To strengthen the competitive capability of the railway and make railway travel more attractive to passengers, the German Railway Company has been given a mandate to significantly improve the economic viability of operations control within its network of rails. Simply using previous systems and procedures of control and safety technology is no longer adequate. Instead, the possibilities offered by today's computer and communication technology must be implemented in a systematic fashion. In addition, new procedures guiding the management, control and safety of operations must be adopted, and investment in innovative facilities and systems is required. The strategic goal is to automate the operational control tasks to the greatest degree possible, and to concentrate on only seven main operating centres. All train operation for the rail network in question will be monitored, managed and controlled from a single main operating centre.
Abstract