Rail travel is generally regarded as one of the safest forms of travel. Passenger safety and rights are guaranteed throughout the EU and relate to train delays or cancellations, luggage damage or information obligations.
The contact persons for this are the respective railroad operators, who make every effort to keep the entire railroad infrastructure in top condition so that all passenger and freight transports can be carried out safely and according to plan. This applies to fixed installations such as the track bed, rails, points, signaling systems for road and rail crossings, bridge pullouts, etc., as well as the rolling stock, i.e. traction engines, railcars and passenger and freight wagons.
So when young adventurers on Interrail, equipped with backpacks and trekking shoes, look at the approaching train on the platform with a little heartache and say goodbye to their parents, friends or other loved ones, then the transportation and safety job for the train operator has long since begun.
If spontaneous encounters for train passengers can be acknowledged with a relaxed “Oh, the next train leaves in 20 minutes”, then this is due to tightly timed connections, perfectly maintained routes and efficiently planned maintenance of the rail network. Several trains run on the same track at a safe distance from each other. Sufficient braking distance must therefore be planned for any track problems, and this can be around two to three kilometers for a high-speed train such as the ICE with a speed of 300 km/h under ideal conditions. This value can vary depending on the type of train, load, track condition and weather conditions.
The top priority for rail operators is therefore the safety of the people being transported and those working with them. The second priority for rail operators is competitiveness compared to other transportation options. This goes hand in hand with a whole range of imperatives: comfort and positive experiences for passengers on board, reliability of the services offered and cost-conscious infrastructure maintenance.
Modern passenger rail transport is so much more than just getting people from A to B. And as different as people are, so different are their expectations of this means of transportation:
So if passengers observe track work as they pass by, this is a sign that operators are taking good care of the track, because nobody wants unplanned track problems and the resulting train cancellations. Today, maintenance staff are prepared in advance with images and data from the monitoring system so that all tools, spare parts and skilled workers are ready and the track can be brought back to the network as quickly and as well as possible.
In addition to the detailed analysis of the rail network at the monitored points, a rough classification of the rolling stock, i.e. the trains, can also be carried out. If, for example, a very bad wheel runs over a monitored switch, the monitoring system can recommend a specific check to the train operator.
Reliability, speed and comfort, including low noise and vibration levels, are particularly important for modern passenger rail transport on urban and interurban routes. Reliability, ease of maintenance, speed and a high load capacity are also crucial for freight transportation. Ideally, the rolling stock is therefore also subjected to checks while the train is running, i.e. at speeds of up to 400 km/h, in order to initiate or plan safe journeys and efficient maintenance at certain points.
The destination of the safe journey is always clear:
The “zentrak Asset and Maintenance Management” software turns digital data into real values. Digital Track Management (DTM) proves its worth precisely at the interface between rolling stock or rail infrastructure and maintenance. It supports track operators, suppliers and service providers in efficiently planning maintenance processes with preventive alarms as well as with location, component and image data, documenting them digitally and on the move, and optimizing the life cycle of infrastructure assets recorded in this way.
The management module (zentrak Fleet Condition Monitoring) maintains an overview of the real-time data of the entire fleet. It includes monitoring and alerting in the event of critical events, machine learning algorithms for proactively avoiding failures, reports and software administration. Numerous diagnostic options are then available to rail operators on an individual, optional and scalable basis.
Monitoring and diagnostic systems for rail operations are essential in order to meet the current requirements of customers in passenger and freight rail transport. Increase availability and reduce costs: it’s possible with zentrak! Further information on the topic of smart rail infrastructure through diagnostics and monitoring can be found at voestalpine: Everything on track: zentrak signaling and monitoring systems provide an overview
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