On November 30, 2023, the system components of an electronic interlocking were transferred to our university. Such systems are used by Deutsche Bahn for track safety. We already reported on the upcoming transport on our university website in October 2023.

The system was last used as a teaching system at a Deutsche Bahn site in Berlin.

In the meantime, the computer cabinets, the operating station system and other equipment have been set up again in our laboratory room 0.31 in the ZI building in accordance with the existing planning documents so that it corresponds to the original arrangement. This is advantageous for the further connection of the components using the existing cables and lines. It also means that the system structure remains comparable to the systems used by the railroad in the field, which in turn benefits its purpose as a teaching system.

Students from our KIA partner company DB InfraGO (formerly DB Netz AG) have already been deployed during the installation of the individual system components. The initial experience with the technology has helped to increase motivation to resume interlocking operations.

We are delighted that our faculty, and in particular the LST department, has been able to recruit three students in this context who will continue to work at the signal box from February 2024 as part of their internship semester. They will receive specialist support from their supervisors, Mr. Daniel Fiß - Department of Measurement Technology / Process Automation and Mr. Patrick Hornung - lecturer for railway-specific control and safety technology.

We wish the students every success in their practice-oriented and pioneering work.