Our client is a national railroad infrastructure manager , responsible for the modernization, development and maintenance of the railroad network . The company strives to provide reliable and efficient rail infrastructure, crucial for passenger and freight transportation, implementing priority infrastructure modernization projects on international transport corridors. To automate rail siding operations, the company has implemented the Yard Management System (YMS), an advanced tool for managing siding traffic and shunting operations.
Project background
Prior to implementing YMS, the company was using two systems: OPKIS and STOKIS, which had limited capabilities to comprehensively manage sidings and operations between them. What was needed was a WEB-based system that would automate and optimize processes related to the management of sidings, including train movements, railcar shunting, and the adjustment of infrastructure to current requirements.
Challenges
- Managing operations at 130 sidings: Coordinate traffic and shunting operations between numerous rail sidings across the country .
- Process automation: Need to automate shunting operations, including entering documents, generating reports, and tracking operation statuses.
- Siding visualization: Provide a vector map of rail infrastructure on sidings, enabling dynamic planning of operations and avoiding shunting conflicts.
- Capacity monitoring: Increase railroad capacity while controlling traffic and operations on sidings.
- Reservation of a time window allowing the train to enter the selected siding
Solutions
1. Implement Yard Management System (YMS):
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- Siding Operations Management: YMS handles all operations at 130 rail sidings, including train movement between sidings, car shunting, arrivals and departures.
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- Document automation: The system allows automatic entry of documents such as schedules, vehicle lists, station crossings and shunting documents (shunting request), which operators can process in real time.
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- Monitoring operation statuses: Operators can keep track of document execution statuses (completed, in progress, not completed) and plan actions according to the dynamic situation on the siding.
2. Passportization and vector visualization of infrastructure:
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- Vector model of sidings: each siding has a vector map of tracks and platforms, switches, which takes into account such parameters as track occupancy (in meters or pieces), type of tracks (width, electrification) and current restrictions (e.g., renovations).
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- Dynamic depot management: With drag-and-drop functionality, operators can easily move cars and locomotives between tracks, adjusting the view to suit their preferences.
3. Optimization of maneuvers:
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- Automation of shunting operations: Based on shunting documents, the system automatically distributes wagons to the appropriate tracks, enabling convenient management of depots on sidings. Operators can monitor the progress of operations in real time and approve individual shunting steps.
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- Tracking the movement of wagons: The system allows you to track the movement of wagons and their status. In the case of incomplete operations (e.g., moving only a part of the depot), the system records the status and requires the reason for not completing the operation.
4. Configure movement paths:
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- Shunting paths: the system allows you to configure shunting routes (e.g. A-B-C or E-F-G), taking into account dynamic conditions such as track occupancy, repairs or other obstacles. Automatic notifications of conflicts where a collision or congestion may occur.
5. Reporting and analysis:
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- Extensive reports: The YMS system enables the generation of extensive reports on the status of sidings, the movement of railcars, the execution of shunting and the work of operators.
6. BMS: Billing Management System records all operations of moving wagons of another carrier, which allows precise financial settlement for the services performed. The data is transferred to the SAP system, where invoices are generated.
Results
- Increased operational efficiency: With the implementation of YMS, our client has significantly increased the efficiency of siding operations management by automating documentation and shunting processes.
- Improved traffic coordination: Graphical visualization of sidings and dynamic track management have enabled easier planning and execution of operations, minimizing the risk of collisions or congestion.
- Optimizing infrastructure utilization: The ability to configure shunting paths and monitor track occupancy has increased railroad capacity and improved infrastructure management.
- Precise billing of operations: The BMS has made it possible to accurately bill carriers for shunting operations performed, which has streamlined financial processes.
Examples
- Automatic shunting documents: the system automatically generates documents, such as shunting requests, based on which operators carry out shunting operations.
- Graphic visualization of sidings: operators can easily manage tracks and depots with dynamic track visualization and drag-and-drop functionality.
- Shunting optimization: Thanks to automation, the system independently distributes wagons to the appropriate tracks, speeding up shunting operations.
- Maneuver conflicts: The system automatically detects conflicts in maneuvering operations, preventing errors and delays.
Summary
The implementation of the Yard Management System (YMS) has significantly improved the management of rail siding operations, automating key processes and increasing the efficiency of rail traffic.With advanced graphical visualization, dynamic track management and reporting, the company has achieved better control of rail traffic and optimization of infrastructure utilization. The BMS has provided full transparency and effective billing to carriers for operations performed.
