VTG, Europe's leading private operator of freight wagons, will offer PJM's automatic brake testing system as a project-related equipment option. VTG is thus consistently pursuing its digitalisation strategy in order to achieve further increases in efficiency in the handling of freight trains.

Automatic brake testing is a crucial factor in the preparation of freight trains, as it is obligatory to check the brakes each time a change is made to the wagon configuration or the wagon is stationary for more than 24 hours. Hence, the potential savings for railway companies in this time-consuming process are high, both in terms of human labour and costs.

Since 2017, the technology developed by PJM and SBB Cargo has been successfully tested in pilot freight trains. Based on this extensive testing, VTG will make this system available as an equipment option. The expansion of the equipment portfolio with the automatic brake test system supports the integration of the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) and represents another important step in the digitalisation strategy of both companies.

Media release