Eurailtest and partner laboratory Railway Test Agency (AEF) are organising tests on the Luxembourg TER 2Nng.
Cross-border operation of Luxembourg TER stock
Luxembourg Railways (CFL) is aiming to work its regional TER 2Nng trainsets between Luxembourg and France, over the line between Metz-Ville (Luxembourg) and Zoufftgen (France).
Their goal is to offer revenue services between Luxembourg and France following signalling system upgrading to the European standard (ETCS Level 1).
With this in mind, CFL commissioned Eurailtest to organise tests on the safety equipment of their TER 2Nng trainsets to ensure compliance and obtain authority to work this stock through from the ETCS1 system used in Luxembourg to the KVB speed control system in place in France.
Testing TER 2Nng safety equipment
With its partner laboratory, the Railway Test Agency (AEF), a branch of SNCF Mobilités, Eurailtest organised the requisite tests and completed the paperwork for obtaining permission to conduct test runs on the dates required by CFL. Part of the planning process consisted of identifying the tests to be performed and the resources required.
Once movement authority had been acquired, the next stage consisted of tests on the European ETCS Level 1 signalling system, in other words, the safety equipment for transmitting signalling data from ground to cab to provide drivers with train safety information (such as speed restrictions).
Tests were performed by the teams at Alstom. They took place over two nights in late April. On the first night, the train was worked over pilot site 1 from Hagondange to Zoufftgen. On the second, it ran over pilot site 2, from Longuyon to Rodange.
New partnership for Eurailtest and CFL
In June 2018, Eurailtest partnered CFL in its dynamic behaviour and rail-to-ground voltage tests in conjunction with renewal operations on the Luxembourg-Kleinbettingen line as part of the Eurocap Rail project. These tests were a resounding success thanks to the responsiveness and flexibility of the teams.
On the strength of this experience, CFL was only too ready to commission Eurailtest and its partners to organise tests on TER 2Nng safety equipment to obtain authority for through operations between France and Luxembourg. Border crossing tests are a complicated procedure, hence the importance of Eurailtest’s role in making the necessary organisational arrangements, completing the process in record time and to the client’s strategic timelines.