FR8HUB: Real-time information applications and energy efficient solutions for rail freight

Project description

The main aims of the FR8HUB project are focus on increasing the efficiency in the nodes, hubs and terminals in the railway system for freight and to continue the development in freight locomotives of the future..

These objectives of FR8HUB are:

• Increasing capacity by 10 %
• Increase operation reliability by 10 %
• Railway system life cycle cost reduction by 10 %
• Increase energy efficiency by 10 %
• Reducing noise by 5 %

In addition:

• Contribution by 20 % reduction of CO2 emissions per train
• Increasing punctuality by 10

The objectives of the FR8HUB project will be achieved by developing a number of vital areas within freight rail.

There are six main areas of work that form the backbone of this project’s approach in achieving the development of the project. The work areas are:

[1] Migration plan

[2] Condition based maintenance for wagon bogies

[3] Real time network management and simulation of increasing speed for freight trains

[4] Intelligent video gate

[5] Hybridisation of legacy shunters

[6] Freight loco of the future

The outcome of FR8HUB and its deliverables are expected to positively contribute and support the Shift2Rail goals, set out in the Strategic Master Plan and the Multi Annual Action Plan, in order to strengthen the role of rail in the transport system, and in particular freight rail transport.

Collaborating Companies or Organisations

Indra´s Role

Indra is mainly involved in the Work Package “Real time network management and simulation of increasing speed for freight trains” leading the task “High level System architecture and video gate information” and Work Package “Intelligent video gate” leading the task “Technical proof of concept”

Universities and Technological Centers

The consortium is supported by highly-skilled research centres such as CEIT, DLR (the German Aerospace Centre) and Virtual Vehicle and industrial consultants CON as well as the association of German Rail Industry VBD. Asociacion Centro Tecnologico Ceit- IK4 (CEIT) Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt eV (DLR) Kompetenzzentrum - Das Virtuelle Fahrzeug, Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (ViF) CONTRAFFIC GMBH (CON) VERBAND DER BAHNINDUSTRIE IN DEUTSCHLAND (VBD)

Technologies used

Indra brings to the FR8HUB project its vision for real-time information applications for rail freight transport.

In order to define these technologies, we are following standards and techniques such as:

• Scanning of innovations and best practice in interaction between Network management and yard management
• Define the general architecture of Multimodal Freight Data-Exchange Platform for data exchange between freight transports stakeholders
• Perform a study of open and standards solutions (TAF TSI evolution)
• Description of functional and technical requirements for Intelligent Videogates (IVG)
• Scanning of the state of the art and best practice in IVG
• Definition of the Technical proofs of concept for IVG
• Rollout & Implementation plan for pilot site(s) - IVG

More information

This project, under Project ID: 777402, has been funded through the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission within the Shift2Rail initiative, of which Indra is an associate member.