Looking at the world's carbon footprint, railway networks offer a huge opportunity: Sustainable CO2-neutral growth can only be achieved through transporting significantly more people and goods by rail.
However, to realise the full potential of rail mobility, innovative technologies are required. All essential components of rail operations need to seamlessly integrate and communicate with each other in order to achieve game-changing benefits on a global scale.
Expert collaboration
This is what RailCampus OWL (RailCampus) is all about: a strong expert network and collaboration platform driving research and the practical implementation of digital transformation in the rail sector. Headquartered in Minden, Germany, it offers a unique platform for professional exchange and the joint development and testing of novel railway solutions. Several universities and academic institutions, Deutsche Bahn as a major European railway operator, a range of specialised manufacturers and local authorities all work together to create an ecosystem to pilot intelligent, efficient, connected railway technology ready for the future.
One original manufacturer that recently joined RailCampus is German inertial sensor specialist ASC Sensors. ASC’s managing director Renate Bay explained: “Our goal is to help shape the future of transport and mobility through value-adding an, digital and smart sensor systems. We’ve decided to join RailCampus to develop novel solutions that advance global rail transport.”
Critical sensor technology
The safe and economical operation of railway networks, as well as critical rail infrastructure offers great potential for automation. Therefore, highly precise, robust and cost-effective sensor technology represents a firm part of all concepts to strengthen railway success.
Bay added: “As a manufacturer specialising in custom conception, design and production of flexible inertial sensor systems, including a wide range of digital and smart sensors, we see RailCampus as an invaluable opportunity to learn and contribute our expertise and cutting-edge sensor technologies.
“Intense exchange and trustful collaboration will facilitate the creation and testing of new approaches and previously unimaginable solutions. Anything making it to market will be based firmly on the needs of rail transport and infrastructure providers. By joining RailCampus, at ASC we look forward to making further leaps in contributing to a safe, efficient, sustainable future of railway mobility.”
Facilitating sustainable mobility
The network’s primary focus is to define, implement and coordinate a feasible, well-synchronised railway innovation ecosystem of research, education, businesses and regulatory authorities that improves the smooth running and further uptake of smart rail networks of improved safety, capacity and overall productivity.
In particular, through its members and third-party collaborations, the RailCampus network seeks to make a difference over today’s standards in these areas:
- Technology: pool interests and strengthen the framework for implementing ‘smart’ railway technology
- Transfer: create a collaboration platform to transfer relevant knowledge and catalyze scientific dialogue
- Qualification: initiate and promote value-adding training programs
- Innovation: establish a regional, national and European research campus for innovative railway systems
- Integration: support the conversion of research into real-world applications
Through all this, not only will RailCampus provide collaborative space for academic research, studies and training. It also facilitates hands-on development, engineering and testing to turn scientific hypotheses into tangible real-word outcomes. As improved railway efficiency will be key to a sustainable future of mobility.
