The First ETCS Installations On ČD Cargo's Škoda-Built Electric Locomotives

On 18 March 2020, the locomotive 163.022 was handed over to ČD Cargo, which was the first of the operator’s 3 kV DC Class 163 to be equipped with the on-board ETCS. Work is currently continuing on the dual-voltage locomotive 363.075, a prototype of the ETCS OBU retrofitting onto the ČD Cargo’s Class 363.

Both machines are equipped with an on-board ETCS within the project of the consortium consisting of ČD - Telematika (leading member of the consortium, representative of the OBU ETCS supplier in the retrofits for the Czech Republic) and AŽD Praha (member of the consortium, supplier of an national ATP) in cooperation with ČMŽO - elektronika (installation of on-board ETCS on the vehicles). The supplier of the ETCS OBUs is Alstom.

The ČD Cargo order from March 2019 concerns the retrofitting of 31 Class 163 and 47 Class 363 ČD locomotives with ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3. The installation of ETCS and other related systems takes place at the ČMŽO - elektronika works in Hranice. 363.075 is to be completed in the second half of May.