AG Signalling im DB Rail Lab

Research project AG Signalling im DB Rail Lab

Project name Interdisciplinary Research on the Railway Control and Safety Systems of the future
Acronym AG Signalling in the DB RailLab
Project partner
Duration since 2016
Project content Railway Control and Safety Systems (RCSS) are of critical importance for the realization of train operations, which ensure the safety of passengers, freight and infrastructure, as well as the optimal utilization of the capacity of the railway network.
Currently, a window of opportunity is opening for the renewal of RCSS technology: On one hand, new technologies like continuous train detection are emerging, and the European Signalling and Safety System ETCS is introduced – on the other hand, many of the partly 100-year-old interlocking systems in Germany are nearing the end of their life cycle.
Mastering this renewal will allow this environmental-friendly means of transport to stay sustainable under increasing competitive pressure.
AG Signalling is working interdisciplinary to realize the vision of a completely digital RCSS technology.

Our Vision
Railway Operations will be controlled by a uniform, platform-independent RCSS technology, which
  • simplifies and accelerates planning and certification processes
  • significantly increases the usage of existing infrastructure capacity
  • is ergonomic and easy to use
  • is modular and easy to apply to existing and new infrastructure
  • flexibly reacts to changes in the infrastructure
  • is robust with respect to technical and operational faults
  • is secure against attacks from the outside
  • increases cost efficiency