Now it's official: the automated brake testing system has been granted type approval by the Swiss “Federal Office of Transport” (Schweizer Bundesamt für Verkehr). Hence, the automated brake taste is the first approved system worldwide and the first far-reaching automated application in European rail transport. The system was developed with SBB Cargo and is a functionally safe application that has been trialled in various phases over several years. The project milestones in brief:
- 2017: First test trains
- 01/ 2022: Pilot train
- 03/2022: Positive review by TÜV Süd
- 11/2023: Operational approval by BAV
The automated application provides many benefits:
- Enormous time saving: for a 500 m long goods train, the time saved is around 75 minutes (35 minutes each for 2 shunters)
- Faster, more reliable and safer: the brake check can be carried out automatically by the train driver, is more reliable and increases safety (thanks to the consistent quality of the brake check and the system's objective evaluation criteria).
- Freight wagon downtimes are significantly reduced, while terminal turnaround times are increased.
- The implementation of an automatic brake test brings a concrete and - this is particularly important - immediate improvement for the railway companies.
- For the shunting staff and those responsible for brake testing, the automatic brake test means an improvement in the workplace situation. The interactive operation of a clearly displayed system replaces the strenuous, physically demanding manual inspection.
- The brake test is an essential part of the "1-person operation" that is gradually being implemented by railway companies such as SBB Cargo, particularly as a measure to manage the shortage of skilled labour resulting from demographic development.
Günter Petschnig, CEO of PJ Monitoring, looks back on several years of development: "It's a long way from the vision to the innovation of a completely new system. A major project of this size can only be successfully realised if the project partners work together step by step over several years. The teams at SBB Cargo and PJM have done a fantastic job. A big thank you to the stamina and commitment of everyone involved!"
