THE European Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC) pilot project (DAC4EU) has commissioned Voith to supply a further 30 CargoFlex wagon couplers and two CargoFlex hybrid couplers to allow another 13 wagons and one locomotive belonging to Westphalia State Railway (WLE) to be equipped with DAC by the end of this year.
WLE has been operating the first pairs of wagons with DAC in commercial service since March as part of the DAC4EU pilot project to demonstrate, test and approve DAC for rail freight operation in Europe.
The couplers, which can be uncoupled manually via an uncoupling device on the side of the wagon, provide a continuous power and data supply between the wagons via the e-couplers. This will pave the way for future functions such as conducting an automatic brake test, which was developed in cooperation with PJM, Austria. Voith says more functions are planned, including automatic detection of train length, wagon sequence and train integrity.
The first four couplers have already been delivered, with the rest due to follow by autumn 2025.
WLE operates a 120km network and carries around 1.4 million tonnes of freight a year, mainly limestone and cement. With the newly-equipped train, WLE is using DAC in commercial freight service within the EU for the first time.
