Impact of infrastructure availability on operational quality
The availability of railway infrastructure elements is a key driver of reliable and punctual operations. However, both the rarity of infrastructure failures and their often-chaotic consequences make it difficult to forecast the effects on operational quality. In a study for the Swiss infrastructure manager SBB-I, we developed an approach to quantify the impact of changes to infrastructure availability on punctuality. This approach has been implemented as an extension to OnTime, which is used at SBB to evaluate infrastructure projects and timetables. By this, a consistent evaluation of infrastructure extensions and maintenance strategies alike is possible.
We conducted different kinds of analyses such as variations of failure rates and down times to determine the effects of changes in maintenance or repair strategy. Critical infrastructure sections were identified by placing standardized interruptions throughout the network.
Background and aim of project
At SBB, infrastructure projects and timetables are routinely evaluated on their effects on punctuality to optimize planning. However, the availability of infrastructure is not evaluated regarding quality effects despite the high costs involved for keeping up infrastructure and the huge impact of failures. We implemented an extension to OnTime, which is the quality evaluation tool used by SBB. The tool uses as input the probability distributions of initial delays usually acquired by historical data and calculates analytically the distributions of all (secondary) delays considering a mesoscopic railway topology and train linkages such as connections and turnarounds. The implemented extension allows defining interruptions on a section consisting of a duration and its consequence (trains cannot pass until the interruption is over, may run but with limited speed, or a combination of both). For each interruption a simulation run of the resulting disposition schedule is then conducted. The difference in the amount of delays to the base case containing no interruption gives the portion of delays due to the interruption. Historical data is used to estimate the frequency of each interruption and thus calculate the weighted average of all delays caused by interruptions.
STAR - Optimization of Timetable STAbility and Reserves
As the maintenance effort of infrastructure increases at SBB, so do the effects on punctuality. To identify the impact on timetable stability as early as possible trafIT provided SBB with an application to optimize both maintenance and margins throughout the different planning stages.
- network-wide analysis of maintenance planning
- comparison of time-loss and running time reserves
- presentation of quality risks in a network view and a train specific view
- fast analysis for every day of operation
Layout-Library
The usual style to ensure readability of line plans is to adhere to octilinearity, which means that all lines must be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal at 45°. Normally, such plans are created in a tedious manual process. We have developed a software library for the timetabling program TPS of HaCon, which calculates octilinear plans automatically on the basis of given geographic coordinates.
TreMOla - Tunnel Maintenance Optimization
The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) is different: with 57km it is the longest railway tunnel and unlike other modern tunnels there are only the two tubes used for traffic - no third evacuation/maintenace tube! This results in quite demanding requirements for the maintenance works in the tunnels.
The limited time makes the optimization of the maintenance planning an absolute necessity. trafIT solutions provides Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB) with an IT-tool to efficiently plan and optimize the maintenance circulation in the GBT: TreMOla.
Feasibility study UIC-RailTopoModel and data exchange format, International Union of Railways
The ERIM (European Rail Infrastructure Masterplan) working-group of the UIC has been working towards a common infrastructure master plan for several years. When they got in touch with railML, a community that maintains railway exchange formats, both parties saw the potential for a fruitful collaboration towards open, standardized infrastructure model. However, it was unclear whether the approach was technically feasible and if so at what cost. In order to answer those questions, in April 2013 the ERIM (European Rail Infrastructure Masterplan) Task Force of the UIC (International Union of Railways) launched a Request for Proposal to investigate whether "an international infrastructure data model for railway topology and corresponding common data exchange format could be achieved". The feasibility study was entrusted to trafIT solutions, Zurich (Switzerland).
In this study, we analysed existing infrastructue models in use by infrastructure managers, determined requirements for a standardised and universal data exchange scheme, identified work packages based on the existing railML exchange format and estimated the work load to establish a UIC RailTopoModel and corresponding exchange format based on railML.
Our work shows that it is technically feasible to establish a UIC-RailTopoModel and a corresponding data exchange format supported by tools and an active user community. The study defined requirements and recommendations on the realization of such a UIC-RailTopoModel.
Modular design: Core and Extension system of the UIC-RailTopoModel
See the final report for details
Timetable Quality and Stability, DB Netz (Germany)
Consulting, Software Development
Analysis of the operational quality of strategic timetables.
Use of the tool OnTime to assess timetables of different planning horizons (and from different sources: VIRIATO for long term timetables, RuT / LUKS for the effective yearly timetable).
[Burkhard Franke, trafIT solutions together with VIA-Con, Aachen]
IA2OT, ProRail (The Netherlands)
Development of a software tool to convert infrastructure data for use in the simulation tool OpenTrack. The information on topology, signalling and routes is stored in ProRail's infrastructure model InfraAtlas. IA2OT processes the InfraAtlas data to build a OpenTrack model saving the manual build-up.
[Bernhard Seybold, trafIT solutions]
OpenTrackHub, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
Conception, Development
Development of an interface between the timetable software NeTS and the simulation tool OpenTrack. OpenTrack itineraries are assigned to trains depending on their path signature in NeTS. Thanks to the tool, manually processing of trains in OpenTrack is omitted.
[Bernhard Seybold, trafIT solutions]
railML
RailML® is a joint, evolutionary project of railway companies, software and consulting firms, and academic institutions to improve the interface for IT-systems of railways. trafIT is developing partner of the railML-Initiative.
OpenTrack Message API
The OpenTrack application programming interface enables OpenTrack to communicate with 3rd party applications. Communication can be bi-directional to allow applications to monitor the simulated operation and react to operation status.
The OpenTrack API was developed by trafIT solutions as a prototype in Co-operation with ZHAW and IBM using DIME/SOAP.
Risk Landscape, Federal Office of Transportation (FOT)
Requirement gathering, basic concept
With the system "risk landscape" (RiLa), the BAV analyses the risk in public transportation depending on location-based risk data. In this project, the existing system was analysed, requirements for a new systems were gathering and a basic concept was created.
[Bernhard Seybold, trafIT solutions]
pre-trafIT work
RADN, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
Conception and tender for managing RADN data of SBB
RADN is the name for the SBB document defining speed limits on tracks and in stations, wisteling information, etc. Those data are exposed to permanent change due to changes on tracks. Therefore, they must be hostorized and versioned. The application was realized in Java and supports the editors of RADN in publishing the current RADN documents.
[Bernhard Seybold as head of development at SMA]
Viriato, SMA und Partner
Manager for the development of Viriato
Viriato is one of the standard products to construct highly synchronized timetables. Since 10 years, it is employed by different railway companies all over the world. the standard product can be adapted to national constraints and is highly enhanceable.
[Bernhard Seybold as head of development at SMA]
Technical Running Time, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
Conception and implementation of the technical running time module ZLR
The technical running time is the time a train needs for a certain under best circumstances. It depends on physical properties of track (gradients, curves, tunnels) and rolling stock (traction power, weight, braking behavior) and on regulations (speed limits, signals, driving regulations). The technical running time is an important key number for the construction of routes in planning and disposition. The running time calculator is available as centralized webservice to the SBB systems Puls90, NeTS and RCS. It was implemented in C# and DotNet.
[Bernhard Seybold as head of development at SMA]
BetaTrasse, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
Implementation of the BetaTrasse algorithm, part of project Puls90
For railways companies it becomes more and more important to drive in an energy saving ways. Therefore, the SBB have started a research project to construct energy saving routes. The BetaTrasse is a route to make use of running time reserves to drive in an optimal ways with repect to energy consumption. Those routes are communicated to the engine drivers as guideline and helps SBB to save energy. The BetaTrasse is available as centralized webservice to the SBB systems Puls90, NeTS and RCS. It was implemented in C# and DotNet.
[Bernhard Seybold as head of development at SMA]
Ticketing, CityNightLine
Conception, rollout of the online-ticketing solution for CityNightLine
CityNightLine developed an own internet ticketing shop based on the print@home solution of ELCA. The solutions was rolled out in short time and allowed customers of CityNightLine to order and print tickets via the internet at home.
[Bernhard Seybold as team lead at ELCA]
Expert System for Technical Accident Analysis, IVT
Conception and Development of a program for technical accident analysis
[Bernhard Seybold as reasearcher at IVT, ETH Zürich]