Taking into account the nature of signalling and automation systems, X2Rail-2 aims to improve the performance at a railway system level by introducing new functionalities at sub-system level as well as on the architectural level that should revolutionize the signalling and automation concept for the future (see Figure 1).
X2Rail-2 follows a holistic system approach to create the building blocks for Shift2Rail IP2. Thus, the outcomes at individual technology level will be combined to bring a benefit at system level.
The key technologies within X2Rail-2 cover GNSS application in Railway and advanced technologies for implementing new signalling and automation functionalities. These functionalities are addressed in individual but interconnected work streams, each focusing on different key technologies such as safe on – board systems, TMS, etc.
In order to enable a rapid ramp up of these new technologies, new lab test strategies and environments are addressed as well in cooperation with ongoing IP2 projects (e.g.: X2Rail-1), facilitating the approval and time-to market procedures. To make best use of technical innovations developed and provided by other sectors, X2Rail-2 consists also of non-railway domain partners that will provide knowledge for possible adaptation of relevant and emerging technologies to the railway system.
Figure 1: Overall Concept of X2Rail-2 project
The overall architecture of the future signalling and automation system, starting from X2Rail-1 and then integrated with the X2Rail-2 contribution, is the core which will enable the improvement of the system whilst ensuring backward compatibility at subsystem level and at ERTMS constituent level, cost-efficient, high capacity, and reliable infrastructure. For each contributing key technology, the interrelation to other key technologies must be taken into account. By incorporating a technical coordination and system coherence work package, the overall architectural consistency as well as the interaction with other parts of Shift2Rail will be ensured (see Figure 1).
This system approach will provide breakthrough innovation for the European Railway Area in the domain of advanced signalling and automation systems related to High Speed, Conventional, Regional and Freight lines.