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 use cases 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.
- Communication of delays between transportation partners is inefficient and cumbersome.
Tomorrow
- Digital Train Operation (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.
- Fast and easy 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.
- Lacking track and trace capability hinders competitiveness of rail as a mode of transport.
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 mainly used by bigger RUs.
- The paper solution continues because of national legal requirements, 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.
