200204 – Arpaci – ERTMS/ETCS Benefits for the World Railways

Looking back over the past 40 years of railway history at ATP (automatic train protection)/ATC
(automatic train control) systems across Europe, it is easy to appreciate the need for a common
harmonised, interoperable train control system. Most countries currently have their own proprietary
ATP/ATC system.

Even where the basic systems are very similar, the functionalities are usually different – resulting in incompatible, non-interoperable systems. This is a major hindrance to trans-European cross-border
traffic.

In view of this situation, the railways, in collaboration with industry, specified the European Train Control System (ETCS) as a means of ensuring optimum operational and economic efficiency across the Continent.

These efforts subsequently led to a series of System Requirement Specifications, which have now
reached Version 2.2.2 (the so-called Class 1 functionality for interoperability).