Software tool to ensure interoperability within the European railway sector.
Background
Liberalizing European rail transport led to more competition. This resulted in benefits for the customers as services were improved and prices fell. In addition, the operators invested in new vehicles, thereby increasing speed, comfort, and reliability. In general, rail transport became more competitive and attractive in comparison with road transport. Nevertheless, there is further room for improvement. To expand international rail transport, it is essential to harmonize technical norms and regulations. Achieving this goal is paramount to guaranteeing seamless collaboration and interoperability within the European railway sector.
Project Content
Railway companies need to ensure that their vehicles are compatible with the infrastructure on which they are used. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out a check, the so-called Route Compatibility Check (RCC), for each train formation and each route segment. The RCC is based on the Austrian Railway Act (EisbG) and the EU’s TSI OPE, which covers technical specifications for interoperability. It checks traffic load, axle load, clearance profile, brakes, and power supply. As the checks are currently performed manually, much time and resources need to be invested, and the process is prone to mistakes. This is particularly challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises as they do not have the necessary resources for thorough checks. Automating the RCC process could help them increase the checks’ efficiency and strengthen the position of rail transport against the competition on the road.
Goals and Solutions
We are developing a software tool to support railway companies in complying with the requirements of the RCC (Road Compatibility Check). Even though the requirements of the check are harmonized across Europe, its implementation remains a challenge due to the heterogeneity of the railway systems. Therefore, the planned software tool shall be sourced from a common data basis, taking into account and displaying the differences between the infrastructure operators, the vehicle manufacturers, and the railway undertakings. In addition, unified processes for the check procedures shall be defined. It is crucial that they can be applied to all railway companies as the legal regulations for the performance of compatibility checks leave gaps. While the Register of Infrastructure (RINF) includes infrastructure data of all EU member states, private companies are not obliged to report data to the RINF. The aim of the project is to evaluate the completeness of the data basis for infrastructure and vehicles. The quality of this data basis with regard to the automation of processes will also be assessed.
Results and Added Value
The software tool developed in this project can be used across Europe and fulfills the legal requirements for the RCC. With a user-friendly design, the tool automates numerous steps. This reduces the error rate, saves time in route planning, and enables companies to use personnel resources more efficiently. Furthermore, our digital solution allows for long-term archiving of the checks’ results. The software provides new possibilities in data analysis which could lead to further improvements. Overall, we contribute to a better harmonization of the railway systems of various countries to make them more flexible and competitive compared to road transport.
Partners
Funding
You want to know more? Feel free to ask!
Academic Director Rail Technology and Mobility (BA)
Head of Research Institute
Carl Ritter von Ghega Institute for Integrated Mobility Research
Deputy Academic Director Rail Technology and Management of Railway Systems (MA)
Department of Rail Technology and Mobility
- SweetPopcorn.Studio GmbH (Lead)