Recently, CASCO signed a procurement contract with Winning Consortium Simandou Railway Co., Ltd. for the signaling and train operation control system of the railway from the Port of Morebaya to Simandou Mining Area (hereinafter referred to as the Railway) in Guinea. This marks the first time that China's independently developed satellite-based moving block train control system has gone abroad, representing another breakthrough for Chinese railway technology and equipment in the international market, and further promoting the cooperation of building the Belt and Road by China and Africa.

Route Diagram, Source: China Railway Construction Corporation

The Railway starts from the port of Morebaya in Guinea and ends at the Simandou mining area. It is not only an important supporting project for the large-scale mining and sea-rail transport of the world-class Simandou iron ore mine, but also the longest modern railway built in Guinea so far. Stretching from west to east across Guinea, the main line of the railway is 551.92 kilometers long, with 12 newly built stations. It passes through 12 provinces and cities in four major regions, including Kindia, Mamou, Farana, and Kangkang, carrying the eager expectations of the Guinean people for economic and social development.

In response to the objective challenges of high freight demand and harsh operation and maintenance environment on overseas freight railways, CASCO has tailored a safe, efficient, and economical freight railway moving block solution for it. This innovative solution utilizes advanced technologies such as intelligent information processing, multi-source fusion train autonomous positioning, fully electronic target control, SIL4 train integrity checking, and heavy-load train control to achieve highly integrated comprehensive dispatching command and lightweight train control that does not rely on interval equipment. It will help the Railway achieve the goal of transporting 100 million tons of annual freight.

The satellite-based moving block train control system is one of the important achievements of CASCO's long-term commitment to independent innovation. The system was successfully tested on the Jingshen Railway in October 2022 and awarded the first prize for scientific and technological progress by the China Communications and Transportation Association, which was highly praised by the industry for its technological advancement and market application prospects. In December 2023, the system was successfully put into use on the railway of the Pingdingshan Shenma Group mining area in China, helping to enhance both operational efficiency and safety. With the signing of the Railway contract, the system will also step onto a broader global stage, further demonstrating CASCO's technological innovation strength and providing valuable references for the upgrading of global freight railway technology and equipment.