Although the solution adopted by TX Logistik does not have the groundbreaking impact of the much-anticipated Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC), its simplicity and practicality significantly speed up and reduce the cost of train maneuvers at freight terminals. The logistics and rail traction company, part of Mercitalia Logistics, which operates in European markets, has chosen Sweden to test rear cameras on its trains. Essentially, this technology involves using a camera for monitoring the train during reverse maneuvers. This innovation results from an agreement with the Swedish company Railway Metrics & Dynamics, specializing in innovative solutions for railway automation and safety.
Interestingly, RMD announced and illustrated TX Logistik's choice in a press release, noting that, for now, the implementation is limited to the Swedish market due to certification requirements. Mercitalia Logistics operates over forty weekly trains on the Malmö-Eskilstuna, Malmö-Trelleborg, and Göteborg-Eskilstuna-Umeå routes in Sweden, transporting nearly 60,000 semi-trailers in 2023.
The rear camera allows freight trains to be managed independently during push maneuvers without needing a shunter to provide instructions to the driver. The driver can see the end of the train on a monitor from the comfort of the cab. Before its final adoption, the equipment underwent extensive testing under challenging weather conditions, such as rain, ice, and snow, which helped refine the system.
The collaboration between TX Logistik and Railway Metrics & Dynamics did not begin with this project but dates back several years when they developed a performance monitoring solution known as PMU. These units record various real-time parameters about train operations, the condition of wagons, and locomotives, highlighting issues like overloading in individual wagons and monitoring the interaction between trains and infrastructure. All TX Logistik freight cars in Sweden are now equipped with these units, with over a hundred in use. With PMUs, the digital freight train is not a future concept but a daily reality.
Piermario Curti Sacchi