How Rail Companies Stay On Track

Rail companies represent a significant positive sustainability impact, with a predicted market of up to $42.4 billion by 2031. Supporting this environmental responsibility requires a careful balance between revenue and the cost-effectiveness of rail management. Additionally, for the modal shift plan to become a reality, the rail industry needs to be a front runner. It must be at least as digitally savvy, if not more so, than its peer industries, such as aviation. The aviation industry’s more centralized structure, especially in air traffic control, has facilitated the implementation of standardized data-sharing protocols. It has built a far more sophisticated data management foundation compared to rail industry.

Accelerating transformation utilizing a single platform with connected assets

Other factors, such as a greater focus on rolling stock modernization, a cautious approach to innovation due to associated risks, and the high cost of implementation, have all contributed to the industry’s relatively slower adoption of digital technologies. Digital transformation is a proven method of revolutionizing asset management for rail companies. And it’s more than just technological upgrades. It includes implementing a single environment that optimizes rail asset management and rolling stock maintenance. This is done by using big data analytics alongside planning. Processes that have—so far—remained largely manual, increasing both efficiency and sustainability are transformed.

There is also significant focus and investment in building digital twins for old assets. This enables the utilization of critical information for asset management procedures. It includes data intelligence, spare parts management, schedule optimization, and maintenance standard operating procedures.

A railway company’s path to being more efficient

Key sustainability imperatives for assets in rail are cost affordability and higher fleet availability.

·       Improving asset reliability: Elevating asset reliability is crucial to improve overall performance and reduce downtime

·       Impact of data analytics on intelligent maintenance: Harnessing the potential of data analytics enables intelligent maintenance, optimizing and automating processes for improved efficiency

·       Reducing meantime to recovery (MTTR): Streamlining asset recovery and repair timelines ensures minimal disruption and maximizes operational uptime

·       Understanding and investigating asset issues: Methodical analysis and investigation of asset issues lay the groundwork for swift and precise maintenance responses, expediting problem resolution

·       Supply chain management: Facilitating successful asset management and a well-organized supply chain by ensuring the accurate spare parts and resources are precisely positioned for seamless operations

Discover the right technologies for digital asset management in rail

DELMIA for Rail Freight offers capabilities to optimize planning across all horizons, from strategic to day-of-operations scheduling. It provides rail freight planning, supply chain management, rolling stock utilization optimization, and yard management. Unlock dynamic pricing and transport cost optimization and solve challenges quickly and effectively, including last-minute orders and disruptions of operations. It also offers capabilities to define individualized maintenance levels for each asset configuration based on operation, configuration, upgrade, and preventative tasks. Use rolling stock data analytics mapping to create a data model to run maintenance scenarios and select the best strategy for fleet availability.

DELMIA helps network managers, and railway infrastructure companies operate at their best. You can maximize capacity and make intelligent, financially sound decisions for operations, maintenance, and growth across all time horizons—from years ahead to the day of operations. Take control of your network and infrastructure management contracting to ensure more sustainable, safe, and convenient rail connections.

Download DELMIA’s e-book “Staying On Track with Sustainable Digital Asset Management in Rail” to learn more.