Category: Intelligent Rail Summit 2018

‘European rail sector can learn a lot from Scandinavian rail companies’

The European rail sector can learn a lot by looking at Scandinavian rail companies, says Peter Boom from Voestalpine Signaling. “In Scandinavia, they like to use new technologies and are often ahead of other countries.” The Intelligent Rail Summit will take place from 27 until 29 November 2018 in the Swedish city of Malmö. During… Read more ›

‘Regulations block optimal use of big data’

Much more can be done with data than is currently the case, but regulations get in the way, says Sytse Bisschop from Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail. Data can only be used optimally if regulations keep up with technological progress. Bisschop has been working for ProRail for six years. He is now the organisation’s system specialist… Read more ›

TU Graz is using acoustic waves to detect track failures

Graz University of Technology wants to use acoustic waves to detect track failures and worn components. In many countries, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is already being used to identify the location of trains. Ivan Vidovic is Research Associate at the Institute of Railway Engineering and Transport Economy at Graz University of Technology in Austria, and is working… Read more ›

‘Use machine learning to predict track maintenance’

Machine learning is an important asset to predict where track maintenance will be needed, Dirk Bothof of Asset Insight says. Machine learning is an artificial intelligence technique that gives computers the ability to learn. Asset Insight has developed a method with which track geometry can be predicted so that timely maintenance can be carried out…. Read more ›

‘Combine data with observations and physics for track maintenance’

“Data only acquires meaning when it is combined with physical observations and models. Then it becomes information”, says Diego Galar, Professor of Condition Monitoring at Luleå University of Technology (LTU). “You need to know the conditions surrounding a fault, such as the weather and the conditions of the track. Then the sector will reap the… Read more ›

‘Railway sector must face challenge of loss of expertise with digitalisation’

All over the world, human resource management strategies have lead to a loss of experts in the field of railway infrastructure management, according to research and teaching associate Johannes Neuhold at Graz University of Technology. “The only chance to face this challenge is by combining expert knowledge with data analytics.” In what way is digitalisation… Read more ›

‘It is important to know where, when and how to maintain the tracks’

As the tracks are being used more and more worldwide, the timeframe in which the infrastructure can be serviced becomes shorter. Especially on busy tracks, it is no more than a couple of hours per night. Correct maintenance planning is thus essential, says manager of railway division Mika Silvast of Roadscanners Oy in Finland. He… Read more ›

Dutch infrastructure manager wants sector to profit from its data

ProRail collects a lot of data on rolling stock via its Wayside Train Monitoring Systems (WTMS). The Dutch infrastructure manager is calling on the rail sector to make use of this ‘treasure trove of data’ and to analyse it. ProRail’s Product Manager Rolling Stock Impact Juliette van Driel says “Our message to the rail sector… Read more ›

‘Every section of the track should have its own Facebook page’

Digitalisation is fundamental for asset management in the rail sector, as it makes it possible to share information about track sections, ‘the assets’, with everyone. “Really, every track section should have its own Facebook page”, says Asset Management Adviser Jan Swier. On Thursday 29 November he will give a presentation about monitoring and information at… Read more ›