Belgian authorities have given the green light for the first HLD77 locomotive fitted with The Signalling Company’s software-defined safety platform. The approval, achieved in cooperation with Europe’s largest private rail freight operator Lineas, marks a milestone in making locomotives software-upgradeable and ready for future European signalling standards.
The modular system, branded RailOS® and iEVC®, currently runs Belgium’s TBL1+ national safety application. Future updates such as the European Train Control System (ETCS) can be installed quickly and at lower cost, enabling locomotives to run across borders in Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Speaking for Lineas, COO François Alban said: "The ability to run the fleet with multiple national safety systems and ETCS on a single platform allows us to be flexible in deploying our locomotives in different countries. TSC’s platform breaks with the traditional cost-paradigm for on-board safety systems. I’m happy to see innovation at an affordable price, which is an important step for Lineas and the sector as a whole."
The authorisation follows a rigorous validation programme by The Signalling Company’s Brussels team. The compact, energy-efficient platform is designed for retrofitting and supports both ETCS and national safety systems within a single unit.
For Lineas, the move represents a practical path toward modernising its HLD77 fleet, cutting maintenance costs and preparing for international mobility.
