A new signaling system means a lot of work ahead for Mantena.
To achieve greater punctuality, increased safety, and a more stable railway, the signaling system in Norway is being renewed. The new system is called ERTMS, which stands for European Railway Traffic Management System.
As part of the project, Bane NOR has contracts with three suppliers. These are Siemens, which supplies the new signaling system; Alstom, which converts the trains; and Thales, which delivers the new traffic management system. Mantena is a subcontractor to Alstom and was chosen due to its expertise, capacity, competitive pricing, and previous experience with similar projects.
To be operational at Oslo S in 2026
When the Nordland Line from Grong to Bodø begins using ERTMS in October 2022, and the Gjøvik Line from Roa to Gjøvik a few weeks later, Mantena will have contributed with the installation of the equipment to be mounted on the trains.
The new signaling system is scheduled to be introduced at Oslo S during 2026. By then, approximately 400 trains will have been equipped with the new digital signaling system.
Proof of execution capability
The ERTMS project is currently Norway's largest IT project. Mantena’s project manager, Bjørn Erik Hattrem, is proud to be part of bringing the railway into a new and modern era.
– Mantena’s participation in this project demonstrates that we have execution capability and are a professional actor in project implementation. This will be educational, challenging, exciting, and enjoyable, says Hattrem.
The project manager reports that it is a comprehensive project, also for Mantena. The plan includes nearly 200,000 working hours, and at its busiest, the project is likely to involve between 60 and 70 Mantena employees.
It will get busy
After a challenging year in 2021, during which the project experienced the impacts of worldwide supply chain issues, there will be a high level of activity at the workshops in Marienborg and Grorud in the coming years, which the project manager looks forward to.
– It is incredibly exciting to take part in the future of train traffic in Norway, with fewer delays and better control. Today, there are over fifteen different signaling systems that have been developed over eight decades. Now, all of these are being replaced by a new system, and, as far as I know, Norway is the only country carrying out such a comprehensive replacement, instead of updating one line here and another there. It is certainly exciting to be part of this, says Hattrem.