Thales wins first ETCS Level 2 on-board contract in Balkans

ETCS level 2 on-board Softronic Craiova, a Romanian locomotive manufacturer, awarded Thales a contract to deliver ETCS level 2 on-board and PZB vehicle equipment for five LEMA (electric locomotive with asynchronous traction) electric locomotives.

The LEMA 6000 kW locomotives have been designed for universal use and are suitable for the traction of very heavy trains that, among others, operate on heavily icy or snow- and leaf-covered tracks.

The electric locomotives can operate in cross-border traffic throughout the European Union, on routes with an overhead line voltage of 15kV or 25kV.

“We are very pleased about this first ETCS Level 2 on-board system project in the Balkans as it opens up new possibilities for further business activities in a high-potential ETCS market,” Markus Fritz, VP, Main Line Signalling Domain Germany, Thales Deutschland said.

In March 2022, Softronic has launched a tender for the delivery of “automatic command control equipment”, as part of the “Innovation of the electric locomotive LEMA in order to increase energy efficiency” project which has received European funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014-2020.

The new signalling system will ensure that the locomotives will be able to run smoothly on the railway networks of Romania, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. The vehicles will also be equipped with the national train control system MIREL that will be implemented by the HMH company from Slovenia.

Softronic manufactured 6 Transmontana locomotives fitted with ETCS level 2 on-board equipment which are running on Swedish rail network by Green Cargo. In 2018, the manufacturer has delivered Swedish rail operator the first Transmontana locomotive as part of a contract for the supply of two locomotives signed in 2017. One year later, Green Cargo ordered six additional vehicles and in October 2020, the rail freight operator and Softronic Craiova signed a framework agreement for the supply of 100 TransMontana locomotives.


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