DB Cargo AG, Europe’s largest freight operating company, is leading the way in digitalizing and automating rail freight transport. As part of this progress, the company is focusing on automating the process of shunting in formation yards, where freight trains are dismantled, wagons sorted, and new trains assembled. Currently, shunting locomotives are still controlled manually, but in the future, fully automated hump locomotives will be used.
Bosch Engineering GmbH and ITK Engineering GmbH, two subsidiaries of Robert Bosch GmbH, are partnering with DB Cargo to develop the automation technology. This will enable trains to be assembled more efficiently, strengthening the competitiveness of single-wagonload transport and contributing to a shift towards environmentally friendly rail.
The fully automated hump locomotive is expected to be approved by the German Federal Railway Authority at the end of 2027 and will be deployed at DB Cargo’s main formation yards in Germany from 2028 onwards. The locomotive will be controlled by advanced sensors and algorithms, allowing for autonomous shunting operations.
The technology will be developed in partnership with Bosch Engineering and ITK Engineering, with the latter working on the operator workstation for line-side use. The German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport is funding the project within its programme to promote pioneering rail freight technology.
This innovation is seen as a significant milestone in the digitalization and automation of rail freight transport, with potential benefits including increased profitability, higher quality in operations, and a more competitive position in the market. As such, DB Cargo AG is confident that this technology will contribute to the group’s S3 turnaround programme and provide customers with faster and more flexible handling of their consignments.