FS Engineering is one of Europe’s leading players in the development and implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System and European Train Control System (ERTMS/ETCS) Level 2 on new high-speed and high-capacity lines.
The system enables cross-border interoperability, allowing trains of different nationalities to operate seamlessly thanks to the continuous exchange of data between trackside and on-board subsystems. These systems communicate using a unified standard language managed through fully interoperable components. Specifically, the ERTMS/ETCS standard governs how signalling data is transmitted between trackside assets and rolling stock, defining both the communication protocols and the exact message formats.
Deploying ERTMS/ETCS overcomes traditional barriers to international train operations caused by the historical diversity of legacy signalling systems across different countries. By replacing these fragmented systems, it promotes a harmonised and highly integrated management framework for European rail networks.
The system provides the driver with all the information necessary for safe operation, continuously monitoring driver inputs against the safety parameters of the train's journey. If a speed limit is exceeded or a safety threshold breached, the system intervenes automatically by applying emergency braking.
In the standard Level 2 configuration, information exchange between the trackside and on-board subsystems takes place via a dedicated GSM-R radio channel, while fixed trackside Eurobalises serve primarily as absolute positioning references. Through this radio link, the on-board subsystem—specifically its safety-critical core, the European Vital Computer (EVC)—receives Movement Authorities (MAs) from the Radio Block Centre (RBC), which centralises all live data regarding track occupancy and route availability.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
FS Engineering is currently responsible for the design and independent verification of ERTMS projects, ensuring deployment in strict accordance with the National Implementation Plan (NIP) while guaranteeing full regulatory consistency, operational safety, and system interoperability.
Having played a pioneering role in the development of Europe’s very first operational ERTMS deployment on the Rome–Naples high-speed line, the company's technological focus has scaled to extending ERTMS across the entire Italian rail network, consolidating an internationally recognised standard of excellence. Concurrently, the expertise gained from these deployments is being exported to major overseas infrastructure projects and cross-border corridors. These initiatives leverage state-of-the-art solutions up to Baseline 4 specifications, alongside next-generation radio systems such as the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS).
These delivery activities are primarily focused on high-speed lines, complex cross-border routes, and conventional mainlines. Across all asset classes, this focus ensures absolute design consistency, rail system safety, and seamless interoperability at both national and European levels.