Final Report Summary - INTEGRAIL (INTElligent inteGration of RAILway systems)
All railways have the same basic targets. Beyond a safe railway, they are all working to maximise the capacity at which they can operate their networks, minimise passenger and freight delays, maximise the reliability of the infrastructure and rolling stock, and do all of these at minimum cost.
Many railways have improved their performance against these targets through a series of engineering and process improvements. But over time the level of improvement that can be achieved reaches a threshold beyond which further improvement by these means is minimal. Also, the separation of railways into infrastructure managers (IMs) and operating companies or railway undertakings (RUs) means that there is a limit to the improvement that can be achieved if IMs and RUs cannot work together effectively.
This is where INTEGRAIL will make a difference. Sharing information between IMs and RUs allows the whole railway to be managed as a single system. That single system doesn't have to be restricted to only one country. INTEGRAIL will allow IMs and RUs across Europe to act as a single system.
The railway system is becoming more and more complex. Information and communication technologies have an increasingly vital role in ensuring that it can operate effectively, efficiently and safely. Therefore a good level of standardisation and interoperability between railway information systems is and will be required in order to control the complexity and allow further performance improvements.
The rail society has recognised that we need to found new solutions on a clear and sound general platform, which allows to easily integrate and manage different solutions and systems, while allowing their evolution according to the faster changing railway business models.
INTEGRAIL defined such a platform by means of a modular architecture based on application and communication services, it was possible to achieve the envisaged targets in terms of integration, flexibility, decision support and possible evolution. Applications implemented according to INTEGRAIL rules can easily retrieve, elaborate and exchange information whenever needed. This became possible by the use of a common language, which avoids ambiguity and can automatically be processed, and of standard protocols (middleware), which enable communication between applications, wherever they are located.
Richer information can support decision processes at all levels, helping to find and take the best decisions and optimise the overall system performance. Open, standard interfaces can guarantee a controlled growth and evolution towards the future, in accord with advances in technology and adapting to the new needs of the railways. The INTEGRAIL approach will bring real benefits through better monitoring systems, optimised maintenance, improved decision support and more accurate evaluation of performance. The system can be implemented gradually, bringing benefits even when implemented at a small scale, and expanded without limits, while ensuring that new parts are consistent with already existing ones.
Many railways have improved their performance against these targets through a series of engineering and process improvements. But over time the level of improvement that can be achieved reaches a threshold beyond which further improvement by these means is minimal. Also, the separation of railways into infrastructure managers (IMs) and operating companies or railway undertakings (RUs) means that there is a limit to the improvement that can be achieved if IMs and RUs cannot work together effectively.
This is where INTEGRAIL will make a difference. Sharing information between IMs and RUs allows the whole railway to be managed as a single system. That single system doesn't have to be restricted to only one country. INTEGRAIL will allow IMs and RUs across Europe to act as a single system.
The railway system is becoming more and more complex. Information and communication technologies have an increasingly vital role in ensuring that it can operate effectively, efficiently and safely. Therefore a good level of standardisation and interoperability between railway information systems is and will be required in order to control the complexity and allow further performance improvements.
The rail society has recognised that we need to found new solutions on a clear and sound general platform, which allows to easily integrate and manage different solutions and systems, while allowing their evolution according to the faster changing railway business models.
INTEGRAIL defined such a platform by means of a modular architecture based on application and communication services, it was possible to achieve the envisaged targets in terms of integration, flexibility, decision support and possible evolution. Applications implemented according to INTEGRAIL rules can easily retrieve, elaborate and exchange information whenever needed. This became possible by the use of a common language, which avoids ambiguity and can automatically be processed, and of standard protocols (middleware), which enable communication between applications, wherever they are located.
Richer information can support decision processes at all levels, helping to find and take the best decisions and optimise the overall system performance. Open, standard interfaces can guarantee a controlled growth and evolution towards the future, in accord with advances in technology and adapting to the new needs of the railways. The INTEGRAIL approach will bring real benefits through better monitoring systems, optimised maintenance, improved decision support and more accurate evaluation of performance. The system can be implemented gradually, bringing benefits even when implemented at a small scale, and expanded without limits, while ensuring that new parts are consistent with already existing ones.
