Formed of three discrete workstreams, the FINE-2 project will investigate means of enabling Integrated Mobility Management (I2M), saving Energy, and reducing inconvenient and disruptive Noise and Vibration (N&V) within the Rail Sector. As a Cross Cutting Activity of the Shift2Rail Programme, FINE-2 will work alongside multiple existing projects to achieve more impactful results through collaboration and shared learning. The I2M workstream will help to enhance the business case for intermodal freight transportation by tackling many of the issues present today, such as accurate ETA, control of hazardous material, and reduced resource waste. I2M will also look at improving Rail Operations through the new forms of data combination and representation. The Energy workstream will develop tools to help understand the energy saving potential, thus Whole Life Cost benefits, of specific enhancements within the industry. It will also optimise tunnel resistance characteristic methodologies, and seek to enhance energy norms to reflect existing state of the art and future developments. Finally the N&V will develop and enhance existing models and simulation tools from across the S2R programme to better understand the source of external noise, whether the train is at standstill or in motion, to help pinpoint the means of reducing it.

CONNECTA aims at contributing to the S2R’s next generation of TCMS architectures and components with wireless capabilities as well as to the next generation of electronic braking systems. CONNECTA will conduct research into new technological concepts, standard specifications and architectures for train control and monitoring, with specific applications in train-to-ground communications and high safety electronic control of brakes. The specific actions to be undertaken within the scope of CONNECTA contributing to the S2R Multi-Annual Action Plan on TD1.2 and TD1.5 are: · To develop the general specifications of next generation TCMS and to generate the corresponding high level system architecture; · To incorporate wireless technologies to train communication network solutions; · To provide a train-wide communication network for full TCMS support including the replacement of train lines, connecting safety functions up to SIL4 and support of “fail-safe” and “fail-tolerant” principles, to provide an optimal train network for TCMS & OMTS (Onboard Multimedia and Telematic Services) as well as communication mean for non-TCMS functions; · To standardise functional interfaces of functions and sub systems as well as to define a generic functional architecture for the next TCMS generation; · To facilitate the coupling of two or more consists supplied by different manufacturers and which could have different train functions; · To develop a simulation framework in which all subsystems of the train can be simulated, allowing remote and distributed testing including hardware in-the-loop through heterogeneous communication networks; · To achieve a performance improvement in safety relevant braking functions resulting in optimisation of the braking distances in safety braking; · To optimise onboard systems by reducing the number of sophisticated pneumatic components and improving the overall LCC; · To validate non-railway EN standards for use in safety-related railway applications.

The key aspects for this proposal, FR8HUB, is the emphasis on increasing the efficiency in the nodes, hubs and terminals in the railway system for freight and to continue development in freight locomotives of the future. FR8HUB answers to the member call for Shift2Rail IP5 AWP 17 and thereby propose activities in new development areas together with continuation of progress in Technical Demonstrators (TD) started in AWP 15. To succeed with implementation of technologies developed within Shift2Rail IP5, FR8HUB will also initiate development of a strategy for implementation of relevant technologies to secure market uptake.

Within the challenges highlighted in the IP5 part of the S2R Master Plan, FR8RAIL II further focuses on improving the freight eco system by addressing various challenges: New automatic couplers (1), provided with electrical and data transmission functionalities will massively improve the efficiency of the train composition process, new telematics and electrification (2) will enable Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) by collecting, transmitting and using the necessary information while being supplied with the required energy by means of an advanced energy management system. Improved methods for annual and short-term timetable planning (3) will help traffic operators increasing the overall capacity and raise punctuality and with Real-time network management (4), integrating medium to short-term and operational planning at yards/terminals and in the railway network, inefficiencies will be further reduced or even eliminated. Future freight wagon design (5) is a stream that will contribute in improving reliability of the freight transport while increasing the payload per meter of train. The latter one will be propelled by future main line electric freight locomotives featuring highly flexible freight propulsion (6) systems with reduced operational costs. Furthermore, these new freight trains will be propelled by more than one locomotive running with distributed power (7), thus allowing long freight trains up to 1,500 m. Last but not least, focus is given to driver advisory aystems that are connected (C-DAS) to the traffic management systems (8), further enhancing capacity, improving punctuality and optimize energy consumption of the railway system. Summarizing, FR8RAIL II focuses on various facets of the freight eco system with one goal: overall improvement and increase of competitiveness of the rail freight transport.

The ROLL2RAIL project aims to develop key technologies and to remove already identified blocking points for radical innovation in the field of railway vehicles, as part of a longer term strategy to revolutionise the rolling stock for the future. The high level objectives of the work are to pave the way to: • Increase the capacity of the railway system and bring flexibility to adapt capacity to demand • Increase availability, operational reliability and therefore punctuality of the vehicles • Reduce the life cycle costs of the vehicle and the track • Increase the energy efficiency of the system • Improve passenger comfort and the attractiveness of rail transport Specific developments are proposed the scope of ROLL2RAIL: • Basis of a radically new traction technology based on emerging electronic components leading towards more energy-efficient traction, which is lighter and more reliable while reducing the noise emitted • New wireless technology applied to train control functionalities will allow more flexible coupling to increase line capacity • Carbody solutions based on lightweight composite materials to reduce weight • A way of quantifying the life-cycle cost impact of new technological solutions for running gear; • Knowledge database of the variety of requirements in Europe for the braking systems to bring down barriers to step-change innovation in this area • Standardised methodologies for assessing attractiveness and comfort from the passenger’s point of view • Methodology for noise source separation techniques allowing implementation of novel and more efficient noise mitigation measures It is also the objective of ROLL2RAIL to serve as a preparation for a fast and smooth start up of the large scale initiative SHIFT2RAIL. All ROLL2RAIL results will ultimately lead to demonstration in real vehicles or relevant environments in SHIFT2RAIL.