On August 16, the experimental locomotives 242 and 243 achieved continuous dispatch, group formation, autonomous tracking between sections, and group separation when arriving at stations on the Baoshen North Line, marking the success of the first field test of the “Heavy-Haul Train Group Operation” mode, signifying a breakthrough in making the group operation concept a reality.
The “Heavy-Haul Train Group Operation” project, one of CHN Energy’s top ten sci-tech projects in 2022, aims to achieve train group-oriented operation by developing self-coordinating control technology between unit trains. This project is expected to significantly enhance transportation capacity, offering a new pathway for capacity improvement featuring “low cost, short cycle, and high security”. The project is designed to provide strong support for CHN Energy in leading the global heavy-haul technology development and building itself into a cradle for technology innovation.
This trial represents the first test under the group-oriented operation model. After on-site verification of all group functions, the group operation theory has proven to be fundamentally feasible, and the equipment R&D have witnessed success, laying a solid foundation for CHN Energy’s subsequent efforts to operate the world’s first 35,000-tonne heavy-haul group train.
