Belgium: TSC & Lineas Celebrate Milestone as HLD77 Granted Operational Authorisation

Škoda Group affiliate The Signalling Company (TSC) has reached a milestone in its partnership with Lineas as the HLD77 freight locomotive has been granted operational authorisation by Belgian Authorities.

The locomotive, which is equipped with TSC’s modular software-defined safety platform, is the first utilising the RailOS operating system and safe computer iEVC to be approved for use.

The implementation of the platform will allow future upgrades (such as ETCS) to be installed quickly and at little cost, allowing the fleet to operate across neighbouring markets in Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Alexandre Bétis, Managing Director of The Signalling Company, said:

The authorisation of the HLD77 marks the realisation of a vision that we have shared with Lineas from day one and which was subsequently embraced by Škoda Group. Software-defined signalling can be more than a dream. It's here, its now, it’s real, and we invite everyone to come and witness it in action.

It is also the first step in a sequence that will lead to equipping the HLD77 fleet with multiple signalling applications, including ETCS, enabling international mobility.

The authorisation of the locomotive confirms the meeting of key European safety requirements for the universal platform, with TSC now seeking ETCS certification and the development of the PZB Application for Germany now ongoing.

Speaking on behalf of Lineas, COO François Alban said:

We are delighted to bring the HLD77 into service with The Signalling Company's system on board. The ability to run the fleet with multiple national safety systems and ETCS on a single platform allows us to be flexible in deploying our locomotives in different countries. TSC’s platform breaks with the traditional cost-paradigm for on-board safety systems.

I’m happy to see innovation at an affordable price, which is an important step for Lineas and the sector as a whole.