Belgium clearly implemented ETCS at lightning speed. At the same time, the country did not have much choice in implementing the technology. The 2010 rail accident at Buizingen, which left 19 dead and 171 wounded, highlighted the shortcomings of the nearly one century-old national safety system. It could not prevent trains ignoring red signals.

A patchwork of ETCS Levels

Since Belgium already had in-house ETCS expertise after it had taken the first implementation steps in 2009, it opted to accelerate that implementation. In order to do cover the entire mainline network with ETCS within an acceptable timeframe and at a reasonable cost, Belgium chose to install a mix of three variants of ETCS:

• ETCS Level 1 Full Supervision (ETCS L1 FS)
• ETCS Level 2 Full Supervision (ETCS L2 FS)
• ETCS Level 1 Limited Supervision (ETCS L1 LS)

Infrabel chose to implement ETCS L1 FS in places where that was already planned before the 2011 Masterplan, where ETCS L2 FS was not technically possible (such as in large stations), or on short sections between ETCS L1 FS zones. Otherwise, the infrastructure manager installed ETCS L2 FS, except on the more quiet sections. In the latter case, it installed ETCS L1 LS.

What is the difference between Full and Limited Supervision? Infrabel explains:

With ETCS Level 1, both Full and Limited Supervision, a train’s on-board computer receives information about the maximum permitted speed, whether the next signal is open or closed, the gradient of the tracks, etc. With Limited Supervision, the on-board computer receives this information over a shorter distance than with Full Supervision.

Furthermore, with Limited Supervision, this information is not visualised on the train driver’s screen. ETCS Limited Supervision is a system – a mode of ETCS L1 – that runs in the background. The train driver looks outside and follows the signals, as in situations without ETCS. If he or she does make a mistake, for example by driving too fast, the system intervenes and performs an emergency brake application. With Full Supervision, the train driver sees all the information on the screen in the driver’s cab.

The present day

That brings us to 2026. Fifteen years after the 2011 Belgian “ETCS Masterplan” and 2.8 billion euros later, the mainline network is ready for ETCS-only operations. Some 80% of expenditures went to interlocking, a base system for the control of switches and signals. Belgium is making the switch to the digital interlocking systems SmartLock and SIMIS W.

Milestone completed. Still, that does not mean that there are no more challenges on the horizon. In the coming decade, the 2G communication technology GSM-R should reach end-of-life status and be replaced with the 5G system FRMCS, which offers increased reliability, speed and higher levels of cyber security. This will require more expensive retrofitting and infrastructure work, just as Belgium has completed ETCS implementation.

Infrabel expects that we will end up with a dual system of both GSM-R and FRMCS, and so it does not worry that GSM-R will be defunct from one day to the next. The infrastructure manager is preparing to keep its GSM-R network operational for longer to retain its communications infrastructure.

Simultaneously, Infrabel is preparing GSM-R towers for FRMCS installation. However, not all equipment is commercially available or is even in existence, which means that planning for the switch is difficult. However, Infrabel adds that it maintains its own standalone rail fibre optic network, which offers security and a lack of interference. The “backbone” is there, so the migration to FRMCS has been “prepared” already. To complete the upgrade, Infrabel just needs to change the hardware of the communication system.

Who coordinates problem analysis and resolution?

Operationally, ETCS-only operations also bring about several challenges. Hans-Willem Vroon, director of the Dutch rail freight association RailGood, had earlier explained to RailFreight.com that ETCS operations in the Netherlands are not flawless. A key problem concerns independent investigation of incidents and the allocation of responsibility. The many involved stakeholders, such as part manufacturers, software developers, the infrastructure manager operators and train drivers make that process difficult. “As is so often the case in chains, the temptation is great for chain players to hide behind each other and for important players to disappear.”

The question is who, then, takes responsibility for the independent investigation of incidents or determines where operations derail?

Infrabel explains that it organises quarterly consultations with stakeholders by default. Moreover, the infrastructure manager says that it has traffic reports of all delays that occur on its network. If ETCS is involved in the incident, it consults with stakeholders to identify the problem. This, according to Infrabel, “goes quite well”. In other words, there is no formally appointed entity that takes responsibility, but these processes take place in good faith and in a cooperative spirit.

However, Infrabel does not expect system-breaking issues to arise. The use of technology is as watertight as possible with the help of certificates and homologation procedures. Still, not every supplier implements everything correctly – or identically to one another, despite certification – 100% of the time. There are some hiccups from time to time due to cost reductions, which can cause operational issues.

The unions also fear that the qualified two-thirds majority in social dialogue – which was previously required for important decisions in the joint committee – could be circumvented in the future, making decisions possible without the approval of at least one of the unions.

Rail freight not (yet) impacted

In a comment to RailFreight.com, Infrabel explains that all signalling boxes are currently open and that it has communicated this to all operators. The strike is aimed at passenger traffic, according to the infrastructure manager, so the impact on freight operation is limited.

There is no impact on the previously allocated time slots for freight trains. In other words, there is no deviation from the standard plan in the freight sector.

The entire Belgian rail network of 6,400 kilometres is now covered by ETCS, according to the Chief Operating Officer of Infrabel, Jochen Bultinck. The COO adds that 92% of each driven train-kilometre is currently covered by the system.

The ETCS implementation project started in 2015, and was completed exactly a decade later. Of the 6,400 kilometres of the Belgian rail network, the project saw 2,274 kilometres upgraded to ETCS level 2.
Siemens Mobility explains that the project delivered significant improvements in operational efficiency and seamless cross-border train operations thanks to the integration of advanced interlockings and by enabling continuous digital communication.

An example for Europe

“Belgium is the first country to implement ETCS across a highly complex network under rolling conditions with almost no closures – setting the example Europe must follow”, comments Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility.

“The on-time completion and commissioning of this project, exactly ten years after its start, reflects the strength of our partnership with Infrabel and the consortium’s unwavering commitment. With much of Belgium’s rail network now running on ETCS Level 2, our proven signaling technology delivers the highest safety standards and a more efficient, future-ready rail system for the entire country.”

Like in other European countries, Belgium’s railway network previously operated on older systems. That hindered reliability, efficiency, and cross-border compatibility. Europe-wide implementation of ETCS (and the broader ERTMS framework) should increase the level of interoperability among European countries and make international traffic more efficient.

“The expansion of the Mercator rail yard is a key lever for a more efficient and sustainable flow of goods in Ghent, at North Sea Port”, commented Flemish Prime Minister Matthias Diependaele. “Flanders is fully committed to multimodal accessibility: we do this via waterways, among other means, but our railways also offer opportunities.”

Companies such as Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, DFDS and ArcelorMittal stand to benefit from the Mercator expansion. They are all located in the vicinity of the rail yard. The infrastructure is of “great importance” to the companies, according to North Sea Port.

Future connection with the Netherlands

With the construction work now finalised, the Mercator rail yard has six tracks that are 750 metres or more in length. The three remaining tracks are 545, 580, and 623 metres long. The total investment for the upgrade amounted to 12,5 million euros, of which 8,5 million euros came from European funds. By 2029, the track bundle will also be equipped with signals and automatic switches.

North Sea Port says that a future investment will give the port a direct connection with the Netherlands. “This should allow shipments from Dutch companies to be combined with those from companies at the Kluizendok.” Kluizendok is a dock in the north of the port. “This will make rail transport in and around the port area more accessible for companies with smaller volumes.”

The Mercator rail yard expansion fits into a broader strategy to improve rail infrastructure in the port. Belgian infrastructure manager Infrabel has invested 17 million euros in 750-metre tracks elsewhere in the port in recent years.

In September 2023, former Belgian Minister of Transport Gilkinet and Benoit Gilson, CEO of the country’s rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, announced the construction of a new rail connection for the Port of Brussels. In June 2024, the port was connected to the new railway line. Belgian publication Bruzz now reports that the railway line has been unused since then.

When the construction of the rail connection was announced, Van Moer Logistics, the operator of the container terminal at the Port of Brussels, committed to using it. “We still have the ambition to use the railway. We’re in the starting blocks and have already received twelve wagons at the terminal, and flower producer Ceres also wants to use the railway. All the pieces have to fall into place first – the quayside works, slots, and so on – before we can actually get started”, says Nick Jolley, head of the Van Moer Logistics terminals.

Pilot train MPET

When Van Moer Logistics announced its container terminal expansion in early 2023, the logistics service provider had already indicated plans for a block train between Antwerp’s container terminal MPET and the Port of Brussels. “Last week, we had planned a test train from MPET to Brussels, but because the quay wasn’t ready yet, that test has been postponed,” says Jolley.

At the Port of Brussels, spokesperson Ben Dragon confirms that the new rail infrastructure is ready, but that work still needs to be done on the quay and four other switches in the outer harbor that are in poor condition and need to be replaced. “We are working with Infrabel to solve this problem. The upgrade of these switches should be completed by 2026,” he says.

This article was originally published by our sister publication Flows.be.

Results by the end of the year

“The data to be used as a basis for Infrabel’s analysis will be ready in July. Infrabel will then begin the analysis, which should take about 6 months”, AERRL Secretary General Carole Coune told RailFreight.com. The locations for the use cases have not yet been chosen, she added. Once the tests are done, “Infrabel will lead a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis from a social perspective”, AERRL said.

This initiative follows a study carried out by AERRL, Akiem, Beacon and Cargounit at the end of April 2023. Among the main conclusions of this study was that a full electrification of European railways by 2050 is quite an unrealistic goal. Back then, HVO was proposed as a transitional solution, while battery-electric traction is considered as the most appropriate approach.

“This is also the case for rail freight transport. In order to offer full transparency to their customers, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and infrastructure manager Infrabel developed and implemented three applications that should make the logistics chain in the port area and on the Belgian rail network run more smoothly.”

RTP Manager

First up is the so-called Rail Trans Port (RTP) Manager. The application shows where a train or wagon is in the logistics process. Subsequently, customers can figure out whether or not their freight is delayed.

“The first version is now being used and finally tested by the two companies and will be gradually opened up to all stakeholders in the rail transport logistics chain (railway companies, terminals, shippers, freight payers, bridge and lock keepers and harbour masters) after the summer of 2025”, explains Infrabel.

In the early stage of the RTP Manager, Infrabel will use it to coordinate the activities of each link in the transport chain better, allowing it to respond more quickly to possible deviations and to monitor and manage the use of rail bundles.

“In the long term, the intention is to further expand RTP Manager with additional functionalities and data such as international monitoring of freight traffic, the use of GPS data (location determination is currently based on information obtained from the rail infrastructure), terminal slots and so on”, the infrastructure manager writes.

Shunting and communication

A second app has been developed specifically for a shunting yard in Antwerp. “Trieerheuvel viewer”, a web application, will allow railway companies to see when their wagons are being shunted and when they are ready for departure.

The third app, dubbed FreightChat, is a communication tool. It is supposed to remove the need for all previous communication channels, such as WhatsApp, email, phone or SMS. “On this application, Infrabel, the port, the railway companies and the end customers can communicate with each other directly and in real time. This concerns communication about incidents, construction sites and all matters that can have an impact on freight transport in the port”, the infrastructure manager explains.

“That is why we are hoping to use rail infrastructure. Not only for ourselves, but also for the industrial partners in the area. It would significantly limit road kilometres and CO2 emissions”, the CEO said. The company pushed for the idea, and with some success.

Export possibilities for the whole region

Rail infrastructure manager Infrabel is now conducting a feasibility study on the construction of a transshipment hub. The hub is not only to be used by Ciner Glass, but accessible to companies in the wider area as well. Once operational, the transshipment hub would “mean export possibilities for the whole region”, Sen said.

The so-called Iron Rhine, an inactive rail line, runs through the industrial park. It connects to destinations east and west, into Europe and towards the Belgian sea ports. The region, says Sen, is enthusiastic about the idea.

If the construction of the transshipment hub is really going to happen, the site would need a new building and cranes for loading and unloading. Current expectations estimate that 175 freight trains could use the site annually – taking an average of 50 trucks off the road each time. The feasibility study is supposed to be completed by the end of this year, when Infrabel will come out with cost-benefit analysis and it can make a decision on the matter.

The works on the ring started last year. North Sea Port took care of drainage and stabilisation works, after which Infrabel commenced laying the tracks. One and a half kilometres of tracks are being laid, together with nine new switches. The total investment amounts to 7 million euros, 4.7 million euros from NSP and 2.3 from Infrabel.

The 600 wagons will be deployed to replace the current fleet of wagons used by Infrabel for rail construction projects. “Replacing the old rolling stock is beneficial for the infrastructure manager because the maintenance cost for the new fleet is significantly lower. Furthermore we need less open box wagons in order to transport the same amount/mass then when we would use the old flat wagons”, the spokesperson added.