ARCC (Automated Rail Cargo Consortium: Rail freight automation research activities to boost levels of quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in all areas of rail freight operations)(https://projects.shift2rail.org/s2r_ip5_n.aspx?p=ARCC)
The overall aim of the Automated Rail Cargo Consortium (ARCC) project is to carry out an initial phase of rail freight automation research activities in order to boost levels of quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in rail freight operations of the European railway sector. The three areas of research activities are: (1) Transporting and delivering freight via automated trains, (2) Developing automated support processes at the nodes (e.g. terminals, yards and transhipment points) and (3) Advanced timetable planning. The Consortium is made up of Joint-Undertaking (JU) members of Shift2Rail who are considered as the main drivers in developing and transferring automation technologies and processes for the railway freight sector.
The project result, that has been considered as most relevant for Logistics Networks, is advanced timetable planning: an optimal timetable planning is one of the key elements for successful and efficient railway operations. It is connected to operations planning in yards and terminals, which adds further levels of complexity to the planning activities. It is also related to traffic management, to the availability of rolling stock and to other typical factors related to the rail sector but also to the accessory services which are typical of the freight sector, such as goods loading and unloading, set up times at marshalling yards, shunting, etc. ARCC in this area focused on improved simulations and optimisation methods for timetable planning in long term planning, tactical planning and operational traffic.
FR8RAIL III (Smart data-based assets and efficient rail freight operation)(https://projects.shift2rail.org/s2r_ip5_n.aspx?p=FR8RAIL%20iii)
The Shift2Rail (S2R) Strategic Master Plan is the key document adopted by the European Commission that defines EU strategy aiming to support the development, improvement and competitiveness of the European rail sector. Within the challenges highlighted in the IP5 part of the S2R Master Plan, FR8RAIL III further focuses on improving the freight eco system by addressing various challenges in 6 different fields: (1) Condition based maintenance, (2) Real-time Network Management, (3) Intelligent Video Gate Terminals, (4) Extended Market Wagon, (5) Telematics & Electrification, (6) Freight Loco of the future
The project will approach various aspects of the freight ecosystem aiming to increase EU freight rail transport competitiveness. The work is partly based on results achieved in the previous projects of the S2R Annual Work Plans 2015-2016 (FFL4E, ARCC, FR8RAIL), 2017 (FR8HUB) and 2018 (FR8RAIL II) – as well as the open calls within IP5.
The project result, that has been considered as most relevant for Logistics Networks is a Real-time Network Management, Yard Coordination System (YCS): Real-time network management is intended to improve the operational process by improved methods and information support and human interaction. The research here aims at reducing the gaps between timetable planning and operational traffic, and between yard management and network management. During the project research work, it has been investigated that there is a great need for information sharing between organizations at a marshalling yard. The demonstrator for information sharing between Infrastructure Managers (IMs), Marshalling Yard Managers (YMs), Terminal operators (TOs) and Freight Railway Undertakings (FRUs) regarding the arrival yard (Yard Coordination System) is expected to contribute in reducing shortcomings in several different ways. This support tool for co-operative planning of the common arrival/departure yard has been tested and finalized on an iterative process between the partners.
MOSES (Motorways of the Sea European Style)(www.iml.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/iml/de/documents/OE%20320/Infoseiten%20Projekte/IS_Meeresautobahnen_dt.pdf)
The main objective of the project was to define the criteria and minimum conditions to be implemented in order to ensure the successful development of a Motorways of the Sea (MoS) network as part of the Trans- European Transport Network (TEN-T). The project consisted of the following activities:
o Increase the efficiency of different modes of transport and the combination of modes in order to facilitate the future development of the freight transport market;
o Ensure more efficient and effective future investments in the TEN-T Motorways of the Sea (in terms of costs, environmental impact, return on investment, for the provision of infrastructure, etc.), in order to achieve the maximum cohesion between the ports and inland economic regions (central and peripheral) through the connection with the existing TEN-T corridors and the priority projects and actions supported;
o Guarantee seamless integration between the important sea and land routes as well as between different modes of transport;
o Ensure the bundling of freight flows, the frequency, and the reliability of the MoS. Due to political reasons, the project was aborted before the envisaged finalisation.