m.ZERO

In Work Package 6 managed by m.ZERO DACIO deals with the functions and modules which are enabled by having both a electrical energy supply and a connection to the train data bus but at the same time are also necessary to fully capitalize on the potential of digitalization and the closely related economic feasibility.

Many see the integration of an electro-pneumatic brake (ep-Brake) as a central technology. Featured on passenger rail cars for more than 25 years its faster and more simultaneous response time enable correspondingly shorter stopping distances. These are expected to increase the maximum allowed journey speed and therefore also an increase in rail transport capacity in the existing infrastructure framework. DACIO contributes with a specific task to the Expert Groups of the European DAC Delivery Programmes.

Part of the braking topic cluster is the issue of securing railcars and consists against unintended rolling and how this may be handled in the future. Since the objective calls for no more shunting staff to be in the yard once the DAC Introduction is completed the current options – manually locking parking brakes or placing brake shoes – will no longer be available. The spring brake used in passenger transport cannot be utilized in freight cars without new developments, as the sorting of wagons requires hump shunting which relies on the railcars to roll freely. Thus, the wagon brake system is vented completely to avoid unclear stopping situations. On a railcar with a spring brake this would immediately lead to full stop completely disabling the hump shunting process. Therefore, another task of DACIO is working on new automatic parking brakes.

Closely related to the braking topic are the tasks working on automatic determination of brake force or brake hundredths as well as an automatic brake test via the DAC data bus.

If all railcars are sorted in the right sequence technical inspected to conform to regulations and connected in the departure section of the yard the train consist is ready for departure. It receives a train number – a process sometimes referred to as train baptism – and can be picked up by a mainline rail locomotive. These processes may also be automated and connected to the various levels of automation in the yard via the DAC’s datalink. Maintaining the correct sequence of the train wagons and their connection is part and parcel of the DAC train bus and thus monitoring train integrity comes almost automatically. The task handling these topics has its foundations in Austrian research projects and works closely with the expert teams of European projects.

Shunting is driving on sight. But it regularly requires pushing operations which naturally limits or disables the drivers view of the driving path. Thus, the current regulations foresee a lead of head shunter positioned such that a full view of the shunting path is available. In most cases this means that the person is on the lead car at the front of the train consist keeping radio contact with the locomotive driver and advising on obstacles and stopping distances. If automated new technology has to be applied here as well. Visual data as well as additional technology providing distance information such as RADAR or LIDAR sensors must be combined to deliver driver assistance for GoA1 and GoA2, AI supported classification and real time risk assessment provide control inputs for higher ranked automation, e.g. GoA3 and GoA4.

Developing the DAC itself is not in the scope of DACIO, this is taken care of by the manufacturers in major multinational projects. However, a DACIO task deals with issues such as specification analysis, development and critique, e.g. for energy supply of on-board modules, data transmission as well as the decoupling challenge or more general specifications development of the DAC Level 5 system.

As is evident from these tasks and the remainder of the project the simple mechanical rail freight wagon of today must be converted to modern rail vehicle able to be fully integrated in higher level automation systems if the vision of Fully Digital Freight Train Operations shall become reality. This in turn requires significant investments in rolling stock and infrastructure. The tasks synergy and economic efficiency shall develop base data to enable the judging of the economics not only based on transport policy objectives.