MAke RAil The HOpe for protecting Nature 2 future OPERATION

Project Information

M2O

Grant agreement ID: 826087

DOI

10.3030/826087

Project closed

EC signature date 30 November 2018

Start date 1 December 2018

End date 31 December 2020

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 599 955,00

EU contribution

€ 599 955,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - M2O (MAke RAil The HOpe for protecting Nature 2 future OPERATION)

Reporting period: 2020-02-01 to 2020-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Boosting Railfreight transport market share rapidly for a sustainable cargo mobility implies increasing its competitiveness and reliability on the existing infrastructure which major development is only a long term solution. It is strategically important as shown during the COVID pandemic crisis. Building on FP7 Marathon, with its autonomous radio system, and on FFL4E, remaining in standard lengths, M2O develops safety analyses and reliable radio communication solutions, independently assessed, for Distributed Power Sytem (DPS) trains of up to 1500m and up to 4 traction units (TUs).
Defining the type of consists the market requests in the various segments (Bulk, intermodal and general cargo), the objective is finally to customize the safety studies to be able to run safely demonstrators by our FR8RAIL II partners at the end of the project.
Starting with GSM-R radio communication solution, M2O demonstrated that it was not pragmatically applicable for more than 2 TUs in the consist and that a radio communication solution based on LTE/4G could complete GSM-R and be a bridge towards FRMCS/5G being developed in the near future. Latency in the effective transmission of orders by both solutions were calculated, checked in laboratory and on site for LTE, and compared to FFL4E measurements for GSM-R.
Using these latencies, simulations with TrainDY software, recognized by the railway community, the major parameters influencing the Longitudinal Train Dynamics (LTD) were identified . TrainDy simulations were calibrated for wagons with LL shoes and at low speed using FFL4E tests measurements results as comparison. Then for new configurations, LTDs could be compared with those of existing trains running on the Network.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

• Families of trains involving up to 4 TUs and length up to 1500m were simulated with variable mass and different radio technologies in the most critical operational situations enabling to define safe trainsets, as regards LTD.
• Preliminary hazards analyses in nominal and degraded modes were developed, functional requirements defined, and a hazard log established. If the functional requirements could not be fulfilled, suitable mitigations were provided.
• In close collaboration with FR8RAILII Partners the hazard analyses was established and the safety analyses was prepared within the limits of the data made available by them.
• For the demonstrators of the test campaign a track with steep gradients being chosen by FR8RAILII Partners as well as the type of wagons they would use, many simulations enabled M2O to propose a safe configuration of a consist with up to three active TUs in a standard train length.
• The radio communication solution was analysed in laboratory and on site to ensure the good LTE coverage and the latency time to be used for the simulations quoted here above.
• Assessment (TUV): The Safety case for the experimental test campaign of FR8RAIL II Project has been assessed by M2O Project, considering the TRL 5 of M2O and the availability of specific product documentation provided by FR8RAIL II Partners. Moreover, the general methodology to be followed to put in service future freight trains with Distributed Power System has been assessed preparing the ground for future certifications
• During the development of the project the implementation of the results were studied for the various segments identified at the beginning of the project to measure the market attractiveness for the various DPS configurations detected as safe after the simulations. These configurations involved the various types of radio communications and gave indications of certain very favourable cases where the market uptake could be quick.
• A roadmap was also suggested to introduce these DPS trains in the market and to address the necessary support of authorities for progress.
• A targeted dissemination through advisory boards involving major RUs, a mid-term and a final event, participation in conferences, writing technical articles, making presentation to final users were performed and a website established to support all deliverables. Journalists contacted and receiving the presentations are waiting the test campaign results for an attractive publication.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

From an autonomous radio link between the 2 TUs used for FP7 MARATHON project demonstrators and GSM-R Radio link between the 2 TUs for FFL4E demonstrator 540m train homogenously loaded, M2O has gone further:
An alternative radio communication solution, completing GSM-R, based on LTE/4G -Long Term Evolution (4G-Wireless Network)- using VPN and a safety layer on the protocols of communication with a larger capacity and a shorter latency time, enabling to envisage configurations up to TUs for a Distributed Power System.
A list of possible train solutions with two up to four TUs (differently located along the train), according to different radio technologies, train length, hauled mass and payload distribution (homogeneous and not homogeneous). These trains are at least safe as currently running trains, from a statistic point of view.
The definition of a list of safety requirements for such trains to be fulfilled by technical characteristics of the equipment involved or by operational processes. The identification of hazardous conditions has led to analysing the safety of the consist when radio connection works properly or not. A list of mitigations in case some requirements could not be fulfilled directly by the equipment in place is given, as well.
A safety case for the experimental test campaign of FR8RAIL II Project (February 2021).
An assessment of the safety case, with the limits of available data, has been made by M2O Specialists (TUV). The results of the assessment performed by M2O will support the overall safety demonstration of the DPS train by the Partners of FR8RAIL II having the safety data of the TUs and DBCU.

Results of M2O have allowed the FR8RAIL II Project to put in service an extensive test campaign (February 2021) of a train equipped with three traction units, working together or with one behaving as a wagon: in this way, a multiplicity of solutions are tested considering a proper radio communication or its interruption. The train is operated in Long Locomotive braking regime and Goods braking regime. These tests will allow the implementation of DPS solution in trains with a remote TU, in a short term, since these trains already exist and DPS provides better operational flexibility and an increase of the hauled mass.
The implementation possibilities of different types of train consists are considered for a roadmap suggested to the authorities to set up, if necessary, incentives to accelerate the market uptake to develop a modal shift and increase the competitiveness and the sustainability.
The team led by University of Rome Tor Vergata as coordinator and performing TrainDy simulations , Newopera for technical coordination and operational analyses, Funkwerk for the Radio communication architecture and solutions, Nier Ingeneria for the safety analyses, UIC for its knowledge on the FRMCS/5G development and TUV Sud as independent assessor of the safety analyses has been fully dedicated to support their FR8RAIL II Partners to make a success of the test campaign which first results confirm the accuracy and the validity of the results achieved by M2O.

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