The first 1·5 km long freight train was run between Sibelin yard near Lyon and Nîmes on January 18, marking the start of the demonstration phase of the Project Marathon research programme.
Project Marathon was launched in April 2011 and is due to run for three years. Building on earlier work by the New Opera programme, it aims to reduce operating costs by 30% and increase the capacity of key freight corridors. The promoters believe that it should be possible to run five long trains in the paths needed for six conventional freight trains.
