Railway Carriers Research Articles

RESISTANCE AND SAFETY OF THE RAILWAY TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE CONTEXT OF DISRUPTIONS OCCURRING DURING RAIL FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION

This article presents an approach to planning rail freight transport taking into account the disruptions that occur during their implementation. The issues raised are related to the multi-aspect perception of factors influencing the organization of transport, in which immunity and safety play significant roles. The authors present an analysis of disruptions relating to the causes and effects of adverse events for selected traffic and operational parameters, including delays of freight trains in Poland from 2019-2022. The analysis of adverse events (accidents and serious accidents) in the rail transport system made it possible to present the rates of accidents when crossing tracks in prohibited places, at crossings on the public and separate networks, related to signals passed at danger events, and related to track works and the technical condition of rolling stock. In the case of the effects of adverse events, a rate was determined for freight train delays. The authors also developed a method for determining the value of disruptions in rail freight transport. A case study containing disruption quantification for a given freight train route is presented. The article emphasizes that a significant challenge in the rail transport sector is the proper organization of the operational activities of railway carriers concerning disruptions occurring during transport.

Incentive policy for rail-water multimodal transport: Subsidizing price or constructing dry port?

The environmental issues within the transport industry need to be given priority attention. Optimizing the transport structure and promoting low-carbon transport are essential measures for achieving carbon emission reduction. However, the rail-water multimodal transport scale is currently limited. The government has to intervene in the market through incentive policies, so how to expand the revenue of carriers and enhance the volume has become a major dilemma. Our paper constructs a transport system that includes road, water, and railway, and examines the impact of incentive policies on separate stakeholders. It is discovered that incentive policies can increase the revenue of carriers and simultaneously attract more shippers to elect rail-water multimodal transport. Subsidy policy can hasten the structural transformation of inland transport, making railway transport volume rise. Unfortunately, although the dry port policy may enhance the revenue of railway carriers, it leads to an apparent decline in the revenue of road-water multimodal transport participants. However, the subsidy policy can create a win-win scenario for multiple carriers while achieving carbon emission reduction, but to the detriment of social welfare. Additionally, the paper compares the interactions between diverse incentive policies and pivotal factors such as transport time. The conclusions of our research serve strategic recommendations for maximizing carriers revenues and provide support for government decision-making.

Перспективы внедрения транспортного маркетплейса для грузоотправителей железнодорожного транспорта

The variants of the organization of logistics activities have been considered for small and medium-sized businesses. Thus, we have proposed an approach to the organization of the Russian transport services market using the principles of electronic commerce. This involves the development of a digital service - a transport market place based on a railway carrier with the involvement of all professional participants in the transport market. It will create a single transport and information space and cargo owners will be able to organize logistics in one «digital window». The use of a digital service will reduce the share of the transport component in the final cost of shippers’ products, and logistics operators will have a new channel for promoting transport services. We have defined the experience of creating modern digital services, the architecture of the transport marketplace and the requirements for its functionality. A graphic-analytical model has been developed for the independent organization of logistics by shippers in the transport marketplace and using the «digital forwarder» service. We have considered the algorithm of interaction between contractors - professional logistics operators and shippers in the planning of cargo transportation in the transport marketplace applying block chain technology - SMART contracts. A calculation method has been proposed to determine the economic effects of a railway carrier in the successful implementation of a transport marketplace.

FORMATION OF A SYSTEM APPROACH TO ORGANIZING CARGO DELIVERY BY RAILWAY COMPANIES-CARRIER REGIONAL TYPE

Purpose. The introduction of private freight railway carrier companies in Ukraine corresponds to the European trend of demonopolization of railway transport and has a number of consequences, including the creation of a market pricing mechanism and the formation of prerequisites for improving the quality of services in railway transport. In order to ensure the economic development of the railway industry, an integrated approach is required, which includes reviewing and improving the tariff policy regarding the access of private regional railway carrier companies to the railway infrastructure of joint-stock company (JSC) «Ukrzaliznytsia» and providing non-discriminatory access to the railway infrastructure for other transportation participants. This will ensure equal conditions for competition and will contribute to the development of railway transport in Ukraine. Based on this, the purpose of this study is to achieve the effective functioning of a cargo delivery system for regional railway carrier companies when it is implemented on the Ukrainian railway network. To achieve this goal, a functional description of the specified system is used and its parameters are optimized. Methods. To formalize the system of cargo delivery by a regional railway carrier company, used methods of systems theory. The results. The research carried out made it possible to formalize the system of cargo delivery through a regional railway carrier company. In the process of formulating the functional description of the system, various factors affecting the carrier company's costs were taken into account. When analyzing these factors, it was found that the key parameters of the system that have a significant impact on the costs and cost of transporting goods are the serial number of the cargo delivery route, the number of stops on the route, the duration of train downtime at the railway stations of the carrier company's branches while waiting for shunting operations to be performed (attaching groups of wagons). The goal of optimizing these parameters is to increase the efficiency of the system and reduce the cost of transporting goods for individual clients. Practical significance. Subject to the adoption in Ukraine of an appropriate legislative framework that will regulate access to the railway infrastructure of JSC «Ukrzaliznytsia» for private carriers, the implementation of the proposed system will have such positive consequences as increasing the level of competition in the transport market in Ukraine, improving the quality and reliability of transportation and growth Country's GDP. Setting the optimal balance between route numbers, the number of stops and the duration of train downtime will ensure optimal use of the carrier company's resources and reduce the cost of transporting goods. This will help improve the quality of service and meet customer needs.

Modeling Government Subsidy Strategies for Railway Carriers: Environmental Impacts and Industry Competition

In this paper, we investigate the government’s optimal subsidy strategy for the China–Europe Railway Express (CERE) considering environmental impacts and industry competition. Specifically, we consider three subsidy options: no subsidies, subsidies to CERE carriers, and subsidies to shippers. A game theory framework is developed to analyze the problem of developing a sustainable supply chain consisting of the government, competitive carriers, and shippers. First of all, we find that for the government, indirect subsidies to CERE carriers and direct subsidies to shippers lead to the same total social welfare. We then examine the conditions for phasing out government subsidies. Our results indicate that the government’s optimal subsidy strategy switches at a threshold level of CERE’s environmental advantage. In particular, when the environmental advantage of CERE is high, the government should subsidize CERE by subsidizing either the carrier or shipper. In contrast, when the environmental advantage of CERE is low, the government should opt out of subsidies. At last, we find that this threshold of CERE’s environmental advantage is further impacted by CERE’s capacity and marginal operating costs. This study differs from prior research by investigating various subsidy strategies while taking into account CERE’s emission advantage and the timing of subsidy withdrawal.

Application of the PrOPPAGA Method in the evaluation of returnable stretches in the context of the processes of early extension of railway concessions

According to data from the National Association of Railway Carriers - ANTF, the Brazilian rail network is composed of 30,557 km, being distributed in 15 networks granted to the private initiative. Of this total, about 39% (8,335.9 km) are without traffic or with low demand and sometimes completely deteriorated. Given the proximity of the end of the current railway concession contracts, studies for their Early Extension were initiated. In this context, the evaluation of stretches that are without traffic is a strategic decision, both for companies and for the Union. Thus, the article seeks, through the multi-criteria analysis method PrOPPAGA, to evaluate the economic viability of 5 railway stretches that have little or no traffic based on criteria such as demand and operating costs of the stretches. The methodology is also used to carry out the ordering of the stretches from the most viable to the least economically viable. As a result, it was recommended the return 4 of the 5 excerpts, demonstrating the viability of the method as a tool to aid decision-making in this sector. It should be noted that parameters such as strategic interest and desired profit indicators, which can be evaluated in future research, were not incorporated into the research.

Digital platform solutions of Russian Railways as a tool for the development of the concept of MaaS (Mobility as a Service)

The purpose of the study: to substantiate the advantages of the Maas (Mobility as a Service) concept as a universal digital Smart aggregator, a platform integrating all participants in passenger transportation. Methods: content analysis, analysis of digital platform technologies, monitoring of digital processes and solutions at the level of a separate transport company. Results: the main advantages of digital transport multimodality as a concept of integrated digital platforms of the future transport are substantiated. The hypothesis is put forward that electronic digitalized communication technologies of market participants will become the main factor of economic growth. And the ideal MaaS-economic model will be a comprehensive integration of all existing digital platforms in the world and on national markets. The functionality and advantages for users of the development of MaaS solutions of the Russian railway carrier - the Russian Railways company — the Travel.RZD application and a pilot project within the framework of Innovative mobility implemented in the Samara region are presented.

Methodological approaches evolution to container trains design with differentiated length

The current limitations of sustainable growth of railway container traffic at the present stage are analysed. The article analyses the main organisational and technological parameters of container trains on the Russian railway network and the requirements for their implementation. It is revealed that strict compliance with the requirements to form a container train of unified length of 71 conventional wagons does not always meet the requirements of commodity owners and does not improve the conditions of supply of their products. On the other hand, in the conditions of a deficit of throughput capacities of the railway infrastructure in some directions, there is a need to increase the length of container trains up to 114-140 conventional wagons. Within the framework of the development of methodological approaches to the establishment of expedient organisational and technological requirements for the assignment of container trains, a classifier of solutions for sorting of container trains of differentiated lengths based on the technical and economic characteristics of a particular railway direction has been developed. The application of the original classifier will increase the validity of the organisation of container trains of differentiated length, taking into account the growth of commercial attractiveness of the transport service for goods owners and economic efficiency for the railway carrier and the organisers of container trains.

Innovative, Scientific and Technological Priorities of Railway Freight Transport

Seven main priorities for development of rail cargo transportation are emerging in the context of an active intensification of scientific and technological development cycles, widespread digitalisation of business processes and an increase in competition in the transport industry. A key element of increasing the attractiveness of rail cargo transportation is its innovative, scientific, and technological development, especially in terms of increasing customer focus. Today, the principles of customer focus in the field of railway transportation of goods are among core factors in competitiveness of railway carriers. This issue is particularly relevant for the Russian Federation that owns a high potential for development of transit routes thanks to its advantageous geographic location. This fact determines attractiveness of railway transportation for cargo haulage customers. The image of future scientific and technological development of railway cargo traffic is formed under the influence of such trends as development of heavy-haul rail traffic, international container transportation, proactive introduction of digital technologies for interacting with customers and monitoring the condition of rolling stock, the provision of services within a single transport and information space, increase in margins and environmental safety of transportation. Digital transformation of the transportation process is among high priorities, which is explained through the importance of maintaining safety of transportation, increasing the transit capacity of the railway network and development of an integrated system for ensuring openness of data to provide customers with all the necessary information. Another priority area serves to increase the economic efficiency of cargo traffic by achieving growth in the share of high-margin goods. Such goods may include pharmaceutical and perishable products, information and communication, electronic and radio-electronic products, etc. An increase in the share of such transportation with a decrease in the volume of coal/oil transportation also has a positive effect on external appearance of the railway company for external investors. The image of the future of rail cargo transportation is largely dependent on various external and internal factors having effect on the industry. Besides, it depends on the emerging macro-trends in the global economy, which determine a certain vector for development of the railway industry. The study, to achieve its purposes, has widely used qualitative research methods and bibliometric analysis of scientific literature, international strategic and program documents of the industry and its companies.

A combined and robust modal-split/traffic assignment model for rail and road freight transport

Searching for achieving an ambitious reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the EU has set as a goal a modal shift in freight transport of 30% by rail for the near future. In this context, it is vital to use modal choice models road versus rail to assess the shippers’ acceptance of the actions promoting the use of rail. This paper develops a combined model for jointly evaluating modal split and railway freight flows, addressed to the case when a modal split based on a random utility model is available, and some of its coefficients may present a non-negligible variability. To this end, after the initial deterministic formulation a robust counterpart of the model is developed. The model, formulated as a non-linear integer programming problem, is oriented to a multi-carrier environment and includes constraints to consider the interactions between the different types of flows on the railway network, allowing a good evaluation of the cost types of the carriers and the network capacity. An algorithmic solution based on the outer approximation method is shown to provide accurate solutions in a reasonable computational time for the robust and non-robust versions of the model. Examples centered on a section of the Trans-European Transport Network, the TEN-T Core network corridors, are reported to test the model’s applicability. Results show that this model can be a helpful tool for analyzing the possible shippers’ response to the different railway carriers’ services competing with the road.

THE STUDY OF THE CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORTATION OF GRAIN CARGO BY ROAD AND RAIL

The article examines the cross-border transportation of grain cargo by road and rail. In order to conduct a detailed analysis, the organization of grain transportation from Ukraine to Germany by rail and road on the route Lukiv, Ukraine – Rostock, Germany is studied. The article analyzes the time of cargo transportation on the route with a breakdown by type of operation: – time under cargo and customs operations; downtime under technical operations; and time in motion. The route and running speeds of grain transportation by road and rail are calculated. The main «bottlenecks" in the technology of cross-border transportation of grain cargo from Ukraine are identified. For a comprehensive assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of using rail or road transport for the transportation of grain cargo, the cost of the route under study was calculated. A comparative analysis of the cost of grain transportation when choosing different transportation schemes is carried out. The dependence of the cost of transportation on the distance is constructed. The areas of economic feasibility of using road transport in comparison with rail transport are found. A comparative analysis of the tariff systems for long-distance grain transportation in the export traffic of various railway carriers with options for transportation by road has shown the competitiveness of the road tariff in the transportation area up to 130 km. Based on the dependencies of the tariff for the transportation of 1 ton of grain by railroad carriers and road transport on the transportation distance calculated according to public tariffs, the author identified zones of economic feasibility of using road transport. The first zone of expediency of using road transport compared to the lowest railroad tariff of DB Cargo Polska S.A. is within 50 km. The second zone according to the tariff of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia is up to 94 km. The third zone according to PKP Cargo S.A. is up to 130 km. The article concludes that cross-border transportation of grain cargoes by road and rail from Ukraine to Germany is efficient.

Longitudinal study of SARS-CoV-2 infections in different employee groups of long distance train services from June 2020 until February 2021 in Germany.

Abstract This prospective longitudinal epidemiological study was aimed at investigating the occupational SARS-CoV-2 infection risk of long distance train services in Germany. Three different employee groups (train attendants, train drivers and maintenance workers) within the workforce of the German railway carrier Deutsche Bahn Fernverkehr AG were studied based on their contact frequency with passengers and colleagues. Approximately 1100 employees were tested by PCR for acute infections and by antibody detection for past infections in June 2020, October 2020 and February 2021. Cumulative incidence (acute and past infections) after the third (final) test series in February 2021 was 8.5% (95% interval CI 6.8–10.4): 8.5% (95% CI 6.2–11.2) for train attendants, 5.5% (95% CI 2.9–9.5) for train drivers and 11.8% (95% CI 7.6–17.2) for maintenance workers. Between June 2020 and October 2020, the incidence was 1.2% (95% CI 0.6–2.3): 1.2% (95% CI 0.4–2.7) for train attendants, 1.1% (95% CI 0.1–3.9) for train drivers and 1.4% (95% CI 0.17–5.10) for maintenance workers. Between October 2020 and February 2021, it was 5.1% (95% CI 3.6–6.8): 5.2% (95% CI 3.3–7.8) for train attendants, 1.6% (95% CI 0.3–4.5) for train drivers and 8.8% (95% CI 4.9–14.3) for maintenance workers. Thus, contrary to expectation our exploratory data did not show train attendants to be at the highest risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections among the employee groups. In line with expectations, train drivers, representing the low contact group, seemed at lowest occupational risk.

Pantograph Sliding Strips Failure-Reliability Assessment and Damage Reduction Method Based on Decision Tree Model.

Damage to the pantograph or sliding strip may cause the blocking of the railway line. This is the main reason for which the prediction of pantographs’ failure is important for railway carriers and researchers. This article presents a sliding strips failure prediction method as a main means of preventing disruptions to the transport chain. To develop the best predictive model based on the decision tree, the complex tree, medium tree and simple tree machine learning methods were tested. Using a decision tree, the categorization of the given technical conditions can be properly realized. The obtained results showed that the presented model can reduce sliding strip failure by up to 50%. Special attention was paid to the current collector (AKP-4E, 5ZL type), measured during periodic reviews of locomotives EU07 and EU09. To assess the reliability of the selected pantograph strips, a non-destructive degradation analysis was carried out. On the basis of the wear measurements of the strips and the critical value of wear, a failure distribution model was developed. Operational data, collected during periodic technical reviews, were provided by one of the biggest railway carriers in Poland. The results of the performed analyses may be used to build a preventive maintenance strategy to protect pantographs. The applied reliability models of wear propagation can be extended by the parameters of the cost and repair time becoming the basis for estimating the costs of operation and maintenance.

THE EU’S POLICY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT “2021 – THE EUROPEAN YEAR OF RAIL”

One of the priorities of Europe’s transport policy in 2021 is to focus on the stable development of railway transport by emphasizing the benefits it provides for people, economies and the climate. For this purpose, and in order to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal in the field of transport, the European Commission proposed that 2021 be named “The European Year of Rail”. A series of activities, campaigns and initiatives for encouraging the use of railway transport as a stable and innovative type of land transport for carrying passengers and cargo will be organized throughout this year. The present article surveys Europe’s transport policy as a whole, more specifically – the policy aimed at the stable development of railway transport. It indicates the adopted measures which will help railway carriers overcome the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic faster.

Putnički prevoz - izazovi u savremenom okruženju

In this paper, the author examines the domestic and international legal framework for the contract of carriage of passengers and its presence in different transport modes and offers a response to the current challenges. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the international and domestic regulations and present the rights and obligations of contracting parties in order to facilitate its application in the emerging practice. The author recognizes passenger transport as a field full of modern challenges caused by novel, still under-researched risks to passengers' health. Special attention is paid to the contract of passenger carriage by rail. The advantages of this transport mode are examined, the obligations of railway carriers and passengers are presented, while the obligation of the railway carrier to accept transporting any interested person if they have vacancies is underlined. The analysis focuses on the significance of the contract of passenger transport in the modern environment where risks to passengers' healthcare present. The author recognizes passenger transport by rail as a convenient and perspective branch of passenger transport for both international and domestic passenger transport. This sort of passenger transport already has the potential to respond to the challenges of preserving and strengthening the protection of passenger's rights, above all the right to safe and secure transportation.

Assumptions for a Financing Model for Maintaining Railway Station Buildings in Poland

The aim of this article is to present a potential financing model for the maintenance of railway stations (station buildings) with public funds. The article points out that this is an issue that needs to be solved due to the nature of the existing system of fees in the entire transport sector. This issue is also important in the context of the decisions made by the Polish Office of Rail Transport (ORT) with respect to the fees charged by infrastructure managers and operators of infrastructure facilities from railway carriers. The article also describes the current situation of railway station operators in relation to the sources of financing their activities, the ownership structure of operators, and the categories of trains commissioned by public trans-port organizers of different levels. The directions of the EU transport policy concerning the principles of creating a system of fees providing for a level playing field in terms of inter-branch competition are also presented. The article presents solutions in terms of financing the maintenance of station facilities (including station buildings) in the EU Member States with the longest railway networks (excluding the UK, i.e. Germany, Italy and France). The summary of the article highlights some suggestions of possible solutions to this problem within the framework of the Polish legal and financial system. Keywords: railway station, station building, rail yard, maintenance of infrastructure facilities, public aid, organization of rail transport

Перспективные направления развития логистической деятельности перевозчиков дальнего следования на железнодорожном транспорте

Long-distance passenger rail transportation is a socially significant sector of the transport industry. The mobility of the population in the Russian Federation depends on the effective activities of transport carriers in this segment. However, every year in the system of state antitrust regulation, we can see the growing inefficiency of managerial decisions made in relation to the formed rules of the regulatory environment. This article presents an analysis of how the existing crisis in the economy caused by the spread of coronavirus infection affected the results of long-distance railway carriers activities. Given the predicted reduction in government support and economic activity, the authors conclude that it is necessary to increase the role of logistics in the financial and economic activities of transport carriers as one of the drivers for optimizing the financial condition of enterprises in the sector.

MODELING CRITERIA FOR SERVICES OF GENERAL INTEREST ORGANIZED BY TRAIN OPERATORS

The definition and conclusion of the Public service obligation contract for rail (PSO contract) is between the national passenger railway carrier and the competent transport Ministry. The PSO contract represents an optimal mode of transport arrangement as a unified and unique traffic model with traffic criteria such as timetable, type of vehicle, quality requirements, user behaviour and expected revenues. To conclude a PSO contract, it is necessary to provide a methodology for modelling criteria for transport services of general interest respectively for making the role of a train operator sustainable and satisfying for public needs. AHP method was used for criteria valuation among twenty experts. Encouraging rail passengers transport based on users’ requirements leads to a different way of conducting business operations for the carrier. Research results based on experts’ opinions shows that most important sub-criteria for providing quality transport service is a state of infrastructure while evaluating timetable parameters. To keep the service on a satisfactory level, experts consider that diesel train costs and maintenance costs needs to be reduced. Experts also concluded that quality requirements sub-criteria such as availability and safety should be provided before and during the journey. Offering numerous and useful amenities at stations such as bars, kiosks and ticket offices will help to retain service users. Last and the most important expert’s opinion conclusion is that public passenger transport is depending on state funds and budget. The current practice of awarding PSO contracts is based solely on the scoring of tenders received through published tenders and therefore requires a model that will include all relevant parameters and their corresponding sub-criteria.

Prawnoadministracyjne instrumenty ochrony przedsiębiorców narażonych na stosowanie praktyk monopolistycznych przysługujące Prezesowi Urzędu Transportu Kolejowego — uwagi na gruncie obowiązujących i projektowanych przepisów prawa

Celem opracowania jest analiza obowiązujących i projektowanych przepisów dotyczą-cych prawno-administracyjnych instrumentów ochrony przedsiębiorców narażonych na stosowanie praktyk monopolistycznych przysługujących Prezesowi Urzędu Transportu Kolejowego. Przepisy ustawy z dnia 28 marca 2003 roku o transporcie kolejowym (tekst jedn. Dz.U. z 2019 r. poz. 710) nakładają na Prezesa UTK takie zadania, jak nadzór nad sprawiedliwym i niedyskryminującym traktowaniem przez zarządców wszystkich aplikantów w zakresie dostępu do infrastruktury kolejo-wej oraz nadzór nad sprawiedliwym i niedyskryminującym traktowaniem przez operatorów obiektu infrastruktury usługowej wszystkich przewoźników kolejowych w zakresie dostępu do obiektu in-frastruktury usługowej. Aktualnie procedowane są dwa projekty nowelizacji prawa transportu kole-jowego rozszerzające katalog zadań i kompetencji Prezesa UTK.

Effectiveness assessment of diesel locomotives operation with the use of mobile maintenance points

Based on the example of 6Dg type diesel locomotives, the paper presents a new maintenance strategy concerning periodical checks at the P1 maintenance level. Currently, such locomotives are sent off to service points every 102 hours of operation or every 14 days for a P1 level check. Studies demonstrate that the average distance to be covered by a locomotive to arrive at a service point is in excess of 60.0 km, and the quantity of fuel consumed is more than 88 litres. It is costly and time consuming to have locomotives out of service and considerable resources of the railway carrier are engaged which could be made use of in the transport process. The aim of the newly developed strategy of P1 checks is to eliminate the need for locomotives to exit their routes to reach rolling stock maintenance points. The control/diagnostic and maintenance activities specified in the Maintenance System Documentation will be performed by so-called mobile maintenance points. The development of the new strategy required: identification of the current condition of the maintenance system, development of the concept of a new strategy of P1 maintenance checks, conduct of studies and operational analyses for SM42 series locomotives, performance of a durability, reliability analysis, assessment of safety together with an analysis of the risks involved in the proposed changes. In order to review and assess the efficiency of the new strategy, an observed operation of selected locomotives was conducted together with a railway carrier. During the study, the maintenance activities and processes were monitored and the costs of P1 checks were recorded. The analysis of efficiency of the new strategy of performing P1 checks without the need for a locomotive to exit its route to reach a rolling stock maintenance point demonstrated that depending on the distance covered by the locomotive to reach a maintenance point, the unit costs of a P1 level check are lower by up to 67.1% compared with the currently applied method.