New radio communication system for railways (TD2.1 / WP3, T14.1) is looking on IP based communication system bearer independent, ensuring interoperability and adaptability using different radio technologies. Different innovations developed in the previous projects X2Rail-1 and -3 have been implemented in the demonstrator and tested in the field. ACS will provide the unified communication umbrella for railway applications across different radio access technologies, satellite-based communication systems and terrestrial communication networks, as well as support of legacy systems, such as GSM-R.
Moving Block (TD2.3 / WP4) developed the specification of the system as well as on related operation, allowing to make best use of the track capacity, by operating trains with dynamically controlled movement authorities. In Moving Block operation, the concept is to decouple the infrastructure from train parameters, leaving the train responsible for stopping within the Movement Authority granted. This permits greater flexibility in the case of mixed types of trains and a wide range of rail applications focusing specifically on the different market segments, as well as providing cost savings via the removal of trackside equipment.
Introduction of improved fail-safe train positioning (TD2.5 / WP5, WP6 and WP7) function for ERTMS/ETCS through applying new technologies (e.g. GNSS) will bring additional benefits for end users (e.g. cost reduction, increase of robustness), as well as flexibility for line engineering, maintenance and track management. Two different approaches with a "virtual Balise" and standalone are developed and tested.
The work stream on zero on-Site testing (TD2.6 / WP8 and WP9) will provide a new standardized lab test architecture which will cover a wide bandwidth of operational scenarios and thus allow to reduce the amount of required on-site testing significantly. Standardised conformity tests based on pan-European standards and unified testing methodologies between rail actors will support the reduction of on-site tests, too.
The work stream on Formal Methods (TD2.7 / WP10, T14.2) modelled requirements for ERTMS L3 trackside and separate different types of requirements to enable successful FMs application, based on the formalization of requirements that, if fulfilled, ensure a safe and operational behaviour, including also complementary verification methods based on simulation/testing, and requirements on configuration data. It demonstrates increased coverage and confidence in safety verification evidence, established using formal verification (mathematical proof), to reduce effort, cost and time. A formal methods guidebook and related methodologies have been delivered.
A standardised cyber security framework (TD2.11 / WP11, T14.3) uniformly applicable to all railway systems will lead to protection provided through strong, sustained and standardised approaches for among others cyber security risk assessment and “security-by-design”. A rail specific risk assessment tool have been delivered , too.
An integrated technology demonstration (ITD) of the innovations in the fields of adaptable communication, moving block and train integrity on a real line with two different trains was demonstrated, documented, filmed and analysed in WP12.
