On July 10 2004, the Dimetronic/Bombardier Transportation consortium commissioned the new Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System for the so called ‘Mediterranean Corridor’. This RENFE line using Iberian gauge (1678 mm) runs freight and passenger services over the 500 Km between La Encina (Albacete) and Barcelona Sants, passing through Valencia, Castellón and Tarragona.
Within the said consortium, Dimetronic is responsible for the development, manufacture, installation, test, validation and commissioning of the on board equipment. These include the Control and Process Equipment (ECP) and the interfaces with both the train and the driver. The total number of trains to be equipped is 32 locomotives belonging to the 252 series and 6 Euromed trains.
This new ATP system allows trains to run up to 220 Km/h. The on board equipment receives punctual information from the track balisses, though it continuously supervises the train’s speed, acting upon the traction, service brake and emergency brake equipments. These leads to a notorious increase in safety. It’s worth to note that this new system is fully compatible with the existing Spanish national system ASFA, to which the new system automatically switches when there is no ATP on the track or in the case of a malfunction. All developments carried out by Dimetronic have been compliant to the safety standards CENELEC 50126, 50128 and 50129 for railway applications.
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