2023-12-28 14:55:00
New head office under construction, increase in attendance, growth of the company, modernization projects… The CFL do not seem to be experiencing the crisis. This bodes well in view of the rapid demographic development of the country. We must, in fact, be able to respond to future mobility challenges. This will involve, among other things, more trains on the rails.
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The new CFL train has arrived in Luxembourg
The company, majority owned by the State, had already taken the lead in December 2018 by acquiring 34 new electric railcars from the manufacturer Alstom. According to an article recently published on the CFL blog, they have now arrived and are currently in the approval phase in Belgium, on the Luxembourg border.
Contacted, the CFL informed us that these were tests as part of the approval process for the 2450 series. “The tests for the three-box configuration (which concerns 24 units ordered, Editor’s note) have been finalized and a file of placing on the market has been filed with the ERA (the European railway agency)”. Remember that the latter must gradually replace the so-called “Z2” railcars which date from the 1990s.
According to the photos posted by the CFL, travelers will benefit from greater comfort and many particularly welcome facilities. Firstly, the arrival of WiFi. “Customers on board will also benefit from WiFi antennas for wireless internet connection, USB-C sockets as well as a video surveillance system covering 98% of the train.”
The train will be covered 98% by video surveillance. © PHOTO: CFL
But that’s not all. On board is also a system which will allow, in the future, automated driving… under driver supervision that said.
Eventually, automated driving will become a reality. © PHOTO: CFL
Also note an automatic passenger counting system which would ultimately prove very useful for commuters. “Thanks to the data collected, the CFL can determine the number of customers in different parts of the train and adapt the seating offer if necessary. In the future, this information will also be made available to customers to display train occupancy rates on platforms and in a future version of the CFL mobile application.”
Finally, the configuration on board has been designed so that this train is accessible to people with reduced mobility. Thus, the toilets also offer the possibility of calling the support staff in the event of a problem.
The new railcars have been designed for people with reduced mobility. © PHOTO: CFL
But what about the seats, knowing that the CFL aims to increase the supply of seats by almost 50% by 2025? “The new railcars (series 2400 and 2450) will have a high number of seats: 334 for the 2400 series and 692 for the 2450 series. In multiple units with nine bodies, trains offering more than 1,000 seats will be possible.” In other words, the arrival of these new railcars on the rail network will take the company to a completely new dimension.
They will be deployed on the network next year. © PHOTO: CFL
Furthermore, in the 2400 series, there will be a dozen spaces for bicycles as well as two spaces for travelers traveling in wheelchairs. For the 2450 series, there will be four places for customers traveling in wheelchairs as well as 24 places for bicycles. In short, enough to give pride of place to multimodal transport, so popular with the last government.
Deployed on the network next year
The latest tests are currently taking place in Arlon, on an SNCB site. Everything seems ready for deployment on the Luxembourg network. According to CFL, the reception phase of the 2400 series is underway. “According to the schedule, commercial commissioning around the first quarter of 2024 is planned. Tests for multiple unit circulation are still in progress and should be completed by the last quarter of 2024. The gradual commercial entry into service of Coradia Stream High Capacity railcars is planned from 2024.”
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New modern cars finally deployed on the Brussels-Luxembourg line
As we know, this new rolling stock will be able to circulate on the Luxembourg, Belgian and French networks. It now remains to be seen whether these railcars will be used as part of these famous “international” lines to be extended, beyond Arlon for example. Unfortunately, the CFL tells us that the exploitation program has not yet been finalized. To be continued…
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