The European Rail Management System
(ERTMS)
The European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is a major industrial project
developed by eight UNIFE members - Alstom Transport, Ansaldo STS, AZD Praha, Bombardier
Transportation, CAF, Mermec, Siemens Mobility and Thales - in close cooperation with the
European Union, railway stakeholders and the GSM-R industry.
ERTMS has two basic components:
ETCS, the European Train Control System, is an automatic train protection system (ATP)
to replace the existing national ATP-systems;
GSM-R, a radio system for providing voice and data communication between the track
and the train, based on standard GSM using frequencies specifically reserved for rail
application with certain specific and advanced functions.
Why does Europe need ERTMS?
Currently there are more than 20 train control systems across the European Union. Each train
used by a national rail company has to be equipped with at least one system but sometimes more,
just to be able to run safely within that one country. Each system is stand-alone and non-
interoperable, and therefore requires extensive integration, engineering effort, raising total
delivery costs for cross-border traffic. This restricts competition and hampers the
competitiveness of the European rail sector vis-à-vis road transport by creating technical barriers
to international journeys. For instance, the Thalys train sets running between Paris-Brussels-
Cologne and Amsterdam have to be equipped with 7 different types of train control systems,
which brings considerable costs.
A unique train control system for Europe and beyond
As a unique European train control system, ERTMS is designed to gradually replace the
existing incompatible systems throughout Europe. This will bring considerable benefits to the
railway sector as it will boost international freight and passenger transport.
In addition, ERTMS is arguably the most performant train control system in the world
and brings significant advantages in terms of maintenance costs savings, safety, reliability,
punctuality and traffic capacity. This explains why ERTMS is increasingly successful outside
Europe, and is becoming the train control system of choice for countries such as China, India,
Taiwan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Today, rail transportation, as the lowest CO2-emmission mode of transport,
emerges as a key alternative to road and air transport, both in terms of passenger
and freight. Consequently, improving its competitiveness is a priority for European
decision-makers as it is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions and help fight climate
change.
The levels and operation modes are basic concepts of the ETCS system:
Level 1 involves continuous supervision of train movement while a non-continuous
communication between train and trackside;
Level 2 involves continuous supervision of train movement with continuous
communication, which is provided by GSM-R, between both the train and trackside;
Level 3 is also a signalling system that provides continuous train supervision with
continuous communication between the train and trackside. The main difference with
level 2 is that the train location and integrity is managed within the scope of the ERTMS
system, i.e. there is no need for lineside signals or train detection systems on the trackside
other than Euro-balises. Train integrity is supervised by the train, i.e. the train supervises
being complete and not having been accidentally split.
In addition, there are two more levels defined: Level 0, which is meant for trains equipped
with ETCS running along non-equipped lines; and Level STM, which is meant for trains
equipped with ETCS running on lines where the class B system needs to be operated. Regarding
the STM level, the ETCS acts as an interface between the driver and the national ATP.
Benefits
Interoperability is far from being the only advantage brought by ERTMS. Indeed,
ERTMS has also been designed to be the most performant train control system in the world. It
therefore brings considerable benefits in addition to interoperability:
Increased capacity on existing lines and a greater ability to respond to growing transport
demands: as a continuous communication-based signalling system, ERTMS reduces the headway
between trains enabling up to 40% more capacity on currently existing infrastructure;
Higher speeds: ERTMS allows for a maximum speed up to 500 km/h;
Higher reliability rates: ERTMS may significantly increase reliability and punctuality,
which are crucial for both passenger and freight transport;
Lower production costs: one proven, harmonised system is easier to install, maintain and
manufacture making railway systems more competitive;
Reduced maintenance costs: With ERTMS level 2, trackside signalling is no longer
required, which considerably reduces maintenance costs;
An opened supply market: customers will be able to purchase equipment for installation
anywhere in Europe and all suppliers will be able to bid for any opportunity. Trackside
and onboard equipment may be made by any of the six ERTMS suppliers, which makes
the supply market more competitive;
Reduced contract lead time due to the significant reduction of process engineering;
Simplified approval process in Europe and greatly reduced certification costs traditionally
associated with the introduction of new systems;
Improved safety for passengers
ROMANIA
For Romanian Freight Railway Undertakings, this complex system is supported through our
solution for freight transport, also part of the Integrated Railway Management System „IRIS”.
The solution includes two major components: one for freight trains operations („ARGUS”) and
one for freight commercial operations („APOLLO”), being aligned to EU standards for
interoperability (TAF-TSI).
The freight trains operations are supported through the following functionalities:
• Wagon loading / unloading (delivery/ reception to/from customers)
• Wagon allocation to trains, according to final destinations
• Train forming,
• Empty wagons distribution,
• Active fleet monitoring for periodic technical reviews.
The freight commercial operations are supported through the following functionalities:
• Customer contracts management,
• Wagon load commercial management
• Complete train commercial management
• Electronic Consignment Note,
• Accounting for freight transport,
• Post-operation control for commercial transport fee calculus,
• Freight transport commercial statistics, by commodities, tone-kilometers, and wagon
types.
We also have in waiting an ERTMS. The ERTMS Level 2 system on Buftea-Crivina
railway section, part of Bucharest – Campina line, is fully operational. The Romanian railway
state-owned infrastructure manager CFR SA has announced that deployment and testing of the
new system has been completed on Chitila – Buftea, Buftea – Periş, Periş – Crivina, Crivina –
Brazi railway sections, and Buftea, Crivina and Periş stations. The line is included in Orient East
Med Corridor and is designed for speeds of 160 km/h.
The ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 project includes equipping the line with ERTMS Level 2,
interlocking system and track gauge at Buftea, Peris and Crivina stations, radio block center
(RBC), GSM-R communication devices and 6 on-Board Unit (OBU) Level 2.
The first ERTMS/ETCS level 2 project in Romania has as main objective to establish a set of
operational regulations of ERTMS Level 2, both technical and commercial. These together with
the equipment used will represent the base of future implementation on the entire Orient East
Med Corridor.
CFR awarded the EUR 37 million ERTMS deployment contract in 2011 to a consortium formed
of Thales (Germany) – Thales (Romania) – Siemens (Romania) – Nokia Siemens (Finland) –
Nokia Siemens (Romania).
CONCLUSIONS
ERTMS brings considerable advantages:
Increased capacity;
Higher reliability rates;
Open supply market;
Improved safety;
ERTMS as a global standard;
More than 29000 track km is equipped with ERTMS
Approximately 2900 vehicles are fitted with ERTMS
ERTMS logo
The ownership of the logo rests with UNIFE, the association of the European Rail Industry.
As a unique signalling system for Europe, ERTMS has been designed to be fully
interoperable across the EU. This means that any train equipped with ERTMS may run on any
line, as long as the trackside equipment is also fitted with ERTMS.
Today, cross-border operations account for a major share of rail freight operators’
activities. ERTMS, the European Rail Traffic Management System, facilitates cross-border
movements whilst enhancing the reliability, quality and competitiveness of rail freight services
in Europe. Investing in ERTMS today is a rational choice for freight operators that takes into
account the evolution of the European rail network. It provides them with the guarantee of using
a reliable high performance signalling system in the long term as the current legacy systems are
being replaced by the common ERTMS standard.
Already today ERTMS is used as a unique system on some crucial European freight
routes such as the Betuweroute or the Lötschberg tunnel. Increasingly, passenger-lines equipped
with ERTMS will be used for freight operations – for instance. In total, an estimated 22,000 km
of route are already contracted to work with ERTMS in Europe. In addition, infrastructure
managers opt increasingly for a removal of legacy systems on ERTMS-equipped lines in order to
increase their cost savings, in particular in terms of maintenance. Some countries, for example
Switzerland, are even planning a full removal of legacy systems in the medium term. As a
consequence, ERTMS will be the only signalling system on those routes.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/rail/ertms/what-is-ertms/levels_and_modes_en
http://www.think-railways.com/romania-ertms-level-2-on-buftea-crivina-railway-section-fully-
operational/
http://www.infofer.ro/en/index.php/ct-menu-item-3/ct-menu-item-11
www.ertms.net
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Rail_Traffic_Management_System
