In the future, even more people and goods are expected to be transported by rail. As a result, the rail network is increasingly reaching its limits. How can rail remain an attractive part of the transport chain in the future? Sandra Baltic, Product Manager at voestalpine Railway Systems, talks about the role of digitalization in increasing availability, safety, and predictive maintenance.
Digitalization makes track systems completely transparent. With the help of technologies such as RFID (radio frequency identification), we can precisely identify and locate every rail and track its condition throughout its entire service life. This, in turn, enables data-driven decisions, early warnings before relevant infrastructure limits are reached, and predictive maintenance. As a result, costs are reduced and availability increases.
RFID tags provide the unique identity of each rail. Sensors, on the other hand, provide insights into the condition of the track. Together, they enable seamless traceability and the recording of relevant track parameters. This data forms the basis for a digital twin that shows how each rail performs under real operating conditions and when maintenance is really necessary.
If customers want to understand the condition of their tracks in detail, we use targeted measurement technology from various data sources. For a comprehensive analysis of the track condition, our newly developed measuring trolley can be used, for example. It offers the advantage that a single measurement run continuously records all relevant track parameters. To record track stress during operation, we set up track measuring points that can identify stress-related patterns that lead to long-term damage. This gives operators a complete picture of the actual track condition and how it is changing. Customers can thus identify critical developments at an early stage and take targeted action to mitigate them.
Our zentrak platform provides infrastructure operators with a centralized solution that consistently consolidates all relevant lifecycle information — from manufacturing and installation data to load and condition data to end-of-life. This is based on tags with a data matrix code and an integrated RFID function that are attached directly to the rails. On the track, technicians can scan the data matrix code with their smartphone or tablet in the app and immediately access the associated master data. This allows maintenance work or anomalies to be documented directly and digitally.
During operation, the RFID function enables automated reading of the tags via an on-board reader, for example on a rail or measuring vehicle. This enables fully automated data transfer. The read RFID number and GPS position are linked to the master data, for example, and transferred to zentrak, where further measurement data can be added and interpreted. This creates a virtual track network in which every component can be traced seamlessly throughout its entire life cycle, and its performance can be measured. This is the basis for full transparency and data-driven, collaborative asset management.
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Only after each component has been clearly identified and precisely located can the virtual mapping of the track network begin and an automated link to track condition data be established. For example, when wear or RCF data is linked to a precisely located component, accurate condition images are created. This makes performance measurable not only by section, but also by component.
By consolidating all track data in a digital system, all stakeholders can see at a glance which components are installed at which locations, their history, and how they are performing. For customers, this offers the possibility of performance comparisons, performance-based component selection, plannable track interventions, and higher network availability. Patterns and trends can be identified from centrally stored performance data, allowing the causes of recurring damage to the track to be identified and targeted countermeasures to be taken – instead of costly replacement measures.
We take a holistic, system-oriented approach to the digitalization of track systems. A key advantage is that, as a complete system provider, we supply not only rails but also other superstructure components, enabling us to digitally map all track components consistently in one system — zentrak.
When components come from different manufacturers, bundled data storage is often difficult. However, thanks to our system expertise, we can centrally record and network all information and bring it together in a digital structure. zentrak enables us to transform the complexity of the track into a clearly understandable reality in which all components are identifiable and their statuses are seamlessly recorded. This enables a consistent, digital representation of the entire track system. That is what makes us unique.
We look to the digital future of track management with a clear vision: to make resilient track systems a reality — and resilience begins with predictability. By collecting data, we not only want to derive recommendations for action, but also go one step further and optimize the track based on real performance insights — without disrupting daily operations. A comprehensive, seamlessly integrated solution is crucial, especially on railway lines that stretch for miles. That is why our goal is to create performance transparency without burdening operators, passengers, or employees.
The data obtained allows us to model railway lines virtually, simulate operating scenarios, and thus tap into new optimization and efficiency potential. In doing so, we are pursuing a clear goal: track management that is supported digitally throughout, based on reliable performance data, and enables highly available, efficient, and future-proof railway infrastructures.
Sandra Baltic has been part of the rail product management team at voestalpine Railway Systems for three years. As technical lead, she is responsible for international markets such as the UK, Scandinavia, and Asia, while also driving business development in the Digital Track division. She is driven by a desire to create innovations that make the rail system smarter and more efficient in the long term.