Use Cases

By 2026, we want to achieve seamless, interoperable data exchange for core rail freight operations through a trusted digital ecosystem and have identified a set of solutions and enablers to achieve this.

Digital Train Operation (DTO)

Today

  • Little or no integration of small Railway Undertakings (RUs), ports or transshipment terminals in the data exchange.
  • Challenge for stakeholders involved in the first and last mile in multimodal transport as information is usually conveyed manually.
  • The communication of delays in a digitized way is cumbersome between transportation partners.

Tomorrow

  • DTO facilitates the information flows between all rail freight partners involved in the daily train operations.
  • Information will be exchanged via standardised messages (as required by TAF TSI) enabling interoperable digital train operations across Europe.

Digital Train Composition (DTC)

Today

  • Train composition processes are supported by IT systems only to a limited extent.
  • Many RUs only capture data manually on paper.
  • Majority of RUs are unable to produce Train Composition Messages (TCM) electronically in a convenient way.

Tomorrow

  • A standardaised train composition service (as set out in the TAF TSI) will be available via a common digital platform and interface.
  • Faster and easier train composition and the conversion of train composition messages (TCM)
  • Faster and easier creation and sharing of Train Composition between relevant partners as well as convenient conversion of Train Composition message (TCM)

Track and Trace, telematic sharing

Today

  • Cumbersome and slow requests procedure for accessing telematics data of partners.

Tomorrow

  • Telematics data is made accessible to all relevant stakeholders in the transport chain so to enable full end to end data exchange with key logistic partners.
  • Granular level of control for sharing telematics data implemented. Hence, boosting interoperability and trust.

Digital Consignment Note (DCN)

Today

  • Digital consignment note creation and data exchange is currently mainly used by bigger RUs in bilateral traffic.
  • The paper solution continues because of national legal requirement, business processes and technical constraints (use of different data formats etc.).

Tomorrow

  • DP-RAIL will enable all RUs (regardless of their IT maturity level) to create fully standardised and TAF TSI compliant digital consignment notes.
  • Information will be exchanged via standardised TAF-TSI message  models  supported by a common digital platform / interface, fostering the spread of harmonised consignment note messages across Europe.
  • Paper based processes for consignment note creation and sharing will be further reduced.

Platform and Common Interface (PCI)

Today

  • Several data services exist today within the rail freight sector each with their own limited target audience, underlying infrastructure and specific  governance.
  • This leads to a fragmented IT landscape with data silos and high  development cost especially with regards to legacy IT solutions.

Tomorrow

  • A tested prototype and specification for a Common Interface based on a thorough fit-gap analysis is provided to all relevant stakeholders.
  • The developed use cases and IT processes will be provided both to a) the stakeholders with significant legacy IT, and to b) those with very little IT capabilities in place.
  • Gateway functionalities to other transport communities and other existing Common Interfaces will be specified.