Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) Systems in Hamburg Metro

The successful testing of a radio-based train control system has been reported in the Hamburg Metro, according to the railway portal Railway Supply, citing Alstom.

As part of the U-Bahn100 project, the testing of the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system with moving block sections and Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2) has been completed on the test track of the Hamburg Metro.

This will allow for reducing the headways between trains to 100 seconds. Currently, the minimum interval between trains is 2.5 minutes.

The contract for the deployment of such a system was signed with Alstom and Siemens Mobility in the autumn of 2022.

The test track is located on the U1 line between the Farmsen and Berne stations.

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At Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2), the train operator is responsible for passenger boarding and alighting, while the train automatically departs, accelerates up to 50 km/h, and then stops at the next station.

CBTC with automatic train operation is planned to be implemented on busy sections of the U2 and U4 lines.

Siemens Mobility will modernize six Sicas ECC microprocessor-based interlocking systems and supplement them with Trainguard MT equipment to enable CBTC functionalities.

Alstom will equip all 163 DT5 series trains with onboard CBTC devices, acting as the system integrator and responsible for the system’s commissioning.

Currently, six trains have been prepared to operate at Grade of Automation 2 and are considered pre-series.

After completing all the tests in 2024, the remaining 157 trains will be retrofitted. The older DT4 series trains will not be equipped with CBTC and will be gradually replaced by the new DT6 series trains.

The U-Bahn100 project, with a budget of approximately €200 million, is planned to be completed by 2029.

Graphics: Hamburger Hochbahn

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