
DB Schenker ran a successful trial using a Class 92 locomotive on the track to assess its signalling, travelling from Dollands Moor near Folkestone and along the High Speed 1 route to Singlewell at Gravesend and back again.
The trial, during the early hours of March 25, was the first time a Class 92 has operated on the HS1 route with its on- board signalling system fully operational.
Alain Thauvette, chief executive of DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd, said: “This is a very significant milestone. The success of this trial opens up the reality of these larger freight trains travelling from anywhere across Europe on the DB Schenker Rail pan-European network direct into London for the first time.
“This is the significant key that will unlock modal shift between road and rail on cross-Channel operations. I congratulate everyone involved and look forward to the success of the loaded trial, followed by the introduction of regular services.”
Using larger European-sized freight trains for cross-Channel transportation direct to London represents a “significant new market” for rail, the company said, following the “outstanding success” of the trial.
The Rail Freight Group (RFG) urged HS1 to help bring about freight operations on the route.
RFG Policy Manager Maggie Simpson said: “We are delighted that DB Schenker have now concluded a successful test and look forward to seeing the start of commercial services.
“HS1 must now do all it can to ensure rail freight operations on the route can start as soon as possible.”
It was part of the ‘European X-Channel Intermodal Transport
Enhancement’
(EXCITE) project, supported by Intermodality and logistics operator TDG.
The EXCITE project has been supported with funding from the European Commission’s Marco Polo programme, which supports transport initiatives that aim to shift traffic off the roads. The latest round of funding announced in April 2011 included 19 rail projects, out of 32 total transport projects being funded.
The trial is also a significant milestone in the five-year project being run by DB Schenker Rail, HS1, Ansaldo STS and Systra to modify the TVM430 signalling
system to enable class 92s to operate on three different infrastructure systems: High Speed 1, Network Rail and Eurotunnel.
DB Schenker Rail is now planning another trial with a set of loaded European-sized wagons. Once this trial has successfully taken place, regular European sized freight trains will be introduced to operate to and from London.
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opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com rail technology magazine Apr/May 11 | 171
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