Wabtec Supports SNCF’s Safety Upgrades with Cold Movement Detection Technology

PITTSBURGH, November 25, 2021 -- Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) announced today it will supply SNCF, the French national railway company, with Cold Movement Detection (CMD) technology for the operator’s latest generation of high-speed trains. The technology is an important component of the onboard European Train Control System (ETCS), promoted by the European Commission to enable interoperability across the European Union.

Cold Movement Detection plays an important role in train safety and efficiency. The ETCS system needs to know whether an engine has been moved during the time it has been without power. Missing movement information results in lost time and costs, as the train driver must drive in degraded mode to the next synchronization location.

The CMD function enables the immediate recovery of the train operation when power is restored after a complete switch-off of the train during parking phases. Wabtec's Cold Movement Detector solution detects every train movement while the on-board ETCS is completely shut down. If it notifies that the train has not moved, the signaling system can safely decide to start directly under nominal conditions, without the need for a time-consuming train relocation procedure.

The CMD solution is the result of a 20-year close collaboration among three complementary structures, and experts in their fields: SNCF, HITACHI and Wabtec. It was developed in Wabtec’s La Ville aux Dames production facility and engineering center of excellence in central France. Wabtec’s technology offers the highest level of safety in the industry. The CMD is expected to obtain SIL-4 certification for the onboard ETCS in 2024 and be fully deployed in 2025.

“This contract is the outcome of a longstanding collaboration between Wabtec and SNCF for ETCS odometry functions for all its across their fleet of high-speed trains,” said Christophe FEVRE, Vice President of Wabtec’s Transit Information & Safety business line. “We are proud to bring this technology to market, which will meet the highest safety standards in the railway industry.”

The ETCS is an automatic train protection system. It is designed to ensure safe operation of trains. The system is based on odometry - the use of data from moving sensors to estimate change in position over time. Wabtec is supplying the ETCS Odometer to HITACHI, which in turn will integrate it in its European Vital Computer onboard Alstom’s TGV M high-speed trains, selected by SNCF for its new fleet.

About Wabtec

Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) is focused on creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The company is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for the freight and transit rail industries, as well as the mining, marine and industrial markets. Wabtec has been a leader in the rail industry for over 150 years and has a vision to achieve a zero-emission rail system in the U.S. and worldwide. The company has approximately 27,000 employees located at facilities in 50 countries throughout the world. Visit Wabtec’s new website at: www.wabteccorp.com.