Exploring new railway technology strategy
_{“Or why I prefer those Black Angus in my sandwich”}

“To succeed, you must have the willingness to try, the determination to succeed, and the passion to carry you through.”

George Stephenson, civil and mechanical engineer, and renowned “father of the railways”.

For almost two centuries, the world’s railway systems have underpinned economic and industrial growth. They have opened new markets, enabled the migration of labor and the availability of education, brought communities together, and facilitated the same-day transport of timely goods, like fresh produce, with subsequent health and social benefits. In fact, the impact of railways globally throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has been far-reaching and practically immeasurable.

In more recent times, however, railway companies around the world (both private and public) have faced challenges, from the road haulage boom of the mid-twentieth century to the rise of digital communications and commerce of the past few decades.

But let’s not be too downbeat about rail’s future. In fact, one could argue that the railways are poised to enjoy a resurgence in importance and prominence… if their leaders are bold enough to take full advantage of what technology has to offer.

Let’s talk technology

It may be a cliché, but newer connectivity and computing technologies, like edge, AI and 5G are revolutionizing many aspects of our lives – and this is especially true where these technologies combine.

Below we define three pillars for new railway technology solutions.

1. Connectivity: Already recognized as key to any future strategy through the establishment of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), railway lines, almost by their very definition, traverse rural, isolated regions where 5G phone masts are few and far between. Yet, as the International Union of Railways (UIC) notes on its FRMCS page, future railway digitalization will “need to transmit, receive and use increasing volumes of data.” Wi-Fi – whether onboard, on site or en route also has a role to play alongside 5G.
2. Edge Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI): When computational processes can be executed “at the edge”, the reliance on continuous, real-time connectivity is somewhat negated (or, at least, relieved) and offers benefits in terms of latency, bandwidth, scalability, and reliability.
3. Rail industry specificity: This might sound obvious, but you can’t apply generic solutions to specific challenges. An appreciation, passion and knowledge of the railway industry is essential to deliver an enduring, appropriate, and reliable solution. 

The potential benefits

Railroads could realize certain benefits by implementing these solutions, such as:

• Safety: as more timely awareness of problems in the field can facilitate quicker and more accurate alerts and solutions
• Reliability: given that accumulated data should reveal trends and root causes such as higher incidences of road crossing issues or track wear-and-tear than elsewhere that can be addressed over time
• Operational efficiencies: where improved maintenance and preventive measures yield better traffic flows and potentially lower costs

Through the looking glass – Kansas, 2:33am July 14, 2030

It’s just after 2:30am. A set of the latest Tier 5 diesel technology locomotives are hauling just over a mile of intermodal rolling stock through the Kansas night. The cargo of auto parts and grain is headed for Texas, and then onwards to Mexico. In the cab, the engineer checks a digital dashboard that tells her that she is on time.

“Phew”, she thinks, “it was looking like a late departure from the yard a few hours ago”. Two containers for this payload had gone missing – having been wrongly attached to a different train. Thankfully, a stock-taking drone earlier in the day had spotted the “mis-filed” containers and a work-order to move them to the correct train had been instantly raised and enacted.

Just as the engineer is about to break open her lunch box, an alarm sounds. On the dashboard, a warning: her onboard systems have spotted an obstacle on a crossing ahead. It’s identified as a herd of cattle. A predefined message has been instantaneously sent to the Network Operations Center, who immediately begin monitoring and reporting the situation to all active rolling stock.

“I prefer those Black Angus in my sandwich”, she thinks, “rather than on my tracks”.  She begins to apply the brakes as another message flashes. “Farm contact informed and responding”. A local dispatcher directs the train to reduce speed and a few minutes later, another message: “Obstacle clear”, followed by “Farm contact confirms line clear”.

The dashboard had turned amber because of the delay but, within seconds, the dispatcher had posted adjusted speed instructions for a length of track about twenty miles further up the line. The dashboard tells the engineer that she will be back on schedule in 47 minutes and will arrive at her next destination exactly on time. “Yes”, she thinks, “I can live with that.” 

Planning for the future starts today 

These are just a few scenarios where, clearly, technology is used to resolve specific problems – but innovations in communications, connectivity, AI and edge computing create new possibilities for cost savings, process efficiencies and for addressing the skills shortages right across the vast landscape of services that is the rail freight industry.

Indeed, if not addressed, the industry’s current challenges will only exacerbate with time, as rail freight is set to grow significantly in the coming years. As covered in a UIC report on North America, in the US, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that total US freight shipments are rising from an estimated 1.7bn tonnes (in 2011) to 28.5bn tonnes (in 2040) – that’s a rise of 62%. The point is that leaders in this industry will need to start embracing new technologies now if the industry is to flourish in the years to come.

Innotrans 2024 – come and see us

Capgemini Engineering and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. are two companies that are immersed in technology but, more than that, we both have an ethos that is focused on the success of our clients. We speak in terms of profitability, margins and resilience (as well as getting very excited about technology).

If you’re going to InnoTrans, we would love to see you. Capgemini Engineering will exhibit in Hall 6.1 Booth # 345. Come and talk with us.