The Railway Test Centre Velim in the Czech Republic, operated by Výzkumný Ústav Železniční (VUZ), has introduced a fully equipped ETCS reference locomotive to support railway vehicle and system certification.
At the end of 2024, VUZ deployed locomotive 124 601-6, fitted with a standardized ETCS onboard unit. The system, supplied by Hitachi Rail, is compliant with the latest technical standards. By using the locomotive as a reference, new ETCS systems undergoing validation at Velim can be directly benchmarked against an operational setup.
The presence of the reference locomotive is aimed at reducing configuration times, enabling faster verification of performance, and identifying any discrepancies during testing phases. This approach supports more efficient certification processes for rolling stock manufacturers and operators.
Velim remains one of the largest test circuits in Europe, regularly used for high-speed train trials and ETCS verification, including previous projects involving vehicles such as the Hitachi Rail ETR 1000.
