ICT FOR RAIL FREIGHT MANAGEMENT

KDR DR HANI KALSOM BINTI HASHIM

INTRODUCTION

 Information and communication technology (ICT) has had a central role in railways right
from its inception.
 Since the beginning, telephone and communication lines were carried along railway
routes, as communication was crucial in railway operations.
 Even in modern times, improvement of railway services and operations is difficult without
integration of strong IT (Intelligent Transport) systems.
 Railway systems have improved in various fronts with extensive usage of ICT.
 Some of the most important advancements are in fields of Security, Operations, Customer
Services and access to railway services
ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT

 Aimed at managing traffic and raising the level of security.

 The use of information systems in traffic systems is particularly relevant when using
intelligent transport systems.
 Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is an integrated system that employs a wide range of
communication, control, sensor and electronic technologies to help track and manage
traffic flows, reduce congestion, provide optimum routes to travelers, increase system
productivity and save lives, time and money
ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT

 ITS covers and improves almost all aspects of transport engineering.

 Divided into four main branches
 Advanced Passenger Information System (ATIS)
 Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)
 Advanced Public Transport System (APTS)
 Emergency Management System (EMS).
ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
The Advanced Passenger Information System (ATIS)

 Employs a wide range of technologies help passengers and drivers make decisions about
optimal routes and available travel modes
 Internet, telephones
 Mobile phones, television
 Radio
 Provides information for drivers both on the road and before traveling.
 The availability of information prior to departure increases the driver's self-confidence in
the use of highways and allows passengers to choose better transit routes
ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)

 ATMS is one of the most prominent and most used ITS branches.
 Included the use of artificial intelligence in traffic management and gave multiple
architecture for intelligent traffic management systems
 ITS improves overall transport efficiency.
 ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Advanced Public Transport System (APTS)

 Describes the architecture of a computer system that

follows the idea of an intelligent knowledge management
system for public transport management
 Proposed a system that integrates Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) into the Wireless Sensor Network (VSN)
for public transport management.
 ERMIS for the city.
 The most common applications of rail-based information
technology are reflected in the development of GSM-R and
ETCS applications.
 The European Commission has defined GSM for Railways (GSM
for Railways, GSM-R) as the new digital radio for internal voice
and data transmission, as well as the European Train Control
System (ETCS) as a new control-command system
 ICT IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Advanced Public Transport System (APTS)

 The combination of ETCS and GSM-R is a new signaling

and communication system, called the European
Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS), the ERTMS
system includes two main functional aspects:
 Command and control of the train to ensure the operation
of trains in the network and
 Traffic management to optimize the capacity of railways
using advanced traffic and infrastructure management.
 DIGITIZATION IN RAILWAY TRANSPORT

 The main technologies and solutions that have been set up in the digitalization process in
the rail sector:
 Internet of Things (IoT)
 Cloud Computing
 Big Data Analytics (BDA)
 Automation and Robotics.
 Main areas of deployment of digital technologies in rail transport are:
 Offering connected railways by providing reliable connectivity for safe, efficient and attractive
railways
 Enhancing customer experience by offering better and added value for customers
 Increasing capacity by enhancing reliability, efficiency and performance of railways
 Boosting rail competitiveness by making the most of transport data.
DIGITAL SERVICES FOR PASSENGERS

 Most significant improvements in modelling a transparent communication with the

passengers:
 More informative and user-friendly websites
 Mobile applications offering real-time information about vehicles in motion and allowing for ticket
purchase and issue and other functionalities
 Onboard infotainment services
 Dynamic passenger and timetable information implemented at stations and stops. A good
example of a mobile application whose basic functionality has been enriched by adding station
maps, commercial area listings as well as other services is ADIF (Railway Infrastructure
Administration) on your mobile launched by the Spanish infrastructure manager.
DIGITAL SERVICES FOR PASSENGERS

 In Germany, passengers can access the internet at over 135 stations, in DB Lounges and on board
ICE trains.
 The entire ICE fleet of DB Long Distance is equipped with fast, multi-provider WiFi technology. Passengers can
use WiFi free of charge in both first-class and second-class coaches.
 It is also available on all ICE international trains to France, within the Netherlands and to Austria.
 The free ICE Portal offers an overview of up-to-date information on journey and connecting trains, as well as a
wide variety of audiobooks and games, books, films, the news section, daily newspapers, travel & discover,
and Kids’ World section.
 In Russia, since October 2016 business and first class passengers onboard high-speed SAPSAN train
service connecting Moscow to Saint Petersburg can access the internet and a portal with films,
music, audiobooks and magazines.
 Additionally, the portal offers information about cultural events in both cities, a virtual tour of the train, a range
of online courses and information about railways. In Turkey, passengers onboard the high-speed Siemens
Velaro D trains between Ankara – Konya and Ankara – Istanbul can access an internet, passenger assistance
and entertainment services, called AlwaysConnected.
 In all of the mentioned cases, infotainment services (paid or free) were first offered to passengers in higher
classes, followed by economy class.
MOBILITY AS A SERVICE (MAAS)

 Each of the new mobility models is connected, meaning that is provides instant access to the
internet and ICT systems that offer real-time journey information, to plan onward journey, make
reservations and purchase tickets.
 Such solutions, based on electronic platforms and applications, are called MOBILITY AS A
SERVICE (MAAS).
 It analyses a number of possible journey scenarios, using different modes and means of
transport:
 public and private, it offers booking and ticketing services and it provides for access to locations on
route that are important for the traveller, at the same time monitoring the traffic, road works, incidents
and accidents on line.
 This application is available online through mobile devices and it allows for the selection of the mode of
transport, also available in real time, following the traveller’s preferences, such as: the cost, the time, or
carbon footprint left
DIGITAL SERVICES FOR ROLLING STOCK
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

 Remote monitoring of location and condition of all vehicles in real time

 Remote diagnostics
 Root cause investigations of faults
 Automatic data visualization
 Algorithms for preventive fault analysis.
 IoT can be used in railway traffic and for controlling and managing individual parts of the rail
system.
 The central part of the system is a configurable control agent, a software module that gets up-to-date
information (via GPS, various sensors, etc.) from the objects that it controls and checks for possible
violations of security and safety regulations.
 The system can be useful in a variety of cases: fire breakdown, wheel unrolling, speeding, predicting
possible traction, automatically stopping the train when approaching the station, automatic ramp
control that regulates traffic at road crossing points with the rail.
AUTOMATION AND INTEGRATION OF TRAIN
CONTROL SYSTEMS

 In rail transport, the development of autonomous systems has been spectacular mainly in the
area of in public transport services, such as:
 driverless metro lines
 light rail transit (LRT)
 people movers
 automated guided transit (AGT).
 In these systems, automation refers to the process by which responsibility for operation
management of trains is transferred from the driver to the train control system.
 Vehicles are run fully automatically without any operating staff onboard.
WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

• Lets consider the alternatives for inland transport:

truck, water, air, pipeline, conveyor belt
WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

• Waterways Pros and Cons:

 Pros: Energy efficiency, low cost, low pollution, safety, capacity
 Cons: Speed, limited network
 WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

• Highway Truck Pros and Cons:

 Pros: Speed, reliability, network coverage
 Cons: Energy efficiency, safety, land use, pollution, cost, congestion (because of shared use of
infrastructure truck transport affects auto safety and congestion as well)
 WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

• Airways Pros and Cons:

 Pros: Speed, reliability, network coverage
 Cons: Energy efficiency, cost, limited volume
 WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

• Pipelines and Conveyor Belts:

 Pros: High volume, continuous transport possible, no vehicles needed, low labor requirements
 Cons: Highly constrained types of commodities, limited product flexibility, speed and network
 Rail uniquely
combines speed
and energy
efficiency

*Plus
environmentally
Friendly
Rail is the principal means of economically
moving large, heavy freight long distances
overland

Freight
 WHY IS RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT SO IMPORTANT NOW,
AND EVEN MORE SO IN THE FUTURE?

 The movement of Freight and People in the most efficient manner possible
 Characteristics
 Fast
 Reliable
 Convenient
 Economical
 Safe/Secure
 Fuel Efficient
 Environmentally Friendly
 Renewed Interest in Passenger Rail
 Rail transport benefits due to these efficiencies:
but exploiting them imposes constraints as well

 Infrastructure design - Heavy loads and high speeds demands particularly robust infrastructure
system design and components
 Vehicle design - Large, heavy vehicles capable of supporting their own weight plus lading, and
also very large in-train “buff” & “draft” forces
 Infrastructure and equipment cost - Large size and strength of infrastructure makes it expensive
and capital intensive
 Trains - Require standardization of many aspects of design, this combined with their high cost
means there is a need for long life, thereby imposing reverse compatibility constraints on new
technology
 Traffic control system - High speeds and mass of trains, combined with low coefficient of friction
at wheel/rail interface means stopping distances are very long, often longer than sight distance
 Small markets - Ironically, in some important aspects railroads suffer because they cannot
exploit economies of scale, e.g. long life and small market for locomotives means it is hard to
justify investment in new tooling as technology advances
Rail transport benefits due to these efficiencies:
but exploiting them imposes constraints as well