Freightliner has officially opened its first Operational Training Academy to prepare Freightliner’s freight train drivers for the in-cab digital signalling being introduced on the East Coast Main Line.

Freightliner, which is a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., officially opened the academy yesterday on the 7th floor of St. Vincent House in Ipswich.

Funding for the Academy has come from the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which is a £1billion transformation to deliver digital signalling on the southern part of the East Coast Main Line from London King’s Cross to Stoke Tunnels near Grantham by the end of the decade.

Freightliner’s vision for the Academy is that it should outlast the ECDP. With three classrooms, learning spaces, and new learning resources, the academy is already hosting train drivers starting their European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) training.

A dedicated team of Operational Trainers will provide support for those attending the academy, and later this month it will receive its first group of Ipswich-based trainee train drivers who are joining the company.

The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) uses digital signalling and state-of-the-art technology to provide continuous signalling information to drivers through a screen in the driver’s cab.

This improves reliability, makes rail travel even safer, reduces emissions, and delivers more flexibility in railway operations.

From this autumn, the academy’s ultra-light simulators will be exclusively used for training when Freightliner’s first Class 66V locomotive will be fitted with ERTMS technology.

An advantage of ERTMS is that it will allow longer, heavier,and faster freight trains to operate on the UK network, which will encourage the movement of freight by rail and lower emissions.

Safety will also be improved by providing train drivers with continuous live information regarding speed and braking requirements, and the safeguard of automatic train protection (ATP).

Blake Jones, Freightliner Managing Director – Rail Services, said: “Freightliner is delighted to be part of this programme and it recognises the importance of ERTMS in making our railways safer for both railway workers and the general public.”

Ed Akers, Principal Programme Sponsor, ECDP, said: “Freightliner is an integral ECDP partner and is working collaboratively to ensure the Programme’s benefits are delivered in full. The academy opening is an important part of delivering the change required and will help us provide a legacy of new capability within the rail industry.”

Louise Ward, Freightliner’s Safety and Sustainability Director, said: “Freightliner continues to invest in the training of its people. The use of simulators allows drivers to apply their classroom knowledge in a practical and safe environment supporting a more comprehensive learning experience.”