Autonomous Coupling System for Goods Rail Traffic a robotic solution for marshalling yards handling hook-and-chain couplings

Abstract

As globalization demands more and more flexible cargo logistics, freight trains play a big role in moving goods between production sites. Estimations show that goods rail traffic will increase and new solutions to handle wagons will be needed. Today cargo freight trains in Europe are still manually coupled via the hook-and-chain-coupling, a technology older than 100 years. A solution to allow a faster, safer and automated way is a coupling robot installed below the cargo trains at marshalling yards. This solution can be implemented gradually and with no change on rolling stock giving time to implement the long-term solution of an automatic coupling allowing ETCS Level 3 in the future.