Poles of Excellence

Pole 1 - Strategy and Economics

This pole focuses on research that develops and supports business case for railways. Issues looked at by this pole include the main drivers of demand and costs in railways; potentials and limitations of quality of service rendered by railways to the various market segments; actions from regulators and policy makers that could help to improve railway performance.

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Pole 2 - Operation and System Performance

The general objective of this pole is to understand and to evaluate the complex nature of the railway system and to assist its operational management. The specific areas looked at by the pole members are: stakeholders' requirements; interoperability; functional analysis and designing of system architecture and components relationships; modelling and simulation; operation planning and management; capacity management and optimization.

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Pole 3 - Rolling Stock

The Pole aims at developing innovative solutions to the challenges of tomorrow's rolling stock. Specific objectives of the pole include: improving the performance and the attractiveness of passenger and freight vehicles; maintaining and enhancing safety and reliability; provide scientific and technical foundation for innovative solutions and supporting the establishment of new standards for rolling stock.

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Pole 4 - Product Qualification Methods

The pole aims at improving the effectiveness of testing and modeling and at developing product qualification methods for new techniques and technologies supporting the implementation of TSIs throughout the enlarged Europe. Activities would include research and development to improve methods of assessment; test procedures; test facilities (equipment); modeling; knowledge management system on PQM. The pole would also tackle assessment of conformity of standards and cross-acceptance procedures, as well as education and training for product qualification and TSI implementation through enlarged Europe.

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Pole 5 - Intelligent Mobility

"Intelligent mobility" covers new communication, navigation and surveillance (inside or outside the vehicle) technologies able to answer the needs for lean, clean and clever transport systems. The pole would look into the following domains: information systems (passenger, freight, remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, traffic management), ticketing and payment/refund systems, security (systems and users), railway system management.

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Pole 6 - Safety and Security

The objective of the pole are to monitor safety, develop new technology and to promote safe and secure systems of operation that reduce risks with diminishing costs. The pole will cover the following areas: safety and security management; active safety and passive safety requirements and assessment; incident/accident database and learning; risk analysis and assessment; technical and operational safety; occupational health and safety; safety impact of maintenance; new technology for security; psychological aspects of security; prevention of terrorism.

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Pole 7 - Environment and Energy Efficiency

This pole will cover the following environmental topics: energy consumption and saving in electrified and diesel traction systems; electromagnetic pollution; noise and vibration not only on board but also on ground; influence of weather conditions on railway operation; water and air pollution. This is a transversal pole, where the knowledge coming from infrastructure, rolling stocks, signaling systems, operation and economy are oriented to the analysis of environmental impact of the railway systems.

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Pole 8 - Infrastructure (and Signalling)

The main objective of the pole is to optimise the cost, reliability and availability of the railway infrastructure. The pole will cover the following areas of research: track including sub-grade and rail; switches and crossings; level crossings; wheel/rail interface; signalling and control systems; line-side equipment; railway structures, cuttings and embankments; remote condition monitoring; electrical power distribution; maintenance procedure; catenary; life cycle cost (e.g. in relation to maintenance); noise, vibration and corrugation; signalling compatibility; interlocking.

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Pole 9 - Human Factors

The pole will focus on understanding the roles, capabilities and needs of all stakeholders in the rail system. The pole will cover the following aspects: integration of human factors within rail research and development; holistic approach embracing cognitive, physical and organisational human factors; promotion of systems ergonomics within a systems engineering philosophy; development or adoption of appropriate human factors theories and models.

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Pole 10 - Training and Education

The pole has the following objectives: to create a pool of short training courses; to support the running of short training courses; to implement international PhD and Master programs; to launch a European University of Railway; to promote interdisciplinary contacts (collaboration across poles); to be a permanent forum for prospective studies; to promote exchange of knowledge ((e)-learning material, publications etc); to promote dissemination of knowledge out of research project results and publications; to use research results in education programs and short training courses.

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