Media Library
We are constantly writing articles in cooperation with trade magazins, which are unfortunately only published in German. If you are interested, you can find them on our German download page.
Reports & Whitepapers
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Next Stop: The Cloud – How Cloud4Rail is Mobilising the Platform Market for Europe’s Railways | November 2024DB InfraGO is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and expansion of Germany's rail infrastructure. The Cloud4Rail project represents a significant step toward a future-proof, digitized rail operation. Its goal is to develop a functionally safe and certifiable trackside edge and cloud infrastructure that will play a key role in driving digital transformation within the rail system.
Source: Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau
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5G-RACOM - Field study on hybrid FRMCS networks for a resilient railway radio system | September 2024The Franco-German innovation project 5G-RACOM is investigating the efficient, reliable and sustainable utilisation of the FRMCS and its frequency spectrum. As the successor to GSM-R, FRMCS will ensure real-time, high-performance train-to-ground communication based on 5G and thus enable the far-reaching digitalisation of rail operations.
Source: SIGNAL+DRAHT
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DB InfraGO integrated Control and Operating System – control system with a future | September 2024The integrated Control and Operating System (iCOS) has
been in full operation as a complete system for a year
now. The set objectives have been achieved by means of three
successful commissioning steps under the reference implementation. Systems from four manufacturers have been integrated into the iCOS since September 2023 and they now are
cooperating successfully with each other in a new architecture
and with a new interface at various locations.Source: SIGNAL+DRAHT
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Advanced Digital Infrastructure - Operational Scenarios for Robust Rail Operations of the Future | July, August 2024 (only in German)As the successor to the previous control and safety technology, the “Advanced Digital Infrastructure” (ADI) will enable trains to run at the smallest possible distances from each other in future (so-called moving blocks). This will increase the capacity of the existing network. This article introduces the concept of ADI and describes the procedure for creating operating scenarios in detail.
Source: Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau
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Digital Register - the "Single Source of Truth" for the infrastructure data used in fully automated driving | June 2024Almost all key functionalities of the digital rail system require highly accurate, up-to-date and digitally available infrastructure data. This is why Digitale Schiene Deutschland is working intensively on a so-called "Digital Register (DR)". It is being specified and standardized as part of the European initiative Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (ERJU). This should enable all European railroads to access compatible infrastructure data in the future.
Source: SIGNAL+DRAHT
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Fully automated, driverless driving on the railways - challenges in the railway system | May 2024 (only in German)Fully automated, driverless driving is seen as an important response to the shortage of skilled labour in the rail sector and the need to shift traffic to rail. Metros or "people movers" are already driverless in closed systems that are separated from their surroundings. However, the challenges are much greater in the open networks of the mainline railway sector. The article looks at the step-by-step development of products for realisation in the mainline railway sector.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Pan-European Railway Data Factory – infrastructure and ecosystem for fully automated rail operations | April 2024Many European railways are striving toward automated rail operations. This requires the collection of extensive sensor data for AI training. A Pan-European Railway Data Factory (PEDF), as a joint infrastructure and partner ecosystem, is seen as a suitable way forward for the sector. This article summarises the highlights and findings of the CEF2 RailDataFactory study undertaken by Deutsche Bahn AG (DB), Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) and Nederlandse Spoorwegen N.V. (NS).
Source: SIGNAL+DRAHT
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Digitale Schiene Deutschland - Future technologies for the rail system | April 2024 (only in German)Digitale Schiene Deutschland is working on the consistent digitalization and automation of rail operations. But what exactly does the digital future of the railroads look like? A recent overview article in the Eisenbahn Ingenieur Kompendium provides answers: our experts, who have been closely involved in Digitale Schiene Deutschland for several years, outline the system architecture of the digital rail system and provide insights into the future technologies required for this.
Source: Eisenbahn Ingenieur Kompendium
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"Digital" capacity increases: a status report | April 2024 (only in German)This article summarizes the status of the findings from inputs into the Digital Node Stuttgart (DKS), a pilot project in the starter package of Digitale Schiene Deutschland. It continues a detailed presentation from 2019 and also supplements the article in the same issue. It is based on numerous specialist articles and presentations, summarizes key findings and supplements these with further experiences from the ongoing conception, planning and implementation of the project.
Source: Eisenbahn Ingenieur Kompendium
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The Stuttgart Digital Node between light and shadow | March 2024 (only in German)The realization of the infrastructure in the core of the node is progressing, and the series retrofit of multiple units has also started. At the same time, around 150 employees are now working in the surrounding area on preliminary planning, among other things, while the preparation of tender documents is underway in accordance with the rail partnership model. The project continues to produce a wide range of varied and changing experiences, including system effects as well as necessary accelerations and simplifications. The article provides an outline of the status and key experiences from the ongoing implementation of the pilot project.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Digitalisation and project acceleration as a system solution | February 2024End-to-end digital data storage enables the acceleration
of security projects. Numerous studies have contributed
to findings with regard to the given facts. Now, it is necessary
to define a system concept based on these findings
and to establish initial applications in the immediate future.Source: Signal+Draht
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On the transport benefits of Digital Rail Germany | February 2024 (only in German)A study conducted by VIA-Con/quattron on behalf of Digital Rail Germany/DB InfraGo AG reveals the potential of digitalization for increasing rail capacity. In the best-case scenario, the use of digital technologies could lead to around 15% additional marketable train paths and a significant increase in operational quality.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Artificial Intelligence for the traffic management system of the future | January, February 2024An intelligent Traffic Management System is a fundamental centerpiece of future digitalized railway network operations. When thousands of trains are on the move in dense traffic, rapid decisions must be made to adjust the operations in the event of disruptions. New approaches are needed in order to be able to respond quickly and effectively to disturbances in future railway operations. Combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and methods from Operations Research can help address this challenge. This approach was tested on a specific application.
Source: Signal+Draht
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One year of (ETCS) operating experience on the SFS Wendlingen – Ulm (only German) | February 2024After almost 30,000 commercial train journeys, an initial assessment of the operation of the Wendlingen - Ulm high-speed line (SFS) is very positive overall. A particular focus was and is the equipping of the line with European Train Control System Level 2 "without signals" (ETCS L2oS), as one of the first such lines in Germany. The article summarizes the experience gained from the train journeys.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Digitalising the S-Bahn Stuttgart Core (part 2) | December 2023The plans presented in SIGNAL+DRAHT 9/2023 for the digitalisation of the Stuttgart S-Bahn main line are now gradually becoming reality. This article focuses on experiences from the ongoing implementation, the operational and transport benefits and some optimisation potential. An outlook on the next steps rounds off the article.
Source: Signal + Draht
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The Capacity & Traffic Management System for Digital Rail | October 2023 (only German)A consistent, intelligent traffic management system for planning and controlling rail operations will form the basis of future automated driving and network operations. This article describes the intended scope of a new, digital and AI-based "Capacity & Traffic Management System" (CTMS), its functionality and the current status of development by Digitale Schiene Deutschland.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Digitalising the S-Bahn Stuttgart Core (part 1) | September 2023With more than 900 trains per day, the double-track S-Bahn main line in Stuttgart is one of the busiest routes in Germany. After several years of discussion, design and planning, it is one of the first such lines in the world to be equipped with a digital interlocking system (DSTW), European Train Control System Level 2 without signals (ETCS L2oS) and Automatic Train Operation Grade of Automation 2 (ATO GoA 2).
Source: Signal + Draht
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First FRMCS/5G test environment for the railway system built in Germany | June 2023In the Digital Railway Test Field in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), DB Netz, Nokia and Kontron Transportation have set up and tested a 5G and Mission Critical Service (MCx) based communication network for testing the future railway radio standard FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System).
Source: Signal + Draht
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Deliverable "D1 – Data Factory Concept, Use Cases and Requirements" | June 2023The "pan-European Railway Data Factory" is a kind of ecosystem with a common infrastructure that enables railroad companies and manufacturers to collect, process, use and simulate sensor data europewide.
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Article in "Signal & Draht" | FRMCS equipment of 463 multiple units for the Stuttgart Digital Node | 05/23In addition to ETCS, ATO GoA 2 and further technologies,
FRMCS is also being installed as part of the ongoing retrofit
of 333 multiple units for the Stuttgart Digital Node (DKS).
130 new regional multiple units will also receive FRMCS “ex
works”. In the meantime, a large part of the hardware has been installed in the first first-of-class trains.Source: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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Article in "Signal & Draht" | Experience gained from track field networking at the Stuttgart Digital Node (part 1) | 04/23The first design of a digital interlocking at a large German
railway node has brought a number of experiences
to light. The present cabling concept is currently reaching its
limits, particularly in existing train station areas that are to be
temporarily equipped not only with European Train Control
System (ETCS), but also with Class B under the high redundancy
requirements. A number of optimisations have been developed
based on this experience.Source: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Vision-Based On-Board Rail Track Detection | 03/23Reliable and precise rail track detection, and its verification, are crucial parts for many on-board environmental perception functions of automated trains. By using an exemplary Neural Network, this scientific paper shows how precise track centerline detection can be realized and how the precision can be evaluated with a novel metric, presented for the first time in this paper. Scientific paper on AI based rail track detection as accepted and presented at the 2023 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV) of the IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Society (ITSS).
Scientific paper on AI based track detection, accepted and presented at the IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV) 2023 of the IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Society (ITSS).
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Article in "Signal & Draht" | Innovative antenna systems for FRMCS -field trials at 1.9 GHz | 11/22The Future Railway Mobile Communication System
(FRMCS) will be the successor to GSM-R. It will be
based on 5G technologies and will enhance mobile train-to-ground communications in rail operations. Improved radio
access and core network architectures as well as innovative
antenna systems in FRMCS will enable higher transmission
rates, lower latencies and high reliability for any future data
transfers within the scope of the digitalisation and automation
of railway services. This article focuses on multi-antenna
radio technologies and their benefits for FRMCS networks
at 1.9 GHzSource: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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Article in "Signal & Draht" | Innovative cooperation for the vehicle equipment at Stuttgart Digital Node | 09/22Within the sector initiative Digitale Schiene Deutschland Alstom, Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) and the state of Baden-Württemberg are jointly breaking new ground for the retrofitting of 333 regional and commuter trains for the Stuttgart Digital Node (DKS). Four key topics for the digital rail operation of the future were jointly worked as part of an Innovation Cooperation and brought to implementation maturity. The resulting solutions are intended to serve as models for upcoming retrofit projects.
Source: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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Research Report | SIL4 CLOUD | 09/22Deutsche Bahn along with industry and academic partners are jointly investigating a key element of future rail operations – the SIL4 Cloud. The collaboration has been undertaken in order to gain synergies from different points of view, experiences, and expertise, such as in the specification of major high-level requirements for a SIL4 Cloud.
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Article in ZEVrail | Retrofitting 333 EMUs for Stuttgart Digital Node | 05/22 (only German)A total of 333 S-Bahn and regional multiple units are being retrofitted with the European Train Control System ETCS and other technologies for the Stuttgart Digital Node. For the first time in Germany, entire mainline railway fleets are being equipped with ETCS Level 3, ATO GoA 2 (Automatic Train Operation with the highly automated train operation level) and FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System).
Source: ZEVrail
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Article in "Signal + Draht" |5G for the digital rail system of the future – the prospects for FRMCS |03/22The digitalisation of the rail system makes real-time data transmission between train and trackside through a highperformance wireless connection increasingly important. The connectivity required for this is being realised with the introduction of the 5G-based Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). This article provides a summary of the future use cases, the FRMCS architecture and the comprehensive activities undertaken by DB within the context of FRMCS standardisation, development and field trials.
Source: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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The operational objective as the basis for a modern and user-friendly set of rules | 10/21 (only in German)A functioning train control system in connection with fault-tolerant interlocking technology is an essential and necessary component of high-quality rail operations. The exact design of these technical framework conditions must be precisely planned. For this purpose, DB InfraGO AG (former: Netz AG) defines a operational objective, which is discussed in more detail in this article.
Source: Deine Bahn
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Article in "Signal + Draht" | SIL4 Data Center | 10/21With digitalization, a multitude of new technologies will be introduced to the railway system. These will not only place high demands on performance and connectivity of IT environments, but also strict requirements on safety. Digitale Schiene Deutschland and Siemens Mobility GmbH have developed the basic architecture for "SIL 4 Data Centers".
Source: SIGNAL + DRAHT
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Research Report | SIL4 Data Center | 10/21Deutsche Bahn and Siemens Mobility are jointly investigating a key element of future rail operations – the SIL4 Data Center. The collaboration has been undertaken in order to gain synergies from different points of view, experiences, and expertise, such as in the specification of major high-level requirements for a SIL4 Data Center.
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Executive Summary | Hybrid FRMCS 5G Architectures and Network Operation Models for Future Rail Operation | 10/21Within this collaborative project between Vodafone and Digitale Schiene Deutschland (DSD), various hybrid architectural options and features in context of FRMCS have been analysed together with their suitability for the new use cases envisioned by DSD with challenging requirements on data rate, latency and reliability.
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Whitepaper | Highly resilient FRMCS/5G design for future rail operation | 10/21European railways are currently working on the introduction of the 5G-based Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), which will provide the connectivity backbone for future rail operation. Due to the criticality of this infrastructure, Nokia and DSD have invested in a collaborative project to make the FRMCS system more resilient.
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Final Report | Design and Evaluation of an FRMCS E2E System using Mission Critical Services for Future Rail Operation | 10/21This study conducted by Kontron Transportation and Digitale Schiene Deutschland aims to investigate design aspects of an end-to-end (E2E) FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System), which is successor of GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway).
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Study Report | Design of an FRMCS 5G E2E System for Future Rail Operation | 10/21This study conducted by Ericsson and Digitale Schiene Deutschland, aims to investigate design aspects of an End-to-End Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) based on 5G technology, which is envisioned to enable digital rail operation by connecting train and trackside.
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Article in "Der Eisenbahningenieur" | Vehicle retrofitting for the Stuttgart digital node | 09/21 (only German)In order to equip 333 S-Bahn and regional multiple trains with ETCS and other technologies, the federal government, state, region, industry and DB are breaking new ground in many respects.
A first insight into a unique large-scale project.
Source: Der Eisenbahningenieur
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Article in "Signal & Draht" | Optimising block division with ETCS Level 2 in the Stuttgart Digital Node | 7-8/21The block division in the Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart has been optimised using new methods as part of a pilot scheme included in the “starter package“ of the Digitale Schiene Deutschland project. The goal is to minimise the headways across all train pairs, thus maximising the track capacity. While ETCS without Class B systems makes signalling planning much more flexible.
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Report in ZIB "Zuse Institute Berlin" | Microscopic Timetable Optimization for a Moving Block System | 06/21We present an optimization model which is capable of routing and ordering trains on a microscopic level under a moving block regime. Based on a general timetabling definition (GTTP) that allows the plug in of arbitrarily detailed methods to compute running and headway times, we describe a layered graph approach using velocity expansion, and develop a mixed integer linear programming formulation.
An updated article is also published in the Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Managment and can be downloaded here, free of charge until May 19, 2022.
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Article in "Deine Bahn" | Operational and technical objectives for “Digitale Schiene Deutschland | 03/21A core foundation for DSD is the ‘Operational and Technical Objectives’ document. This describes the functional requirements of both operations (dispatching and operational implementation of rail operations) and the technical systems required.
Source: Deine Bahn
