- The signalling division has secured contracts to equip over 450 vehicles with on-board ERTMS, bringing the total to more than 1,300 equipped vehicles.
- The signalling business operates in over a dozen countries across four continents.
CAF’s Railway Signalling Business Sets Record with Over 450 Vehicles Contracted for On-board ERTMS Equipment in 2023
CAF Group’s railway signalling business closed 2023 with over 450 vehicles contracted to be equipped with its on-board ERTMS, marking the division’s best performance in its 14-year history as a part of the Group.
Less than a decade after signing its first contract, the company has surpassed 1,300 vehicles equipped with on-board ERTMS and ATO (Automatic Train Operation), covering all types of vehicles, both new and refurbished.
Throughout these ten years, CAF has expanded its geographical footprint in signalling across four out of five continents, with projects in more than a dozen countries: Spain, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Uruguay, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
In its early days, the signalling subsidiary gained its first references and experience through the support of CAF's vehicle business. However, over the years, this division has also grown independently of the Group, serving other rolling stock manufacturers and major operators such as Renfe, Euskotren, NS, Deutsche Bahn, KiwiRail, České Dráhy, and SZDC.
A Leading Provider of ERTMS/On-board ERTMS
The 2023 contracts for over 450 vehicles to be fitted with on-board ERTMS have positioned CAF as one of the world’s foremost suppliers in terms of contracted signalling equipment over the past year.
Currently, CAF is a leader in on-board railway signalling in markets like the Czech Republic, where it has more than 400 vehicles equipped with on-board ERTMS, and the Netherlands, with over 275 references. Furthermore, CAF has achieved a 100% market share in on-board ERTMS in New Zealand, where one fleet has also been equipped with ATO over ERTMS.
In addition, CAF concluded the year with the commissioning of more than twenty “First in Class” vehicles in countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Mexico.
2024, a Challenging Year
The company anticipates this positive momentum will continue into 2024. Among the near-term challenges, CAF is preparing for the launch and certification of its on-board ERTMS project with Deutsche Bahn in Germany.
Another significant milestone will be the commercial entry into service of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) over ERTMS in Auckland, New Zealand, along with the implementation of technically demanding projects such as on-board ERTMS for SJ trains in Sweden and the commercial entry into service of Stadler locomotives with ERTMS in Uruguay.
Overall, the company projects the commissioning of approximately 30 “First in Class” projects, to be certified under the new European Technical Specification for Interoperability regarding Control-Command and Signalling (TSI CCS) 2023.
CAF’s signalling division is also participating in high-value technological collaboration projects with leading clients in the vehicle business. Among these is a collaborative technology project with the Dutch national operator NS, where CAF is developing and testing solutions linked to autonomous vehicle technologies, such as ATO, Automatic Shunting, and Remote Shunting.
“CAF has made strides to establish itself as a reference ERTMS provider, offering state-of-the-art, safe technological solutions aimed at operational automation,” says Jon Alzate, General Manager of CAF’s signalling division.
Press Contact
Ignacio Calvo
ignacio.calvo@cafsignalling.com
0034 660 36 08 70