Thales-led NS2F rail signalling consortium enters contract discussions with French agency for ecological transition (Ademe)

The technology will revitalise services on small local lines serving rural communities as well as improving safety, especially at level crossings. The new system will be fully interoperable with the core network and promises to reduce investment and operating costs by more than 30%.

The France 2030 Committee, which is tasked with implementing the French government’s investment plan, has awarded €7,163,753 in funding to the NS2F project.

The NS2F consortium is already working with France's national rail operator SNCF on Innovative Light Train, a project that aims to reshape the mobility landscape throughout France and revitalise 12,000 km of low density rail lines which, because of their advanced state of obsolescence, are neither economically viable to operate nor appealing to passengers.

The consortium aims to complete the project in three years, drawing on nine innovative systems and technologies:

- Thales: Platform-agnostic, autonomous train positioning and odometry without trackside infrastructure
- Thales: Cyber-secured data transmission via public telecommunications networks
- GeoSAT: High-density digital terrain mapping
- CLEARSY & Thales: Formal methods of safety data generation
- Setec Ferroviaire & Thales: Tablet-based supervision and operation interface for driver
- Thales & Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional council: Integrated surveillance of level crossings
- GeoSAT, Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional council & Thales: Network surveillance using rolling stock-mounted sensors
- Thales: Efficient signalling systems and centralised line supervision

“We are delighted to officially get the ball rolling with our partners Setec Ferroviaire, GeoSAT, CLEARSY, SNCF and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional council (FerroCampus). The innovative systems we are developing together will revitalise France’s low density rail lines and put us at
the cutting edge of technology globally.” - Amaury Jourdan, Chief Technical Officer, Thales Ground Transportation Systems.