Successful commissioning of the first ARGOS digital interlocking

This commissioning marks the culmination of five years of close collaboration and joint efforts.

The commissioning of the Reding Saverne pilot site rewards the commitment and expertise of the women and men of SNCF Réseau and our consortium, who contributed to the success of this programme. It also demonstrates the technological know-how and industrial capacity of Compagnie des Signaux, which joined the Mermec group in August 2024, and paves the way for a series of deployments at the heart of the digital transformation of rail infrastructure.

Gilles Pascault, CEO of Compagnie des Signaux

ARGOS: An innovative technology serving network regeneration

The ARGOS innovation partnership aims to accelerate the modernisation of signalling on the French National Rail Network (RFN), with a deployment rate set to double by 2032. It meets ambitious objectives in terms of technical performance and economic efficiency. This partnership is fully in line with the French rail network regeneration strategy, contributing to decarbonised mobility and improved train circulation, directly benefiting passengers.

Drawing on our experience with previous generations of Integrated Interlocking Systems, the EIFFAGE ENERGIE SYSTEMES teams were particularly keen to succeed with this third generation of Computerised Interlocking, known as ‘ARGOS.’ This innovation partnership has enabled, more than ever, a collective success in an extended enterprise between SNCF Réseau and the consortium led by CSEE. The signals are now green for our Eiffage teams to actively contribute, in the coming years, to the development of low-carbon mobility, a key challenge for the future.

Arnaud Carlier, Director, EIFFAGE ENERGIE SYSTEMES Transport Ferroviaire

Developed by Compagnie des Signaux, the ARGOS technological solution is based on an innovative digital architecture designed to meet the growing operational demands of the rail network. It enables the deployment of a new generation of scalable and high-performance interlocking stations, allowing real-time communication, high responsiveness to incidents, and reduced impact in case of failure or maintenance.

In terms of cybersecurity, ARGOS integrates reinforced requirements from the design stage, ensuring even safer and more reliable operations.

SYSTRA has been involved at every stage of the ARGOS programme since the research phase began in 2018. We are now involved, throughout the deployments that will continue for more than 10 years, in carrying out signalling design and on-site testing. We are particularly proud, through this commissioning, to contribute to the Centralised Command programme implemented by SNCF Réseau, and to participate with our partners in making the French rail network more reliable, for the benefit of all users.

Éric de Balincourt, President of SYSTRA France

Towards a digital and interoperable rail network

This commissioning strengthens the historic partnership between the members of the Compagnie des Signaux consortium and SNCF Réseau and illustrates their collective ability to deliver complex industrial projects and support SNCF Réseau in the digital transformation of the network. The ARGOS programme is also part of a global modernisation vision, with the development and deployment of the ARGOS RBC solution intended to deploy ERTMS signalling for an interoperable rail network, meeting mobility challenges at both national and European levels.