Building upon the results of S2R and of Europe’s rail first wave Flagship projects as well as EU-member states rail research and innovation activities, the Flagship Project stemming from this topic is expected to contribute specifically in regional solution linked to system architecture approaches, CCS & Operations, rail infrastructure assets as well as Customer Services.

Solutions should demonstrate that costs for these areas can be lowered and that solutions can be subsequently deployed under operational conditions. Thus, the main focus of this project is to develop in all areas solutions which can be demonstrated mainly in an intended environment and deployed in integrated demonstrators in operational environment in a subsequent project.

The Flagship Project stemming from this topic is expected to contribute to Europe’s Rail Programme with the following outcomes:

• possible adaptation of the proposed solution to meet the specific requirements of low density lines,
• demonstration of the possibility of scaling up as a European solution,
• adapt and demonstrate solutions up to TRL7,
• demonstration of the feasibility of proposed technical solutions and preparatory work for integrated demonstrator under operational conditions (TRL7) set for the future.

System, CCS & Operations

Building upon the work developed within S2R, FP2-R2DATO^[1], FP6-FUTURE^[2] as well as in other research and innovation activities, the actions stemming from this destination shall review and amend if necessary the system requirements (technical and operational) which will be integrated and used by the other FAs in their relevant developments on TMS, CCS and vehicles as well as a data sharing and analysis platform. In addition, this destination shall demonstrate the technical enablers in a cost efficient and customer centric manner. Hence, a strong involvement of actions from the relevant destinations is required and needs to be secured.

The action stemming from this destination shall also provide relevant input in the area of regional lines to the System Pillar activities.

Assets

Building upon the work developed within FP4-Rail4EARTH^[3], FP6-FUTURE as well as in other research and innovation activities, this destination shall focus on demonstrating cost-efficient components including wireless and energy self-sufficient infrastructure components and trackside wireless communications to decrease the operational and overhead cost.

Assessment of using multimodal (rail/road) fuelling stations for regional services shall be addressed taken into consideration input from Destination 4.

Customer Service

In addition, building upon the work developed within FP1-MOTIONAL^[4] and FP6-FUTURE as well as in other research and innovation activities, the action stemming from this destination shall contribute to demonstrate highly accurate multimodal passenger service information, at railway stations and/or personal devices (including people and goods management) to allow for a smooth journey from railway to other modes and vice versa and to bridge the challenging last-mile issue in regional areas.

Building on the result of the Europe’s Rail, the Flagship Project stemming from this topic shall deliver, by 2028, individual and integrated demonstrations if technically and geographically feasible based on the two clusters defined in the MAWP:

• Demonstrator cluster 1: regional lines with significant connection with mainline (Group 1)
• Demonstrator cluster 2: regional lines with no or limited connection with mainline (Group 2)

The demonstrators shall consider the following scenarios:

Demonstrators linked to technical enablers developed within Destination 6:

• Demonstrate for Group 2 a single integrated Operations Control Center (OCC) covering interlocking, radio blocking and traffic management for regional lines that are not functionally/operationally connected to mainline (TRL 6).
• Demonstrate for Group 2, the suitable application of cost-efficient COTS based radio communications considering 4G, 5G or later and satellite exploiting cloud data management technologies over standard IP protocol while considering the economic viability for regional lines (TRL6/7)

Demonstrator linked to technical enablers developed within Destination 1:

• Demonstrate a specific application for Traffic Management Systems for regional lines improving resilience of a connected rail network, optimizing train operations including disturbing events taking into account high/low-demand situations (disturbance and distraction) (TRL 6).

Demonstrators linked to technical enablers developed within Destination 2:

• Demonstrate ATO over ETCS up to GoA3/4 adapted to regional operations a specific application for safe environment perception solutions, including signal reading and obstacle detection, energy saving and optimisation of driving schedule and remotely controlled trains (TRL6)
• Demonstrate hybrid train detection and moving block for regional services (TRL6)
• Demonstrate the suitable application of cost-efficient communications (Train to Train, Train to Trackside – wayside assets, Trackside to Trackside) with the use of mobile networks or communication infrastructure from third parties (e.g. 4G, 5G, satellite comms) while considering the economic viability for regional lines (TRL6/7)
• Demonstrate a specific application of safe absolute train positioning, based on among others hybrid, multi sensor technologies, digital maps, onboard database (TRL6)
• Demonstrate the use of public and private radio networks based on the findings from FP6-FUTURE and Destination 2 related to cost effective communications such as Gigabit radio, supporting the application of FRMCS¹¹⁸ e.g. multi-connectivity, minimizing civil works and energy consumption, to the achievement of cost effective digital operations and Gigabit Train applications, the use of public network coverage and compatibility with main lines (TRL6/7)
• Demonstrate a specific application for fail-safe train integrity for regional trains (TRL7)
• Demonstrate a specific application for Train length detection for regional trains (TRL6)
• Demonstrate the suitability of a digital platform for CCS validation & TSI certification and authorization for Regional Lines (TRL5).

This requires a strong involvement of and interaction between actions from relevant other destinations but also provides relevant input in the area of Regional Lines (e.g. characterization of existing regional lines across Europe and future expectations and high-level requirements) to the System Pillar activities.

Assets Demonstration

• Demonstrate a systemic approach with the implementation of different railway assets in particular for cost-efficient wireless, energy self-sufficient wayside components in particular CCS track-side components (e.g. switches, level crossings) and if applicable for track vacancy detections and signalling shall be evaluated and demonstrated (TRL6) and/or demonstrate the concept of Smart Wayside Object Controller (TRL5/6).

Suitable customer services

• Demonstrate cost-efficient integration of on-board and/or personal devices information of multimodal services integrating regional multimodal services based on demand-responsive transport (TRL7)
• Demonstrate passenger congestion rate monitoring, flow optimization application as well as a low-cost passenger information system for regional services developed within this action (TRL6)

The action to be funded under this Destination shall also provide an updated technical and operational requirements (and all necessary elements) for the adaptation of “Destination 1” enablers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 and 23 to be developed under the action to be funded under Destination 1 - Network management planning and control & Mobility Management in a multimodal environment and Digital Enablers.

The action to be funded under this Destination shall also provide an updated technical and operational requirements (and all necessary elements) for the for the adaptation of “Destination 2” enablers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 14 to be developed under the action to be funded under Destination 2 – Digital & Automated up to Autonomous Train Operations.

Scope:

The Flagship Project stemming from this topic shall develop under the following capabilities the enablers and any other which may contribute to deliver the afore-mentioned expected outcome:

CCS & Operations

1. Develop based on the work of FP6-FUTURE^[5], develop a Destination 6 specific application based on respectively improving generic application developed in Destinations 1 and 2 of several technical enablers and components for a cost-efficient performant control command and signalling system adapted to Regional Lines (TRL5-7 in 2028).
2. Develop based on the work of FP6-FUTURE^[5], develop a single integrated Operations Control Centre (OCC) covering interlocking, radio blocking and traffic management for regional lines that are not functionally/operationally connected with mainline. This integrated OCC will reduce the software and hardware compare to traditional non integrated architecture while ensuring the same safety level (TRL6 in 2028).

Asset

1. Develop based on the work of FP6-FUTURE^[5], Smart Wayside Object Controller (TRL5/6) and/or infrastructure components and wayside elements focused on Regional Railway cost drivers (e.g. level crossings, switches) which are energy self-sufficient and/or wireless enabled (by using the simplified communication system developed in CCS and Operations; enable remote control or full or partial automation and/or autonomous operation (TRL6 in 2028).
2. Develop based on the work developed in FP6-FUTURE^[5], a concept for alternative fueling/charging stations for regional railway being interoperable with other road/rail vehicles (TRL3 in 2028)

Customer service

1. Based on the work developed in FP6-FUTURE^[5], develop cost-efficient integration of on-board and or personal device information of multimodal services integrating regional multimodal services based on demand-responsive transport (TRL7 by 2028). Developments need to take into account solutions stemming and related to work on the ontology networks that have been produced in previous FP-FUTURE^[5] to align with CEN standards such as Transmodel as well as with the connections to National Access Point.
2. Based on the work developed in FP6-FUTURE^[5], develop passenger congestion rate monitoring, flow optimization application as well as a low-cost passenger information system (by e.g. also using train positioning, FRMCS) for regional services while integrating multimodal services at railway stations. Such an application will be using the developments done in Destination 1 in the context of multimodal timetable integration. (TRL6 by 2028)

Developments on all those enablers should also cover important preparatory works with higher TRL for the future set of demonstration foreseen in the Multi- annual Work Programme in view of the evolutions of the solutions.

For Research & innovation and demonstrations activities (within the action) making use of data models related to the interoperability or safety of the rail system, those data models should be aligned with the ERA Ontology^[12]. This ontology defines the conceptual framework and the specific terms and relationships for the interoperability or safety of the rail system in the EU that shall be used or where relevant extended. This includes the reuse of the ERA ontology with its semantic artifacts (shacl rules, skos ..) and in cases where it is not sufficient, extensions should be proposed to maintain semantic consistency and interoperability across systems. Those extensions proposals should cover the processes to validate extension to the ERA Ontology with compliant datasets and related competency questions and linked SPARQL queries based on interoperability testbed validation tools (Interoperability Test Bed Guides — ITB Guides^[13]). Corresponding documentation should also include any mappings or transformations considered in the Research & Innovation activities and any assumptions made.

Integrated demonstrator preparatory work

Validated the list of requirements and an implementation plan of the integrated demonstrators in preparation for Wave 3 based on the results of FP6-FUTURE^[5], which will showcase the demonstration of solutions in operational environment (TRL7). Outcomes under this activity are expected by M12.

Key Performance Indicators

The action shall actively contribute to measure and monitor the specific quantitative KPIs defined in the Destination description above, including its contribution to the Europe’s Rail Master Plan impacts. Outcomes are to be delivered at a calendar annual basis by each year end.

Collaboration work required with other FAs

The action to be funded under Destination 6 shall foresee developing a deliverable capturing updated or additional specific requirements coming from the specific regional rail applications and relevant for the action to be funded under Destination 1 and Destination 2, suggested to be delivered indicatively by M6.

The action to be funded under Destination 6 shall foresee a common activity/task related to the review of system specifications to be developed by the action to be funded under Destination 1 and Destination 2.

The action to be funded under Destination 6 shall foresee a common activity/task related to the Preparatory works on the integration and pilot test(s) of the technical enablers to be provided by the action to be funded under Destination 1 and Destination 2 for the demonstration to be carried out in the action to be funded by Destination 1 and Destination 2.

It is expected that the Flagship Project stemming from this topic will use the EU-RAIL System Pillar Cybersecurity specifications ^[15], provide feedback to the Destination 1 Workstream 2 covering Cybersecurity and foresee adequate structure and resources for these activities.

Interaction with the System Pillar

The System Pillar aims to guide, support and secure the work of the Innovation Pillar (i.e. to ensure that research is targeted on commonly agreed and shared customer requirements and operational needs, compatible and aligned to the system architecture), and the Innovation Pillar will impact the scope of the System Pillar where new technologies or processes mean that innovations can drive a change in approach, as well as delivering detailed specifications and requirements.

In this respect, the proposal should allocate necessary resources that would be dedicated to areas linked to the System Pillar conceptual and architecture works – particularly addressing specification development (the interaction is illustrated in the System Pillar – Innovation Pillar interaction note (Annex VI of this Work Programme)). The alignment of the activities will primarily take place during the Grant Preparation Phase and ramp up phase of the awarded proposal, and there will be continued, structured and regular interaction through the life of the project.

The EU-RAIL System Pillar is producing specifications and other relevant documents ^[16]. In general the documents applicable to the Destination 6 should be used. If it is considered documents are not applicable, the proposals shall explain the reason(s) for not using them (to note the application of the documents may still be required by EU-RAIL). During the action to be funded under this Destination, there may be updating of the documents, including based on feedback from application in technical enablers and demonstrators. Relevant feedback should be provided on a regular basis to EU-RAIL and the System Pillar.

The action shall actively contribute to the update of the EU-Rail Standardisation and TSIs input plan (STIP) wherever relevant. Similarly, the action shall contribute to the development and implementation of EU policy and legislation including Technical Specifications for Interoperability and Common Safety Methods, as well as to publications of the System Pillar.

Gender dimension

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.

Other

It is expected that the Flagship Project stemming from this topic:

• will involve sufficient European geographical representation of academia, and ensure that all needed expertise for the described activities reflects the Special skills and/or capabilities expected from the Applicant(s) as described in the specific topic conditions.
• will be compliant with the EU Data Policy 2020 and associated legal instruments. This requires adherence to EU framework, including but not limited to the Open Data Directive (EU) 2019/1024 and associated implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/138 on high-value data sets, the Data Governance Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/868), the Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854), and the Interoperable Europe Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/903). Ensuring compliance involves verifying that data management, processing and sharing comply with applicable EU framework.

[1] https://rail-research.europa.eu/rail-projects/fp2-r2dato/

[2] https://rail-research.europa.eu/rail-projects/fp6-future//

[3] https://rail-research.europa.eu/rail-projects/fp4-rail4earth/

[4] https://rail-research.europa.eu/rail-projects/fp1-motional/

[5] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[6] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[7] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[8] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[9] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[10] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[11] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[12] https://github.com/Interoperable-data/ERA-Ontology-3.1.0

[13] https://www.itb.ec.europa.eu/docs/guides/latest/overview/index.html

[14] https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

[15] https://rail-research.europa.eu/horizontal-tasks/

[16] https://rail-research.europa.eu/v1-release/