The FP2-MORANE-2 project is now underway. It will test the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) technology under real conditions. This project is part of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which has the aim of increasing the capacity, digitization and competitiveness of rail passenger and freight transport in the European Union.
The major project, which will last 34 months, will test and promote market-ready specifications for signalling technology on the busiest railway lines in Europe, and ensure that these specifications are ready and reflected in future revisions of the TSI. As part of the project, FP2-MORANE-2 prototypes will be tested in three European laboratories and under real track conditions. This will include both conventional and high-speed lines.
With GSM-R set to become obsolete by 2030, the new FRM-CS system is a priority technology for the future rail system. The Horizon Europe FP2-MORANE-2 project is co-funded by Europe's Rail (EU-RAIL) and the European Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) to the tune of €13.5 million. The project was officially launched on 1 December 2024. It consists of six work packages for the validation of the latest version of the FRMCS specifications by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).
“The European rail supply industry is devoted to making FRMCS, as part of the overarching ERTMS rollout, a full success. All actors must collectively ensure that the transition to FRMCS is timely and as seamless as possible. FP2-MORANE-2 will contribute to the delivery of the FRMCS specifications for the new CCS TSI. This project will support the development of FRMCS technologies, and aim to get the first deployable FRMCS commercial solutions soon after the completion of testing and evaluation,“ commented Enno Wiebe, Director General of UNIFE.
