News

French railway develops automated system to reduce animal collisions.

July 27, 2026/

French rail operator SNCF is trialling the “Blue Sentinel” system featuring solar-powered light and sound beacons along a 5.5km stretch of the Rouen-Caen line in Normandy. The technology aims to deter wild boars and deer, reducing high collision rates and costly network delays. [1, 2, 3]
Project Overview & Technology
  • Location: A 5.5km dense section crossing the Londe Forest on the Rouen-Caen route.
  • System Design: Roughly 90 solar-powered autonomous beacons built by Nantes-based company ElanRail spaced 50 meters apart.
  • Activation: Train-detecting sensors trigger the light and sound sequence 8 to 12 seconds prior to arrival, creating a visual moving alarm that safely flushes animals away.
  • Cost & Previous Results: The trial costs €350,000. Earlier testing in Pays de la Loire showed a 90% drop in track accidents. [1, 2, 3, 4]

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