Germany: The technology was trialled at the Steinhausen depot in Munich, owned by national operator Deutsche Bahn (DB). A driver-operator at the remote control centre managed the train’s movements, door operations, lighting, and activation of warning signals.
As part of the project, Alstom equipped a class 423 train with video cameras and a set of sensors. The train connects to the remote control centre using the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) over a dedicated 5G network. The project took four months to complete, with a total cost of around €1 mln. In future, remote coupling and uncoupling of trainsets will also be possible, along with tablet-based control functionality.
Alstom and DB testing remote operation of a train at a depot in Germany. Source: münchentv
DB notes that around 400 class 423 trains are currently in operation in Germany. The technical solution could later be applied to other classes, including 423, 430, 442, 490 and 1440. According to the operator, remote control will reduce the need for staff movements within the depot, speed up shunting operations, and shorten train turnaround times. With €25 mln in funding and the necessary approvals, 100 out of 300 trains on the Munich S-Bahn network could be equipped with remote control by 2028.
Similar technologies are applied in Russia. There, remote control of EMUs was first tested in March 2023. A driver-operator at a remote control centre alternately operated ES2G-113 and ES2G-136 Lastochka trains on the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) via a digital 4G radio channel. Then, in August 2024, ES2G-113 became the first train in the world to carry passengers in a GoA3 mode with a driver in the cab. In turn, ES2G-136 now serves as a laboratory for developing fully driverless operation on the mainline network. As reported by Gudok in January, this project enabled Russian Railways to achieve GoA4 (unattended) operation on the MCC.
