6 carriages travel-dreams are made of
Introducing the first Coradia with 6 carriages
With a bit of luck, railway enthusiasts have already been able to catch a glimpse of them in Arlon since last week. We are talking about one of the new 34 Coradia Stream High Capacity multiple units that the CFL ordered from Alstom, at the end of 2018. Following first sightings of the three-carriage configuration of the new electric multiple units (2400 series), a very first example of the CFL’s 2450 series consisting of 6 carriages is now standing in the sidings of the town near the Belgian-Luxembourg border. While tests were recently carried out from here for the approval of the new 2400 series in multiple units (we reported for you in this blog article), this location is now the scene of final tests and adjustment work for the new CFL series with 6 carriages. A configuration that offers 24 more seats on the same train length compared to a multiple unit consisting of two electric railcars with 3 units each.
Final fine-tuning and adjustments before the approval tests
As Mike Strotz (responsible for the acquisition of this new rolling stock on behalf of CFL) explains to us in the CFL podcast, final adjustments and fine-tuning are being carried out here in Arlon by the manufacturer ALSTOM before the tests as part of the approval process for this type of electric railcar. On the day of our visit, the final adjustments to the compressed air-powered braking system are on the agenda. Acousticians from the supplier are also on board the train to check whether the background noise inside the train meets the required standards.
Technical innovations also on board the 2450 series
The first train in six-carriages configuration in Arlon is in no way inferior to the trains of the 2400 series (with three carriages). Customers on this train also benefit from modern rolling stock that leaves nothing to be desired in terms of comfort and connectivity. Not only do customers benefit from a generous amount of space and an open-plan layout, all compartments of the train are also equipped with WiFi antennas, offering customers a wireless connection to the Internet on board.
The train is also equipped with an automatic passenger counting system. Based on the data collected, the CFL can determine the number of customers in the different parts of the train. This is an important prerequisite so that the number of seats can be adjusted if necessary. In the future (current projects are being developed), this information will also be made available to customers. In order to achieve this, current projects are underway to display train occupancy on the platforms and in a future version of the CFL app. This is useful information for customers to find a free seat quicker.
There are also facilities on board to ensure that this train is also barrier-free. People with reduced mobility will therefore have various infrastructures at their disposal. This includes a toilet equipped to meet the needs of people with reduced mobility, as well as the option of calling the train attendant if assistance is required. The necessary technology for automated train operation is also pre-installed, which enables the train to independently adjust its speed based on the existing rail network situation (busy, slow) under the watchful eye of the train driver. Another option for travelling even more punctually in the future. However, this function will only be put into operation in a second approval stage. Priority is being given to the approval of the rolling stock itself so that customers can benefit from the new seating options as quickly as possible. 46% more seats will be available to customers by the end of 2025.