Recently, Xinshuo Railway’s Upgraded Locomotive with Intelligent Autonomous Driving, CEA1A1 Put into Trial Operation, marking a substantive advancement by the company in the application of intelligent driving technologies for heavy-haul railways.
For this test, CEA1A1 locomotive No. 7149 was selected for real operational validation along three main lines (Dazhun Line, Zhunchi Line, and Xinzhun Line), covering multiple scenarios including single locomotives, ordinary trains, and 10,000-tonne heavy-haul trains. The test comprehensively evaluated core functions such as switching between manual and autonomous driving modes, automatic starting and stopping, intelligent control in phase-separation sections, automatic running curve planning, safety-oriented control, and human-machine interaction. Simultaneously, integrated testing of the remote locomotive monitoring and diagnostic system was conducted, enabling real-time locomotive status reporting, data collection, fault diagnosis, and critical component life-cycle statistics. All these provided a comprehensive assessment of the stability, safety, and function of the intelligent system under complex route conditions, long steep ramps, and multi-scenario operations.
Currently, Xinshuo Railway has completed intelligent upgrading of nine CEA1A1 locomotives, equipping them with autonomous driving and remote monitoring and diagnostic systems. This has established a heavy-haul train intelligent operation system characterized by “minimal human intervention, automated execution, and coordinated synergy”, enabling seamless autonomous driving integration during coal-loading at loading stations.
The trial operation of the autonomous driving system of the CEA1A1 locomotive intelligent retrofitting represents a significant achievement for Xinshuo Railway in its commitment to driving enterprise development through technology and advancing smart railway initiative. It also marks a pivotal practice in the digital and intelligent upgrade of heavy-haul railway transport equipment. Upon commissioning, the project will effectively enhance train operation precision and safety assurance, optimize transportation organization efficiency, reduce labor intensity, and accumulate valuable experience for the application of intelligent driving technologies in China’s heavy-haul railways, demonstrating the company’s responsibility and commitment to empowering safe energy transportation through technological innovation.
