​VÄTE Rail Signs Agreement for 25 Rear-View Cameras

VÄTE Rail has entered into a call-off agreement with Railway Metrics and Dynamics (RMD) for 25 rear-view cameras. This marks another step forward in VÄTE Rail’s digitalization of its fleet.

Early Adopters of Digitalization

VÄTE Rail began its digitalization journey early and has always aimed to stay at the forefront. At the end of 2023, the company started testing and evaluating RMD’s rear-view cameras during shunting operations in the Port of Trelleborg.

In 2024, 90 freight wagons and 20 locomotives were equipped with PMUs (Performance Monitoring Units) from RMD. The data is visualized in RMD’s “Train Management System,” providing the company with real-time control of its entire fleet, from Sundsvall to Trelleborg.

The latest agreement includes an additional 25 rear-view cameras, which will be deployed in early 2025.

– The advantages of the rear-view camera are obvious. It completely eliminates risky work tasks and frees up personnel for other duties. Everything the camera records can be monitored online via a dashboard, which can provide extra support to the train driver if needed. Visibility in the direction of travel is excellent, although in poor weather conditions, reversing might need to be done at a slightly slower pace, says Jan G. Forslund, VÄTE Rail.

Swedish Work Environment Authority’s Ban

After several incidents and fatal accidents, the Swedish Work Environment Authority decided in 2024 to ban riding on footboards, with a fine of SEK 15 million for violations. The ban, initially aimed at Green Cargo, was set to take effect on September 3 but was postponed until June 1, 2025, following an appeal.

– It’s likely that the ban will apply to all operators. We began evaluating the rear-view camera in 2024, and it works excellently. Replacing hazardous tasks with a camera to prevent accidents benefits everyone, says Jan G. Forslund.

800–1,200 Rear-View Cameras Needed in Sweden Alone

We estimate that the Swedish market’s demand for rear-view cameras is between 800 and 1,200 units, representing more than SEK 50 million in annual rental turnover. With the growing focus on safety in the railway sector, we anticipate that the Nordic market will follow Sweden’s lead, and that both the rest of Europe and the Nordics will adopt similar measures.

– This is just the beginning. The entire European market will implement the same ban, so the potential is substantial. Rear-view cameras can replace signal operators and allow the train driver to remain in the locomotive during reversing in many scenarios. Avoiding even a single accident is enough to make the investment in rear-view cameras worthwhile, says Jan Lindqvist, CEO of Railway Metrics and Dynamics.

RMD’s updated, state-of-the-art rear-view camera is already in use by several Swedish operators, including TX Logistik, Green Cargo, VÄTE Rail, and CFL Cargo. Currently, tests are also being conducted by Germany’s Havelländische Eisenbahn AG and Finland’s Fenniarail OY.

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