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Technologies for Sustainable & Attractive European Rail Freight

IP Coordinator: Norbert Kahl - DB

Overview


Topic:
S2R-CFM-IP5-01-2018
Total Project Value:
€ 12 450 389,86
Duration:
from 01/05/2018 to 31/12/2022
S2R (Of H2020) co-funding:
€ 5 461 568,31
Coordinator:
Andrea Mazzone
BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
Complementary projects:
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Objectives

The objective of the FR8RAIL II project is to further develop technologies relevant for the rail freight sector to reach the goal highlighted in the S2R Master Plan. The work partly bases on results achieved in the foregoing projects of the AWP 2015-2017 (FFL4E, ARCC, FR8RAIL, FR8HUB) and seeks to increase the TRL of the specific technologies. Thus, to be consistent with the expected results, FR8RAIL II addresses following challenges:

1. New Automatic Couplers, provided with electrical power supply and data transmission functionalities, need to be implemented. The project pursues to complete the detailed design, build up a unitary demonstrator and test it on a relevant environment to validate the new design.

2. Telematics and Electrification will enable Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and Cargo Monitoring System (CMS). Within this work stream, a service transponder for freight, the wagon On-Board Unit (wOBU), will be developed.

3. Improved methods for annual and short-term timetable planning in traffic operations will increase overall capacity and raise punctuality for both passenger and freight traffic. Main focus is improved short term planning for freight traffic including improved interaction between yards and the network. Results about requirements, roles and processes from ARCC project is input. A demonstrator for improved timetable planning will be developed to showcase the innovations.

4. The work stream of Real-time network management aims at reducing or even eliminating manual communication by integrating medium to short-term and operational planning at yards/terminals and in the railway network. By improved planning operational deviations will decrease.

5. Future freight wagon design for the core and extended market will contribute to increased reliability of the freight transport due to its integrated solutions for telematics and electrification. Challenges are to increase the payload per meter of train by means of lightweight design. Optimized aerodynamics and acoustics will contribute to a greener and more efficient operation.

6. Future main line electric freight locomotives must feature highly flexible freight propulsion systems with reduced operational costs. The work stream freight automation will address these challenges, by analyzing, specifying and developing such functionalities.

7. The freight sector needs to find ways to rapidly decrease unit costs to improve its competitiveness against the road sector. Distributed Power in freight trains will contribute to solve this problem by distributing the traction and braking forces for long freight trains up to 1,500 m. FR8RAIL II will refine the technology developed within FFL4E with focus on mixed trains and demonstrate it in real life environment.

8. The connection of Automated Train Operation (ATO) and Connected Driver Advisory Systems (C-DAS) to the Traffic Management System (TMS) in train control centers of the IM allows transferring the traffic regulation information to the driving system. FR8RAIL II will develop a system concept for connection of onboard Driver Advisory Systems (DAS) and landside TMS, specify, develop and demonstrate specific C-DAS functions and evaluate its effects.

Project Structure



WP01 - Wagon Design & Automatic Coupling

The work is a consistent continuation of the work done in the FR8RAIL project. In order to push forward the development of the next generation freight wagon, the research and development in the following areas is proposed:

  • General specifications for a multi-purpose next generation freight wagon, including the bogie, and its final development.
  • Development of components, subsystems as well as the overall system in a multidisciplinary approach, including specifications for flexible use in current wagons when possible. This includes a bogie with excellent dynamic, protection from track derailment, wheel, track and curving-friendly running gear.
  • Modular lightweight, aerodynamic optimized and low noise wagon design with an integration of brakes, vehicle & goods monitoring systems, being an enabler for effective vehicle monitoring systems and predictive maintenance strategies.
  • Development of an automatic coupling solution for freight vehicles in Europe and the definition of a consistent migration plan for its implementation.
  • Proof of concept for the extended market wagon 2020 and its subsystems, functional mock-up of a full-scale core market wagon.


WP02 - Wagon Intelligence

Freight Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) will be enabled by the intelligent wagon based on Telematics and Electrification. Based on the results of FR8RAIL project the objectives of this work package are aligned towards developing the wagon intelligence:
  • Specification of the intelligent wagon and development of the subsystems (WMS, CMS, wOBU, FTSMS) (T2.1 and T2.2)
  • Specification of the integration of the telematics (WMS, CMS, wOBU, FTSMS) with the new wagon design including new wheels and axles (WP1), with Automatic Coupler (WP1), with Access and Operation and Novel Terminal, Hubs, Marshalling yards, Sidings (WP3) and with CBM including target process, aggregation of wagon data and web-interface for train data visualization. (T2.3).
  • Definition of demonstration activities and test scenarios (T2.4)


WP03 - Real-time network management and improved methods for timetable planning

In FR8RAIL2 WP3, the first steps in implementing the plan from ARCC WP3 are taken. The work package will deliver a demonstrator about improved short term planning and daily planning. For real-time network management requirements will be specified for a demonstrator for testing real time network management concepts. Main objectives are:
  • To improve methods for annual and short-term timetable planning aiming at reducing the gap between planning perspective and real time network management
  • Demonstrate timetable planning concepts that improves conditions for real time network management. A demonstrator on improved short-term planning and daily planning with improved interaction IM – RU including network and yard/terminals should be developed.
  • Develop methods and tools that can reduce inefficiencies in real time network management by improving the possibilities for holistic view of the railway transport by e.g. improving the interaction between yards/terminals and network, and between infrastructure manager and railway undertakings. Requirements for a real time network management demonstrator should be specified.


WP04 - Connected Driver Advisory Systems (C-DAS)

The aim of this work package is to define requirements, system concept and demonstration for a Driver Advisory System connected to the Traffic Management System of the IM. The goal is to significantly increase service efficiency and energy savings. C-DAS, based on the real time data exchanged with TMS, will be able to evaluate speed profiles in accordance to the traffic real condition of the railway while TMS could improve quality of regulation strategies. The objectives are:
  • Define and align requirements of TMS-users and RU for C-DAS in strong linkage to IP 2 and other running projects
  • Develop concepts for C-DAS on concrete corridor sections
  • Realize simulations and demonstrators for C-DAS on concrete corridor sections
  • Evaluation of impact on performance and competitiveness


WP05 - Freight Automation

This work package aims at defining and developing concepts and requirements for automating the train preparation phase for a further increase of efficiency and safety. The objectives are:
  • List, analyse and evaluate the various activities performed during the freight train preparation phase
  • Select the three activities with the highest impact and develop the concepts and the functional requirement specification for automating these.
  • Develop detailed technical specification develop and demonstrate some of these activities.


WP06 - Freight Propulsion

This work package aims at finalizing the developing of the last mile propulsion systems tackled in WP4 of the FFL4E project (full electric last mile propulsion) and in WP6 of the FR8HUB project (evaluation and design of innovative powerful last mile propulsion system). The overall objectives are:
  • Detailed integration and pre-development work for the next generation last mile propulsion system selected in FR8HUB (schematics, mechanical integration work, integration into the locomotive communication control, etc)
  • Development of the mission manager, responsible for the energy management while in last mile mode
  • Evaluate and develop intelligent energy efficient driving and parking modes.


WP07 - Long Trains

This WP continues with the activities started in FFL4E aiming at the final goal of a system capable of running trains with Distributed Power up to 1,500m trains. FFL4E has been focusing on the base functionality and its demonstration. FR8RAIL II is going to refine the functionality for regular operations. The objectives of the WP are:
  • Development of Distributed Power System (DPS) for freight trains in Europe
  • Enhance functionality of DPS for regular operations
  • Feasibility of trains up to 1,500 m from technological, operational and safety perspective
  • Operation of DPS in demonstrator trains


WP08 - Conditioned Based Maintenance

The overarching objective of this work package is to expand the scope defined in FR8RAIL, by scaling the condition based and predictive maintenance (CBM) transformation efforts to other relevant locomotive types within Europe. To pioneer such an expansion, it is proposed to firstly focus on one locomotive class that is operated in several European countries (i.e. class 66 and 77). This may include:
  • The identification of the most relevant components for continuous supervision for the locomotive class types 66, 77 and Bombardier TRAXX3
  • Enablement of knowledge transfer between local legal entities in terms of best practices identified in previous project phases in Germany. The proposed scope of this work package should, moreover, be seen as integral preparations for the completion of work packages to be proposed to answer the AWP 2019.


WP09 - Project Management

WP10 - Dissemination

Partners

Coordinator


Beneficiaries

Results and Publications

D1.1 Functional.core.market.wagon.mock-up

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D1.2-FR82-Automatic coupling and wagon design specifications

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D1.3-FR82-INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS

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D3.1 Analysis of the gap between daily timetable and operational traffic v1.01

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D3.2 Description of decision support tool aimed at advanced Real Time Network Management and require

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D3.3 Requirements for a Decision Support Tool

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D3.4 Demonstrator on Improved Planning Verification of Demonstrators

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D4.4-Evaluation of C-DAS demonstration

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D7.5 Demonstration

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D9.1_Quality Plan

FR8RAIL II - D10.1 - Dissemination and communication strategy

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FR8RAIL II - D10.3 S2R Innodays 2021 activities report

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FR8RAIL II - D10.4 FInal dissemination and communication report

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FR8RAIL II Final Event - AGENDA and SPEAKERS

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FR8RAIL II-FINAL EVENT-PRESENTATION-Final

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FR8RAIL_II_-_D10.2_Mid-term.event.report

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FR8RAIL_II_-_Invitation.Agenda_Mid-term.Event

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FR8RAIL_II_-_Presentations_Mid-term.Event

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Mid-term conference in Stockholm - Conference agenda and presentations

S2R FR8RAIL II Mid term conference is organised in The Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre on 30 January 2020. After opening by Jan Bergstrand, Vice Chairman of S2R Innovation Programme 5, from Trafikverket (Sweden) and Per Olof Lingwall, a Chairman of the Forum for Nordic Railway Association, the FR8RAIL II coordinator Andrea Mazzone (Bombardier Transportation, Switzerland) briefly introduced the project and presented the conference programme. All the work package leaders presented the objectives, activities and major expected outcomes.

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All deliverables, results and publications herewith provided reflects only the author's view and the S2R JU is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

Projects News & Events

S2R FR8RAIL II Final event ONLINE

Shift2Rail JU’s IP5 FR8RAILII project consortium is organising the final event on 10th of December 2021 online. The event will be held as part of Innovation Programme 5(IP5) within S2R Innovation Days 2021.

The main objective is to present and disseminate the major project results to members of other consortiums, stakeholders outside of S2R and relevant authorities from European and international rail arena.

The final event aims at presenting the major achievements and outcomes, specifically market wagons and wheelset design, telematics, connected driver advisory system(C-DAS), last mile battery and long trains.

Norbert Kahl(DB), Head of Shift2Rail Innovation Programme Freight, has welcomed the audience and opened the Final event introducing S2R IP5, CFM FR8RAIL II and showing the challenges freight transport face in the future. This introductory was followed by the presentations of major technical outcomes of the FR8RAIL II project on extended and core market wagon and wheelset, telematics, C-DAS, last mile battery and long trains.

Register for the event here: https://innovationdays2021.shift2rail.org/en/page/about/

Programme is available on the registration page.

DPS: Distributed Power System developed and tested in FR8RAIL II

See the link

DPS: Distributed Power System developed and tested in FR8RAIL II

Have you ever wondered how even 1.5-kilometer-long trains with heavy loads can get going and also brake safely again? We can manage it with our Distributed Power System (DPS), in which two out of three locomotives are controlled remotely. This "distributed traction" ensures that even long and heavy trains make optimum use of their traction and braking forces. 

DB Cargo, Bombardier and Faiveley have been developing and testing Distributed Power with additional partners in FR8RAIL II. In the video, it is explained exactly what is behind the technology. To watch the video, click here.

Save the date for a digital experience - Demonstration of Digital Automatic Couplers

With digital automatic couplings and complementary digital solutions, freight traffic by rail can be radically improved in terms of capacity, punctuality, working environment, efficiency and profitability.

Within the FR8RAIL II project, which is part of the IP5 Freight Program in Shift2Rail, preparations are now in full swing for a demonstration together with Green Cargo and several stake holders from the European railway sector to test different levels of automation and evaluate function, power, compatibility in the system and costs.

Reserve February 18, 2021 from 9:00 - 15:00 for an interesting, digital review and presentation of Digital Automatic Couplers and ongoing winter testing. 


FR8RAIL I/II at INNOTRANS 2018 in Berlin, 18-21 September

Together with its Members, Shift2Rail was showcasing more than 20 cutting-edge solutions for a ground-breaking transformation of railway systems at InnoTrans 2018in Berlin from 18-21 September. FR8RAIL I/II presented FR8RAIL Bogie Technical Demonstrator for Core Market Wagon, on Stand 203, Hall 4.2. For more details on developed bogie for Core Market Wagon in the deliverable D1.1 available on this website.


FR8RAIL II partners at the 17th International Rail Vehicle Conference in Dresden, February 2020

See the link

Our partners VIF and PJM had presented their work* about on-board condition monitoring of wheel profile wear on freight wagons and the physical effects as the basis for machine learning. Recent works show that understanding the physical effects is a key to find specific operating conditions in combination with suitable features that enable a robust classification of the wheel profile condition. Based on this knowledge, an algorithm was developed, which shows, with the help of ML, very promising results for the classification of the wheel profile lock. 

Additionally, our partners CAF and MCL presented the abstract** on Influence of cold rolling on the fatigue strength and the determination of inspection intervals fro EA1N axles.

*On-Board Zustandsüberwachung des Radprofil Verschleiß an Güterwägen Physikalische Effekte als Basis für das Maschinelle Lernen, Fuchs J., Luber B., Sorribes-Palmer F., Joch M.

**Influence of cold rolling on the fatigue strength and the determination of inspection intervals for EA1N axles, Landaberea A., De la Prida R., Gänser H.P., Maierhofer J.



CAF's DAC elements presented in Ministerial virtual conference on rail transport “Innovative Rail Transport - connecting, sustainable, and digital"


FR8RAIL II partner CAF is participating in the DAC4EU project consortium of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur BMVI). They have provided a couple of prototypes of the coupler head to the DB Systemtechnik in Minden (Germany), for the installation of some sensor elements for strength tests and wagon load monitoring.
CAF's prototypes will be shown in a video during the upcoming Ministerial (virtual) conference on rail transport "Innovative Rail Transport - connecting, sustainable, and digital", on 21st of September 2020.

 

S2R FR8RAIL II Mid-term event in Stockholm

S2R FR8RAIL II Mid-term event was held on the 30th of January 2020 at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, organised by Trafikverket together with the NJS (Forum for Nordic Railway Association).

The main objective was to efficiently disseminate the results of the project to members of other consortiums, stakeholders outside of S2R and relevant authorities at European and international levels. The mid-term event gathered about 120 visitors from 12 different countries including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Jan Bergstrand, Vice Chairman of the S2R Innovation Programme 5 from Trafikverket, Per Olof Lingwall, Chairman of the Forum for Nordic Railway Association and Andrea Mazzone, Project coordinator of CFM FR8RAIL II from Bombardier Transportation, have welcomed the audience and opened the Mid-term conference introducing S2R IP5, CFM FR8RAIL II and showing the challenges freight transport face in the future.

Videos from the technical work packages, presented by respective WP-leaders and presentation from M2O, an open call project closely collaborating with FR8RAIL II WP7 can be seen here:








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Andrea Mazzone

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S2R FR8RAIL II Final event ONLINE

Shift2Rail JU’s IP5 FR8RAILII project consortium is organising the final event on 10th of December 2021 online. The event will be held as part of Innovation Programme 5(IP5) within S2R Innovation Days 2021.

The main objective is to present and disseminate the major project results to members of other consortiums, stakeholders outside of S2R and relevant authorities from European and international rail arena.

The final event aims at presenting the major achievements and outcomes, specifically market wagons and wheelset design, telematics, connected driver advisory system(C-DAS), last mile battery and long trains.

Norbert Kahl(DB), Head of Shift2Rail Innovation Programme Freight, has welcomed the audience and opened the Final event introducing S2R IP5, CFM FR8RAIL II and showing the challenges freight transport face in the future. This introductory was followed by the presentations of major technical outcomes of the FR8RAIL II project on extended and core market wagon and wheelset, telematics, C-DAS, last mile battery and long trains.

Register for the event here: https://innovationdays2021.shift2rail.org/en/page/about/

Programme is available on the registration page.

Save the date for a digital experience - Demonstration of Digital Automatic Couplers

With digital automatic couplings and complementary digital solutions, freight traffic by rail can be radically improved in terms of capacity, punctuality, working environment, efficiency and profitability.

Within the FR8RAIL II project, which is part of the IP5 Freight Program in Shift2Rail, preparations are now in full swing for a demonstration together with Green Cargo and several stake holders from the European railway sector to test different levels of automation and evaluate function, power, compatibility in the system and costs.

Reserve February 18, 2021 from 9:00 - 15:00 for an interesting, digital review and presentation of Digital Automatic Couplers and ongoing winter testing. 


FR8RAIL I/II at INNOTRANS 2018 in Berlin, 18-21 September

Together with its Members, Shift2Rail was showcasing more than 20 cutting-edge solutions for a ground-breaking transformation of railway systems at InnoTrans 2018in Berlin from 18-21 September. FR8RAIL I/II presented FR8RAIL Bogie Technical Demonstrator for Core Market Wagon, on Stand 203, Hall 4.2. For more details on developed bogie for Core Market Wagon in the deliverable D1.1 available on this website.


This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No: 826206