Railion conducts test runs on Betuweroute

Starting in May, the Dutch rail freight operator Railion Nederlands will be running special test trains on the new Dutch rail freight line Betuweroute between Sliedrecht and Gorinchem, in order to test the new safety system ETCS , on instructions of the Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail.

The test trains comprise a diesel locomotive 6400 and an inspection vehicle loaded with measuring equipment. The fixed ETCS signals have already been placed on this route section. The inspection vehicle and locomotive have been fitted with ETCS train equipment. By the end of May, a second locomotive — a BR 189 not yet equipped with ECTCS — will be deployed to run under current (below 25 kiV) on the parallel track to determine whether the ETCS system of the test train is sensitive to electromagnetic interference. The test period will be rounded off in the autumn, and will be followed by testing of the locomotive prototypes with ETCS for definitive admission to the Dutch network.

The Betuweroute is set to be in operation in January 2007.