Railway Transport Research Articles

Barzilai Borwein Incremental Grey Polynomial Regression for train delay prediction

AbstractThe swift societal evolution and ceaseless advancement of human value of life have been set forth for reliability as well as rapidity of railway transportation. Latest advances in machine learning approaches as well as surging accessibility of numerous information sources is produced state‐of‐the‐art probabilities for significant, precise train delay identification. In this method called, Barzilai Borwein Incremental Grey Polynomial Regression (BBI‐GPR) is introduced for predicting train arrival/departure delays, which utilized for later delay management in an accurate manner with this method comprised into three sections such as, pre‐processing, feature selection and classification. First, with the raw ETA train delay dataset as input, Barzilai–Borwein Feature Rescaling‐based Pre‐processing is applied to model computationally efficient feature rescaled and normalized values. Second with processed features as input, Incremental Maximum Relevance Minimum Redundant‐based Feature Selection is applied to select error minimized optimal features. Finally, with optimal features selected as input, Grey Polynomial Regression‐based Prediction algorithm is employed to analyse train delay. For confirming proposed BBI‐GPR, as well as analyse its performance, compare standard train delay prediction method with existing machine learning‐based regression method. Results show that new variants outperform existing train delay prediction method by minimizing train delay prediction time, error rate by 25% and 27% respectively, with improved accuracy rate of 7%, therefore paving ways for efficient train delay prediction.

ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ НОВЫХ СУБЪЕКТОВ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ ПУТЕМ ОКАЗАНИЯ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ ПОДДЕРЖКИ ОТРАСЛИ ЖЕЛЕЗНОДОРОЖНОГО ТРАНСПОРТА

The article examines the possibility of ensuring the economic security of the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions by providing measures of state support for the railway transport industry, including those aimed at ensuring the break-even of the activities of the FSUE Railways of Novorossiya. FSUE Railways of Novorossiya is a natural monopoly entity that maintains the railway system in the territories of new constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the sole owner of public railway transport infrastructure and a carrier. The relevance of the topic is due to the ongoing process of integration of new entities into the economy of the Russian Federation. The article examines the activities of the railway transport industry, the FSUE Railways of Novorossiya and their impact on the economic activities of new constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The main threats to the economic security of the FSUE Railways of Novorossiya are identified, forecasts of performance results are formed and ways to solve the main problems are proposed, which involve respecting the economic interests of all interested parties.

Joint Optimization of Inventory and Schedule for Coal Heavy Rail Considering Production–Transportation–Sales Collaboration: A Spatio-Temporal-Mode Network Approach

China’s coal industry has long faced challenges due to imbalance between supply and demand divisions and the discrepancies between supply and demand prices. Research on optimizing coal transfer amid fluctuating coal prices is crucial for enhancing coal resource allocation, ensuring a balanced and stable supply of coal resources, and promoting the sustainable development of the coal industry. This paper focuses on optimizing coal transfer schemes within a comprehensive transportation system, considering fixed transportation routes and opening times of railroad transportation and waterway transportation, with road transportation serving as a supplementary network. A three-dimensional spatio-temporal network model is established to represent the spatial and temporal paths and transportation modes of coal logistics. The study uses the coal transportation network from Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi to East China as a case study, analyzing factors such as coal price fluctuation, transportation rates, and the ratio of self-produced to purchased coal at the production end via sensitivity analysis. The findings indicate that the proposed model can effectively guide transportation practices under the integrated production, transportation, and sales framework in the energy industry. Additionally, it shows that enterprises can achieve higher profits and maintain revenue and supply stability despite coal price fluctuations, aligning with the coal industry’s transformation and development in the current context.

TURİZM LOGİSTİKASI VӘ ONUN MӘHSULU OLAN NӘQLİYYAT TӘŞKİLEDİCİSİNİN ARAŞDIRILMASI

In the article, taking into account that the provision of transport is one of the main elements of the tourism potential and also creates an opportunity for the economic development of the regions, it is possible to determine the demand for transport in tourism and also to increase the competitiveness of tourism by deeply investigating this activity of the tourism product as a transport organizer in the mentioned directions. The article also deeply examines the possibilities of magnetoplanes as a productive and efficient means of passenger transport, taking into account that they are considered as fast as airplanes, as reliable as railway transport, as convenient as cars, and that they have already won the favor of passengers and tourists in a number of developed countries. the plan and prospects of its application as a tourist vehicle are mentioned.

The effectiveness of the formation of new digital services of JSC “Russian Railways” for the registration of transportation documents in the field of freight transportation

In recent years, the sector of freight and commercial work in railway transport has undergone global changes in the field of customer orientation. The purpose of the presented scientific research is to assess the formation of new digital services and services of JSC Russian Railways for the registration of transportation documents, the provision of contactless digital formats, which have become the main tool for interaction between the client, the rolling stock operator and the carrier. The algorithm of acceptance of empty and loaded wagons for transportation in digital format is presented, the relevance of the formation of new digital services of JSC “Russian Railways” for registration of transportation documents in the field of freight transportation is proved. The feasibility study for the reception of empty and loaded wagon traffic to the transportation process in the “Digital transceiver” format with the organization of combining professions is calculated in advance, using the example of the operation of the railway station of the Eastern Polygon of railways and adjustments are allowed in the process of implementing a similar design solution for other facilities.

The usage of genetic algorithms when planning railway transportation in international connection

The railway transport system in Ukraine stands as a pivotal sector within the nation's transportation infrastructure, accounting for a substantial portion of freight and passenger movement compared to domestic alternative modes of transportation. With direct border connections and collaboration with railways in Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, Ukrzaliznytsia JSC facilitate operations through forty international railway crossings. The political climate in Ukraine, particularly the focus on export to EU countries, has sparked increased interest in transportation towards western border regions [1, 2]. This article delves into the challenges and opportunities surrounding the enhanced cooperation of Ukrainian border terminals with EU countries during wartime and post-war periods. It analyzes the current state of freight transportation to Europe, addressing existing challenges and outlining short- and long-term development prospects for railways. Emphasis is made on the vital role of railway transport in Ukraine's integration into the European transport network, presenting avenues for implementing plans connected with railway reconstruction and development. Container transportation commands a significant market share, with a growing trend towards its adoption. Container transport facilitates a substantial reduction in loading operations, a notable increase in labor productivity, and enables comprehensive mechanization and automation of cross-docking operations. As a transit country—four out of ten existing pan-European transport corridors traverse Ukraine— the nation possesses considerable potential for developing its railway transport system. With the third-largest railway network in Europe (19,787 km, including 9,319 km of electrified tracks), railway transport assumes a leading role in Ukraine's transportation landscape. However, despite its advantages, Ukraine's transportation and logistics system lags behind those of other countries worldwide. Modernization of tracks and rolling stock necessitates significant capital investment and time, underscoring the immediate need to enhance the quality of logistics services [3]. Therefore, this article explores optimization methods for container traffic from Ukraine to EU countries with the use of mathematical methods and algorithms. The genetic algorithm among the discussed methods is recognized as one of the premier mathematical algorithms for the specified task. This approach could play a pivotal role in establishing a robust technical system for railways along Ukraine's western border, optimizing border crossing operations, and enhancing Ukrainian railway transportation capabilities. It not only aids in identifying the fastest or most economical routes but reveals weaknesses in Ukrainian border terminals. Additional strategies can be devised for modernizing and expanding border terminals and stations by leveraging this insight, facilitating the integration of Ukrainian railways into the European transport system.

Research of unit train loading technologies at the sidings of grain elevators with their shunting locomotives

The purpose of the study is to increase the unit train load efficiency at the elevators having their shunting locomotives. The research is based on the analysis of time series, methods of organizing the operational work of railways, and methods of traction calculations. The paper considers the problem of organizing shunting work at elevators when loading grain unit trains. Critical wear and tear of shunting locomotives in railway transport of general use necessitates using their locomotives at the elevators. As a result of the research, the dependence of the duration of shunting and cargo operations on the number of cars in the unit train and on other factors was established. Various types of shunting locomotives were compared. Based on the analysis, it was established that it is advisable to use four-axle shunting diesel locomotives with hydraulic transmission for shunting work at the elevators. The traction force of such locomotives is sufficient to deliver empty cars to the elevator at a speed of 14–15 km/h. Loaded cars can be removed at a speed of 14–15 km/h with a slope of the connecting track up to 2–5 ‰. With greater slopes, the removal of loaded cars should be performed at a speed of 5 km/h. The main factor affecting the duration of shunting operations is the distance of delivery and removal of cars. Technologies for loading the grain unit trains at the elevators, providing for the presence of cars at the loading stations for two and three days, have also been developed. The main factor affecting the duration of unit train loading is the staff of locomotive assembly teams. The originality of the study is in obtaining the dependence between the parameters of the technical support of the elevators and the duration of the presence of cars in the connecting station – elevator’s siding system. The practical value of the paper is that its results can be used in the design of the reconstruction of existing and construction of new elevators, as well as in the estimation of costs associated with various loading technologies of the unit trains for the corresponding sidings.

Predicting the remaining useful life of rails based on improved deep spiking residual neural network

the remaining useful life (RUL) of rails is important to ensure safe and reliable operation of railway transportation lines. However, the severity of deterioration of rails from different types of damage varies. Multichannel vibrational data collected by sensors can be utilized to identify the relevant complex correlations and temporal relationships; however, existing methods struggle to predict rail damage accurately. Thus, this paper proposes a RUL prediction method for rails based on an improved deep spiking residual neural network. First, multichannel data collected by sensors are used directly as input to the predictive network without requiring a separate feature extraction step. Additionally, an encoding module is designed to adaptively convert the temporal sequences of data into spiking signals to reduce the information loss during the encoding process. Second, a spiking residual convolutional neural network (CNN) is incorporated into the proposed method to extract optimal features. The separable, spiking CNN can model the relationships among multichannel data accurately, and an attention mechanism is implemented to recalibrate the spiking feature maps such that the predictive network can distinguish between items of information effectively. Third, the spiking residual connections are altered to mitigate network degradation caused by the incompatibility between the conventional residual connections and the spiking neural network. Finally, the obtained spiking features are input to a fully connected layer to predict the rail RUL. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method can predict the rail RUL accurately, and validation results obtained on a rolling bearing dataset demonstrated the high generalizability of the proposed method.

WORK INJURY RATE IN THE SLOVAK RAILWAYS COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH WORK SAFETY

Like all branches of our economy, also railway transport is based on long-term strategic plans whose aim is to create a transportation policy in order to achieve the most appropriate and equal conditions for all carriers. Coping with safety and hazard prevention must be based mainly on the capabilities of each business entity. The paper points out the issue of employees’ work safety in the Slovak Railways company in connection with the European legislation in the field of safety and health protection at work and its implementation into the laws of the Slovak Republic. It also discusses the issues of employees’ safety at workplaces and summarizes the duties of employees and employers in the field of health and safety protection in railway transport and deals with the implementation of European legislation into the laws of the Slovak Republic. The paper also analyses the safety of employees in railway transport in the form of a survey, whose aim is to determine the state of employees’ safety at workplaces and aims to confirm or refute hypotheses regarding the impact of the quality and effectiveness of internal safety regulations of the Slovak Railways on the safety of employees and also whether the employer implements sufficient measures in order to minimize possible accidents at workplaces.

Modeling of double ground fault modes in power supply systems of non-traction consumers of railway transport

THE PURPOSE. Development of digital models to determine the modes of double ground faults in 6-10 kV overhead signaling lines supplying signaling, centralization and automatic blocking facilities.METHODS. To create the models, methods of multiphase modeling of electric power systems were used, based on the use of lattice equivalent circuits from RLCelements connected according to complete graph circuits. For modeling, the industrial software package Fazonord, developed at the Irkutsk State Transport University, was used.RESULTS. The developed models provide correct accounting of all factors influencing the modes of double ground faults, including increased electromagnetic influences of the traction network. In contrast to known approaches, the dynamics of changes in these influences caused by variations in traction loads during train movement are modeled.CONCLUSION. The proposed approach to modeling double ground fault modes is universal and can be used for standard traction power supply systems, as well as promising high-voltage traction networks. The results obtained can be used in practice to configure relay protection devices for overhead signaling lines in order to reliably detect double ground fault modes and take measures to eliminate them. In addition, the modeling methodology presented in the article can be used when selecting measures to improve the reliability of power supply to signaling and automatic blocking facilities that ensure the safety of train traffic, as well as to develop methods and algorithms for determining distances to places of double ground faults in overhead power lines feeding signaling facilities , centralization and autoblocking. The presented results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed approach for modeling double ground fault modes.

The Impact of the Change Type of Wagon on the Efficiency of the Single Wagon Consignments

Abstract The transportation of shipments by rail is usually more expensive than other modes of transport. The costs are dependent on different factors, like the length of the train route, energy consumption based on traction, or the number of crew members in the train. The total price for using the railway infrastructure is also calculated, as is the total weight of the railway vehicle—the weight of the shipment and the weight of the wagon. The different types of wagons have different properties. For the operators, it is an ideal situation to have good values of the technical coefficient of tare. In the case of good values, the operator has effectively used their vehicle park. Railway transport should be affordable for customers. By operating non-efficient wagons, transport is more expensive and has low efficiency. By reducing the dead weight of the wagon, it is possible to reduce the cost rate. In synergy with this, more efficient and eco-friendly transportation can be achieved by reducing energy consumption. By reducing energy consumption, it is possible to get closer to the goal of the European Union, which is to reduce greenhouse gases from transport.

Selected Aspects of Research on Railway Transport Safety

This article showcases the findings of research conducted at the Faculty of Transport, Electrotechnics, and Informatics of the Technological-Humanistic University in Radom. Initially, it delves into a statistical analysis of measurements procured during automatic ultrasonic testing. By integrating these measurements with distinct features of the diagnostic method and fusing differential coding with traditional lossless compression techniques (like Huffman and dictionary coding), a potent measurement compression algorithm was developed. This algorithm subsequently found application in railway track diagnostics. The primary objective of this article is to illustrate this algorithm's efficiency and benchmark its advantages against other compression techniques. Subsequently, the paper delineates the design of a system tailored for collating operational data and evaluating the reliability and safety of railway automation systems. This concept was actualized under the auspices of a project sponsored by the National Center for Research and Development, PBS3/A6/29/2015. A spotlight will be thrown on the software that acts as an integrative tool, assimilating data from various systems. In its final segments, the article discusses the initiative to harness open systems, premised on the PN-EN 50159:2011 standard, to bolster the safety standards of railway transportation. The first one resulted from the maximum train speed, the second one is the variety of rolling stock used on this line (compartmental and non-compartmental wagons). The part of research concerning collection of measurement material was performed within the framework of completed research work PBS3/A6/29/2015. As a result of conducted in-depth literature analysis as well as performed measurements and calculations, it allowed to develop a model and software for simulating system operation in real conditions. A prototype of this system, accompanied by select research outcomes from railway routes, will be laid out. Ultimately, the article seeks to emphasize the significance of diverse research endeavors that hold the potential to directly enhance the safety and operational efficiency of railway transport.

Regeneration of used lubricants

Problem. The article examines environmental pollution through uncontrolled discharges of lubricants into natural objects, and suggests methods of reducing pollution by installing stands for the regeneration of lubricants. The article is analytical in nature and is based on the survey research method. The object of the author's study is the impact of oil products on the environment and the regeneration and processing of used lubricants by physical, chemical and combined methods. Goal. The goal is to study the collection and regeneration of lubricants and the analysis of machine installations for regeneration. This study aims to analyze actions to reduce uncontrolled discharges of lubricants and their impact on the environment. Methodology. This study is aimed at the analysis of methods to reduce discharges of lubricants caused by human negligence. Results. It is possible to accept environmental sustainability and reduction of man-made impact on the surrounding environment as well as the economic benefit of this project, because the processing of used lubricant reduces the cost of purchasing new lubricant and increases the use of secondary material. Originality. We would like to note that the research and improvement of the regeneration of lubricants continues and this topic is popularized, because it is our future. Lubricants will not disappear anywhere, humanity will continue to use them. Of course, the priority is to reduce the use of oils, but they are needed even in electric cars, not to mention agricultural machinery, airplanes, railway transport, etc. Practical value. The main important aspect is that all the installations as proposed in the article are mobile, they do not require physical exertion for installation, but practical knowledge. Similarly, the tanks for collecting lubricants are mobile and can be easily transported to deliver the lubricant to the place of regeneration. These measures contribute to the preservation of the environment, and eliminate the man-made impact on flora and fauna.

MAIN PROBLEMS OF BARRIER-FREE STREET AND ROAD ENVIRONMENT IN MODERN CONDITIONS

These research materials consider the main problems of barrier-free street and road environment in modern conditions. The importance of studying the main problems and finding their solutions, relying on regulatory documents in order to create a space without barriers, was considered. The current state of ensuring physical accessibility to infrastructure in cities and settlements is analyzed. It was found that in addition to the lack of accessibility elements, an even bigger problem is their incorrect application. The necessity of designing the street and road environment and its elements, taking into account the needs of low-mobility population groups, has been determined. It is necessary to arrange ramps, handrails, etc. on a large number of streets with complex terrain (slopes, stairs, etc.), installation of sound signals, pointers and tactile elements. As for pedestrian crossings, it is a mandatory requirement to equip them with infrastructure that meets the requirements for people with reduced mobility, namely: ribbed pedestrian crossings, raised crossings, sound traffic lights, etc. In order to ensure the unhindered movement of people with limited mobility to the railway transport at the exit and entrance, platforms and stops must be adapted, that is, have canopies, seats, tactile elements, information boards, etc. Also, pavements and roads should be in good condition, there should be no potholes and high curbs, there should be enough parking spaces to provide parking spaces for personal vehicles of persons with disabilities.

Mapping Hydrogen Initiatives in Italy: An Overview of Funding and Projects

The global momentum towards hydrogen has led to various initiatives aimed at harnessing hydrogen’s potential. In particular, low-carbon hydrogen is recognized for its crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and heavy-duty transport. This study focuses on the presentation of all hydrogen-related financing initiatives in Italy, providing a comprehensive overview of the various activities and their geographical locations. The examined funding comes from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), from projects directly funded through the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and from several initiatives supported by private companies or other funding sources (hydrogen valleys). Specific calls for proposals within the PNRR initiative outline the allocation of funds, focusing on hydrogen production in brownfield areas (52 expected hydrogen production plants by 2026), hydrogen use in hard-to-abate sectors and the establishment of hydrogen refuelling stations for both road (48 refuelling stations by 2026) and railway transport (10 hydrogen-based railway lines). A detailed description of the funded initiatives (150 in total) is presented, encompassing their geographical location, typology and size (when available), as well as the funding they have received. This overview sheds light on regions prioritising decarbonisation efforts in heavy-duty transport, especially along cross-border commercial routes, as evident in northern Italy. Conversely, some regions concentrate more on local transport, typically buses, or on the industrial sector, primarily steel and chemical industries. Additionally, the study presents initiatives aimed at strengthening the national manufacturing capacity for hydrogen-related technologies, alongside new regulatory and incentive schemes for hydrogen. The ultimate goal of this analysis is to foster connections among existing and planned projects, stimulate new initiatives along the entire hydrogen value chain, raise an awareness of hydrogen among stakeholders and promote cooperation and international competitiveness.

Research on multi-layer network topology optimization strategy for railway internet of things based on game theory benefits

In the railway system environment, the interconnection of a vast array of intelligent sensing devices has brought about revolutionary changes in the management and monitoring of railway transportation. However, this also poses challenges to the communication service quality within the railway Internet of Things (IoT). Through collective intelligence and collaboration, the nodes within the railway IoT can not only share data and information but also work synergistically to enhance the overall intelligence level and improve decision-making quality of the network. Therefore, this paper proposes a reconnection mechanism based on the computation of node game-theoretic benefits and optimizes this process with the concept of swarm intelligence collaboration. Initially, the game-theoretic benefit values of the nodes in the railway IoT network are calculated. Subsequently, based on the weight priority of the edges, the two edges with the larger weights are selected, and connections are established between nodes with similar game-theoretic benefit values to enhance the network’s robustness. This approach enables rapid networking and efficient communication transmission within the railway IoT, providing robust assurance for the safe and stable operation of the railway.

Electromagnetic Impact of Overhead High-Voltage Lines during Power Transmission on Buried Signaling Cables of the Traffic Control Systems in Modernized Railway Lines

The railway transport system is a key factor supporting industrialization in all aspects of human activity. However, in order not to lose its importance, it must meet the challenge of modern civilization. The safety, reliability, and efficiency of railway transport, to a large degree, depend on using highly integrated electronics, which are very sensitive to various disturbances generated in the electric traction system and train or coming from the environment. One of the sources of electromagnetic disturbances are high-voltage (HV) power lines running close to the railway infrastructure. The purpose was to assess the electromagnetic impact of overhead HV transmission lines on buried signaling cables of the railway traffic control system crossbreeding with them. The levels of voltage induced in the cable under steady state and the earth fault in the HV line at various soil resistivity were estimated. A software tool based on a hybrid numerical method that combines circuit theory and electromagnetic field theory was used for computations. It was found that very high voltages may be induced in the signaling cables during earth faults in the HV lines, which may lead to serious interference or damage to the equipment. The results provide useful knowledge for implementing modern railway traffic control systems and protection measures.

АНАЛИЗ ЛОГИСТИЧЕСКИХ РИСКОВ В УСЛОВИЯХ ПЕРЕОРИЕНТАЦИИ ГРУЗОПОТОКОВ В ВОСТОЧНОМ НАПРАВЛЕНИИ

The Russian market for logistics services is undergoing significant changes. In the context of political pressure from a number of foreign countries and the imposition of a large number of sanctions against the Russian Federation, as well as taking into account the differences in the needs of individual regions and the characteristics of foreign trade relations, there is a sharp reorientation of cargo flows in the eastern direction. Such dramatic changes in supply chains occur in parallel with a significant increase in logistics risks, which raises the issue of their timely and comprehensive analysis. Taking into account the peculiarities of the geographical location of the Russian Federation, railway transport, along with road transport, plays a vital role in organizing the transportation process of various types of goods. Therefore, the analysis of open data from official sources on the transportation of container cargo through the network of JSC Russian Railways was chosen as the methodological basis of the paper. Based on data from the container shipping market, an analysis of existing logistics risks, as well as the factors that provoke their emergence, is provided. The key risks in logistics include transport, warehouse, procurement and distribution logistics risks, and uncertainty, chance and resistance are identified as the main factors of their occurrence. The paper outlines the importance of minimizing logistics risks when organizing the transportation process in the eastern direction of Russia and provides a number of ways to reduce the likelihood of risk occurrence. One of these methods is risk dissipation. The implementation of this method is shown by the example of the implementation of an organizational group of activities at the Eastern training ground, which allows reducing the load on the railway and port infrastructure. As a result, the likelihood of risk occurring in logistics processes is reduced.

НОВЫЕ ВЫЗОВЫ В ОТНЕСЕНИИ ЗАТРАТ НА ПРОИЗВОДСТВО ТРАНСПОРТНОЙ ПРОДУКЦИИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ СТРУКТУРЫ ГРУЗООБОРОТА

The paper provides a brief overview of existing methods for determining the cost of railway transportation for tariff purposes. The relevance of resuming calculations of sectional costs in certain directions of the transport network is considered. Some results of calculations of unit transport costs on the railways of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are presented. Existing methods for calculating transport costs depend on the purpose of the calculations and the depth of the planning horizon. Depending on the availability of source data, various cost groupings can be used to calculate transport and economic standards. Transport and economic calculations in Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have common historical roots, as they were based on the same scientific school. However, at present, taking into account the independent development of these states, the methodology for these calculations has changed. In this regard, significant difficulties arose in determining the compliance and reliability of transport costs. The division of the transport business into separate components has made it impossible to determine consolidated transportation costs. Moreover, the degree of separation and fragmentation of transport costs varies in different countries. Transport economists are faced with the urgent task of reviving and improving the lost source data for determining transport and economic standards. Without these standards, it is impossible to design a new system of transport tariffs. In this case, transport tariffs play a decisive role in the search for efficient transport corridors, both in direct and local communications. Recommendations are given for changing the system for forecasting traffic volumes and related economic indicators. Ways to solve the problem of matching transport tariffs with the costs of transporting goods are proposed.

MODERN METHODS OF DIGITALIZATIONOF ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES

The pace and scale of digitalization of modern global information society opens up new business opportunities. At the same time, they pose new challenges for business owners and managers. Increasing digitalization has enabled various new forms of enterprise operation, but it has also forced companies to reflect on their current strategy early on. Given this fact, the aim of the study is to present the impact of digitalization on enterprise activities by stimulating the use of online sales through electronic distribution channels, social networks and mobile applications. To confirm this impact, the authors propose a comparative system for assessing the parameters of digitalization impact on the activities of an enterprise. On the basis of the developed «tree of goals», the dynamics of digitalization of services is projected and prospects for the development of this field of activity are outlined. To test the proposed methodology, a railway passenger transportation company (OJSC Russian Railways) was chosen as the object of study. Research methods used in the study include: 1) statistical; 2) SWOT analysis; 3) systematization, comparative and structural-dynamic analysis; 4) expert survey. As a result of identifying the impact of individual elements of digitalization on the level of activity, a number of recommendations are proposed for the development of digitalization of services for the sale of electronic tickets and their accounting for railway passenger transportation enterprises. Given the relevance of the topic under study, the structure is understood as a solid basis for further discussion and future research. Growth strategies for companies are identified and described, as well as the assets and capabilities required for successful digital transformation. A research program is proposed to stimulate the activities of enterprises in the field of digitalization.