DB Cargo has begun testing a locomotive with automatic (ATO) and remote control (RTO) systems at its terminal in Cologne-Gremberg. The train will run in automatic mode with a driver on board, while control and monitoring will be provided by a remote control team. This is the first time in Germany that ATO and RTO technology has been tested in combination on open rail infrastructure.
The test runs cover various types of wagons, from heavy freight cars to partially filled tank cars. The project is part of the federal program “Railway Transport of the Future” and has received 18.86 million euros in state support for the development of innovative solutions and their introduction to the market.
As stated by German Transport Minister Patrick Schneider, the goal of the project is to modernize freight transport and overcome the labor shortage. DB Cargo partners with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Hitachi and Remoot, and the tests are taking place on one of Europe’s busiest freight routes, the Betuwe Corridor between Rotterdam and Germany.