MOTIONAL: Advancing the Future of European Railway Systems Through Digitalization and Integration
- Open Access
- 2026
- OriginalPaper
- Buchkapitel
Erschienen in:
Aktivieren Sie unsere intelligente Suche, um passende Fachinhalte oder Patente zu finden.
Wählen Sie Textabschnitte aus um mit Künstlicher Intelligenz passenden Patente zu finden. powered by
Markieren Sie Textabschnitte, um KI-gestützt weitere passende Inhalte zu finden. powered by (Link öffnet in neuem Fenster)
Abstract
1 EU-Rail Flagship Project 1: MOTIONAL
The EU-Rail Flagship Project “MOTIONAL” aims to improve the planning and operational management of rail services through digitalization, automation, connectivity, and multimodal integration. This project, supported by Europe’s Rail initiative, will enable the future European railway system to be interoperable, resilient, and integrated efficiently with different services, including last-mile operations. The project methodology is based on use cases, functional requirements and associated specifications coordinated with involved stakeholder groups and close dialogue with the EU-Rail System Pillar. Key advancements include the improvement of planning and operational management of rail services, the development of digital enablers like digital twin technology, and the integration of rail with other transport modes. The goal is to make rail the backbone of a multimodal transport system for passengers and freight, with the perspective of achieving a Single European Rail Area. The “MOTIONAL” research project aim to achieve a significant advancement in the state-of-the-art railway systems by pursuing the way to digitalization and interoperability across Europe.
2 Planning
The main objective for Planning is to improve the strategic and tactical planning of the network with optimization and simulation functionality short term (adjustments) and long-term planning (longer than one year). This is done by specification, development and demonstrations.
Anzeige
Today new processes are under development to enable European wide capacity allocation and to connect planning and operational traffic. There is an ongoing technical and digitalization development in CMS (Capacity Management Systems)/TMS (Traffic Management Systems). Planning activities are focused in three areas:
-
In cross border planning we improve planning between borders nodes/network areas within nation and between nations.
-
In Advanced algorithms we develop and demonstrate decision support for timetable planners/Capacity management system operators.
-
In Simulation and operational feedback, we develop simulation methods for improved capacity planning and simulating capacity effects for new DATO technologies (Digital automated train operations) and European Train Control System (ETCS).
Cross Border Planning and Integrated Capacity Planning
One of the objectives is to deliver future railway processes and solutions with seamless cross border planning and integrated yard and station capacity planning. Seven demonstrations are planned to achieve expected results in three technical enablers. These are: European cross-border scheduling with international train path planning; Improved capacity allocation using rolling planning and TTR; Integration of planning systems and TMS with yard capacity planning and station capacity planning.
Advanced Algorithms and Decision Support Tools
Another objective is to deliver optimized timetables by enhancing the processes, as well as by using knowledge from actual operations and simulations. Development of advanced algorithms for the generation and adjustment of timetables and rolling stock planning. The algorithms are demonstrated in decision support tools based on defined use cases and problems/solutions/effects. Four demonstrations are planned to achieve expected results in three technical enablers. These are: Decision support for short term planning; Train path and schedule optimization methods and strategies for capacity efficiency, punctuality and energy saving for different parts of the network and different traffic situations (level of punctuality); Integration of planning systems and TMS with yard capacity planning and station capacity planning.
Simulation and Operational Feedback
To simulate operational processes and to develop feedback loops between operations and planning as well as to develop simulation methods for TMS – C-DAS/ATO and simulate/study effects. Development of simulation methods for evaluating C-DAS/ATO. Development of simulation methods for evaluating European Train Control System (ETCS), such as optimal braking behavior (new generation braking coming from Destination 2) and ETCS Hybrid level 3. Two demonstrations are planned: Improved simulation models; Simulation of new technologies which includes ETCS HL3 and ATO to estimate capacity effects.
Anzeige
3 Operations
Today, rail traffic is managed by IMs (Infrastructure Managers) on national or regional level, usually supported by legacy systems with a poor level of digitalisation and weak integration with systems of other domains or actors participating in the overall traffic planning and management process.
Taking advantage of the potential of digitalisation, operational and technological solutions are developed for different business areas, paving the way towards the implementation of the future European Rail Traffic Management System to make rail the backbone of a multimodal transport system for passengers and freight.
Integration of TMSs and Processes
Within use-cases, processes and interfaces are developed for achieving a much higher integration level of functions and decision processes including the increase of the precision of the traffic prediction as part of TMSs. In focus are also the alignment between different TMS areas including cross-border and the integration of TMS with yard or station functions, Electric Traction Systems as well as RU (Railway undertakings) related data sources for consideration of e.g., actual rolling stock constraints. The availability of appropriate interfaces between the different clients and stakeholders and applications will help to support an aligned re-planning and management of capacity on railway lines and station or yard tracks including graphical visualisation, conflict detection and resolution. The new possibilities will increase the interests and the level of engagement of RUs in traffic operation.
Improved Resilience and Efficiency of Disruption Management
We develop modules for a cooperative multi-actor optimisation and decision support supporting the management of incidents and disruption. Through an advanced HMI the system resilience and efficiency of disruption management using future TMSs will be increased. TMS operators’ workload will be reduced by task automation where possible to enable human focussing on critical situations.
More efficient traffic management is also achieved by better consideration of human factors being enabled by new HMI design and technology as well as extended decision support featuring “what-if?” scenario evaluation with a specific focus on disruption and incident management. Automated feedback operational observations to planning allow for improved robustness of future plans.
Linking TMS to ATO/C-DAS for Optimized Operations
Aims on testing integration between TMSs and ATO/C-DAS systems or components providing significant added value by increasing network capacity, timetable robustness, energy efficiency and punctuality. A seamless integration of TMS and ATO will be demonstrated by testing both together in an emulated “real-world” environment by human-in-the-loop demonstration and test bench. The testing environment will cover interaction of train-drivers, TMS operators and signallers, each using their own (emulated) workplace working and communicating together in simulated traffic states. The activities include human-factors research to achieve optimum and realistic results considering behaviour of loco drivers, signallers and TMS operators.
Automated Decisions and Decision Support for Traffic Management Optimization
Focuses on development of algorithms and modules including verification of their suitability for future TMSs providing decision support and whenever possible automatic decisions for traffic management based on optimisation and real-time conflict detection & resolution. Automation is demonstrated e.g., for requesting real-time Movement Authorities in ETCS L3 hybrid and L3 full moving block-based operation.
Different algorithmic or technology approaches including AI are used to demonstrate their application railway networks, lines and local environments such as yards, terminals, depots or stations. Different solution options are evaluated in accordance with “What-If?” and impact analysis paradigms prior to triggering the implementation of the final decision in the operational plan. Thus, disruption and operational imbalances can be dealt with providing a higher level of confidence.
4 Multimodal Integration
In terms of operational outcomes, the integration with other transport modes to deliver door-to-door mobility is a major driver for the development of rail attractiveness. The very objective of MOTIONAL in this area is to make Rail the backbone of Multimodality. This is supported by three technical and business pillars described in the text below.
Inclusive Mobility
Commuting between transport modes, especially for travelers with disabilities has always been complex and time consuming leading to a reluctance to use rail transport. MOTIONAL answer to that consists in a set of services focusing on the environment In railway hubs in order to ease customer journeys, we foresee: Cutting hedge technologies delivering Hands-Free User Experience; In Door Navigation with UWB (Ultra-Wide Band), BLE (Blue Tooth Low Energy) and Biometrics; Platform based guidance, as well as Interactive digital travel assistance, and finally In station PRM services including dedicated kiosks and communication with staff and escort, and/or Interactive assistance during transfer.
B2B Integration
Multimodal integration is not achievable without the cooperation between Mobility Providers. In order to favor this cooperation, MOTIONAL proposes the improvement and development of B2B platforms and services in the areas of Sales, Distribution, Financial services and Traffic information. Key technical features associated with these business objectives includes Cross-operator and cross-mobility support and the Compatibility with SaaS deployment, as well as the usage and enhancement (when applicable) of standards including: OJP, OSDM, SIRI, NETEX.
Anticipate Demand
Anticipating passenger demand and adjusting the service accordingly is key to rise travelers’ satisfaction and to optimize mobility providers’ operation. MOTIONAL ambition in this area is to design solutions and services integrating multiple transport modes, allowing hence a thigh and dynamic cooperation between rail and other transport modes. Features in scope includes Long-term demand forecast calculation, and short-term demand forecast calculation in real-time. It also includes simulation of demand and associated reaction of mobility networks by using Digital Twins, as well as Disruption management, and finally processing demand data across mobility modes.
5 Digital Enablers for the European Rail System
Digitalization is a major and fundamental transformational process of the European Rail System that pervades all domains: from delivering passenger services to maintenance, from engineering, construction and building to energy management, from traffic management and train operations to financials and accounting, and others. While the range of specialized advanced digital applications needed to cover such a large scope is very large and diversified, a set of underlying common enablers has been identified by the EU-Rail partnership to provide fundamental capabilities that can be leveraged by each specialized field of application.
Rail Federated Dataspace
A cybersecure, reliable, scalable, distributed, data sovereignty-preserving and interoperable mechanism for data sharing and communication across and open ecosystem of autonomous business entities and heterogeneous systems is a recurring problem in the Rail System, particularly as the progress of digitalization extends the requirement across multiple domains. The MOTIONAL project is developing the “Rail Dataspace”, a natively distributed system for content-independent, cybersecure, reliable, scalable, interoperable, data sovereignty-preserving data exchange across a federation of participants providing by design of digitalized trust, and governance policy enforcement and digitalized data provision contract negotiation. The Rail dataspace will be designed as the underlying technological infrastructure of the European Data Strategy and supported by actual available open-source software.
Conceptual Data Model
While the Rail Dataspace must provide an essential mechanism for data sharing a communication that is independent of the data contents, it must be complemented with a set of machine-readable and processable description of this data contents likewise independent of how it is shared. Conceptualization of the digital representation of Rail concepts, objects and phenomena will allow for heterogeneous and autonomous entities participating in the exchange supported by the Rail dataspace to communicate not just the data, but the meaning and intent of the exchange. Only the combination of common conceptual data models and common data sharing and communication mechanisms independent of each other can provide full interoperability of heterogeneous systems and autonomous organizations.
Digital Twins Development and Execution
Finally, while the adoption of digital twin technology able to model structure and dynamic behavior of cyber-physical systems accelerates in the Rail System, the need is recognized to provide developers with a common set of architectural guidelines, modeling languages and tooling to enable the composition of complex simulation applications involving interactions between multiple cyber-physical systems. Specialized digital twins developed independently by multiple organizations must therefore also be able to interoperate. To this end, the MOTIONAL project will deliver a common digital twin development and runtime environment for the Rail System as an enabler of the development of natively interoperable digital twins.
Acknowledgements
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The project “FP1-MOTIONAL” is supported by the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and its members.
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.
The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the chapter's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.
