In2Stempo in Global Railway Review

In2Stempo – Shift2Rail Innovation Days

On the 23^rd October 2020, an array of webinars was held for the Shift2Rail Innovation Days as an opportunity to showcase all the results achieved and the efforts made by our members and partners working in the Shift2Rail Research and Innovation programme. 

In the “Cost-efficient, sustainable and reliable high capacity infrastructure” webinar, In2Stempo was introduced and presented. A presentation on ‘Digital Twins and Data Analysis for Crowd Management in High Capacity Stations’ was given, highlighting the aims to improve customer experience and security in large and high capacity stations, based on 3 tools; 3D simulation system, video analytics, as well as macro and micro-behaviour models. 

The In2Stempo Smart Metering objectives were outlined, and the implementations of the smart metering were shown through each of the three use cases; Commercial Line Operation, Stationing and Maintenance Operation, and Electrical Infrastructure Monitoring. Proceeding this, we were shown how the data is used and will be used in terms of fault mapping and analysis, and future smart metering applications were summarised.

The final presentation was made on ‘Small Stations Solutions’. Work Package 7 was outlined; to improve stations designs and components, and a range of challenged were posed alongside their corresponding solutions. 

This was a very informative and important event in the European railway 2020 calendar, and for having the opportunity to exchange together on future R&I activities. 

For those who missed Innovation Days, you can watch all webinars under this link.

In2Stempo in International Railway Journal

In2Stempo presented at the Centre for EU transport projects (CEUTP)

In2Stempo presented at “Week of International participations of the IP Group”

In2Stempo’s project partner Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) representatives - Leonor Mendes and Nuno Fragoso - participated in a seminar dedicated to the promotion of the IP in international activities called “Week of International participations of the IP Group”. The event took Place in Lisbon (Portugal) between 17th and 21st February 2020 at the IP headquarters.
Leonor and Nuno have presented In2Stempo project as a whole and its position within Shift2Rail Programme, as well as work developed within WP7 “Improved Station Designs and Components” and WP8 “Improved Accessibility to Trains - Platform Train Interface”.
The event was promoted through the company’s online portal, and the presentations were made accessible to all interested parties online too.
The feedback received from the attendees was very positive.

In2Stempo at Spanish railway operators’ workshop

In2Stempo project was presented by the project partner - CAF TURNKEY & ENGINEERING - at the Spanish railway operator’s workshop that took place in Zaragoza, Spain on the 19th of June 2019.

The workshop was focused on energy efficiency, energy management and environmental impact of the railway sector, and has given the operators an opportunity to share their energy and cost savings experiences.

Among workshop attendees were: Tram Baix & Tram Besos, Barcelona, Metro Tenerife, Tranvía de Murcia, Tranvía de Parla, Metro Málaga, Metro de Sevilla,Tranvía Zaragoza, Metro Ligero de Madrid.

Consumption data and energy reduction measures were presented and compared between operators, as well as the energy cost analysis, including the energy contract models with energy companies.

In2Stempo project has been presented as an example of using smart metering implementation in future railway stations and depots. Specifically, In2Stempo’s stationing and maintenance facilities operation Smart Metering use case has been described in detail during the workshop

In2Stempo presented to UK's Rail Safety Standards Board.

In2Stempo project coordinator, Network Rail (NR) organised an introductory meeting with the Professor Bridget Eickhoff who is the Principal Infrastructure Engineer at the UK's Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB). The RSSB are responsible for Group Industry Standards that apply to the UK railway and Bridget chairs a group of cross industry engineers that represent train operating companies (TOC’s), the rail infrastructure owner (Network Rail) and associated partners who are involved in track gauging issues. Bridget is also a research Professor at the University of Birmingham where she specialises in rail infrastructure.

As track gauging and platform train interface (PTI) issues are often linked, it was of interest to both parties to discuss the current IN2STEMPO research and, in particular, the work being undertaken in WP8: Improved Accessibility to Trains - Platform Train Interface. NR provided an overview of the project work and RSSB also provided information on research that had been previously carried out by them on the issue of PTI accidents and their possible causes. Bridget also shared with us the outputs from recent human behavioural studies and how this relatively new scientific discipline needs to be considered when planning future PTI strategies.

In2Stempo Technical Management Team and Steering Committee meeting in Genoa

On the 20th and 21st of November In2Stempo’s Technical Management Team and Steering Committee meeting took place in Genoa, Italy. The two-day meeting hosted by project partner - Hitachi, was focused on discussions around project progress, as well as project dissemination plans and activities foreseen for 2020. The meeting participants confirmed that the project is successfully proceeding towards its objectives and is ready for the 2nd review scheduled for March 2020.

In2Stempo and CONNECTIVE projects at EBDVF 2019

On the 14th of October Network Rail’s Project Manager Aneta Tumilowicz was a panellist and presenter of use cases from two Shift2Railprojects (In2Stempo and Connective) during the European Big Data Value Forum (EBDVF) 2019 event held in Helsinki, Finland. EBDVF is the flagship event of the European Big Data and Data-Driven AI Research and Innovation community and was specifically focused on how the artificial intelligence and big data is transforming business and society.

Among the well-attended sessions of this event was the session dedicated to Transforming Power of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Mobility and Logistics, during which Aneta presented how big data and business analytics can be used to take advantage of all available data in the transport domain to propose useful information for travellers, infrastructure managers, operators and transport authorities.

Specifically, she presented how data can be used to significantly improve travellers’ experience and security in large and high capacity multimodal stations (a use case using synergies between Shift2Rail IP3 and IP4 projects). The second use case presented focuses on using information from urban operators’ stations (buses and metro) equipment to obtain insights on their performance and level of service, as well as travellers’ usage of them.

In2Stempo: Smart Metering Installation

As part of the Shift2Rail In2Stempo project, three substations on the Tonbridge to Redhill line: Chiddingstone, Crowhurst Junction and Bletchingley Tunnel have now been instrumented with the Smart Metering sensors and communication system. A collaborative international team formed by engineers from Alstom, DotVision, LEM, Railenium and Network Rail Test Section led by Michal Taratajcio and supported by Radoslaw Filip from the Power Systems team have completed in a safe manner and greatly supportive atmosphere the Phase 2 – Smart Metering installation at substations on the 3-phase 22 kV a.c. level. The Phase 1 – Smart Metering installation on the 750 V d.c. level was successfully completed earlier this year in March.

In preparation for the next phases of the initiative – the team is working collaboratively to develop anon-intrusive GPS type portable sensors that can be used on-board of the trains to deliver data for trains power demand estimation.

The Smart Metering project as part of the Shift2Rail In2Stempo is aimed to demonstrate to TRL6:

• High resolution and synchronised mapping of energy flows within the railway system: on the key infrastructure elements and on-board of the trains; 
• Non-intrusive smart metering sensors network at the railway system level with programme learning for train power extrapolation from GPS type data only; 
• Open system and interface for data collection, aggregation and analysis in an open source ODM (Operational Data Management) platform; 
• User applications for energy flows understanding, energy management and asset management support.

A successful first periodic review for In2Stempo

On the 4th of April 2019 In2Stempo project team consisting of project coordinator, Aneta Tumilowicz, and project Work Package Leaders attended project’s first periodic review which was held in Brussels. Attendees were responsible for the overall presentation of project’s achievements in its first 16 months.

In2Stempo has 3 primary objectives: developing a smart railway power grid in an interconnected and communicated system, mapping of energy flows and usage within the entire railway system allowing for more effective energy management strategies in the future and improving the customer experience at railway stations. The project is in its early stage and is due tofinish in August 2022.