The advantages of an open railway standardisation system...

The advantages of an open railway standardisation system

when building a high -speed when building a high -speed railway network

Philippe Citroën

Director General, UNIFE, Brussels

12th July 2012, Session:Standards, Interoperability & Human Factors

UNIFE Members

� 77 Full Members� 18 Associate members, incl. 16 National Associations

� 400,000 direct and indirect employees

The construction of a High-Speed Rail Network in the US - challenges

The development and choice of appropriate rail stan dards for the development of High-speed lines will be essential t o ensure the success of the US High-speed program:

� Standards may influence competition between supplie rs and ultimately, the business case and costs of building and operati ng a High-speed network

Philippe CitroënDirector General, UNIFE, Brussels12th July 2012, Session: Standards, Interoperability & Human Factors

� The use of proven standards and technologies VS “pr oject specific/tailored solutions” is an important cost r eduction factor

� Standards strongly impact the ability to interconne ct High-speed and conventional rail/freight

� Finally full interoperability between projects is o nly made possible if a unique set of high-speed standards is chosen

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UNIFE believes that an open system of standards like the EU one brings strong assets

Architecture of the European rail standardisation system

Mandatory

European

European Commission,

supported by ERA

EU Directives and Regulations EU institutions

TSI’s and safety regulations

EN Standards


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Company internal specifications

Voluntary

European Standardisation

bodies

UNIFE , UIC etc.

Individual Companies

EN Standards

Industry standards


Mandatory

European


supported by ERA



EN Standards

General policydocuments, e.g.-Interoperability

Directive- Safety

Directive…


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Voluntary


bodies

UNIFE , UIC etc.


EN Standards

Industry standards


Mandatory

European


supported by ERA



EN Standards

- Set up requirements that are necessary for

achieving interoperability- Mandatory by

EU law


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Voluntary


bodies

UNIFE , UIC etc.


EN Standards

Industry standards


Mandatory

European


supported by ERA



EN Standards

The standards provide technical support to legal

requirements, e.g. - Technical precise

definitions; -Methods for the


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Voluntary


bodies

UNIFE , UIC etc.


EN Standards

Industry standards

-Methods for the assessment of conformity…

They are applied on a voluntary basis, but can be

part of EU law (e.g. TSI)

Advantages of the EU railway regulation and standardisation system


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1. Competition on the supply market

� The European system has put an end to “domestic monopolies” (‘one supplier per country’) and opened the supply market

� It therefore ensures maximum competition on the sup ply side:


• The largest railway manufacturing companies in the world are used to the European system of regulations and norms, they may bring this knowledge to their subsidiaries and partners in America

• Japanese, Chinese, US suppliers are also able to tender on this basis (and have already done so !)

� As opposed to other standardisation systems no “vend or lock-in” or preference given to a single supplier

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More competition, lower prices

2. Safety & reliability

� Together with the initial objective of technical co mpatibility, the safety of the railway system as a whole was the main underlining objective of the interoperability proce ss

� A coherent system of regulations and standards has been built on the basis of the two Directives:


• Technical rules for sub-systems under the interoperability Directive, as exhaustive as possible, so as to get clear criteria for design and authorization, independently of the operator that will run the transport system

• Common methods for the safety management of the system under the responsibility of the operating actors under the Safety Directive

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Comprehensive and “open” safety management system

3. Interoperability & flexibility of usage� The European system was built to ensure seamless tr affic on 25 different

railway systems, allowing also for mixed traffic on conventional lines (between High Speed lines, conventional lines and f reight lines)

• It allows for interconnection with pre-existing infrastructures as well as for interconnection of different High Speed corridors

• It allows for the same rolling stock to be operated on corridors going through these technical and political borders, thanks to the standardization of interfaces (e.g.


technical and political borders, thanks to the standardization of interfaces (e.g. ERTMS standard specifications)

• It also allows for possible separation of the management of operations and infrastructure

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Interoperability and flexibility of usage between passenger & freight

Compatibility of different suppliers’ equipment ERTMS trackside contracts, in tracks km (excluding frame contracts), April 2012 – Source: UNIFE

4. Freely available in all languages

� As opposed to other railway standards and regulatio ns, the European ones were drafted in English.

� They were subsequently translated in all European languages

� These standards are freely available in the public domain


� These standards are freely available in the public domain

• TSI and other railway regulations are downloadable from the ERA website (www.era.europa.eu)

• EN standards can all be bought to any European member state standard institute. Information available on www.cen.eu - www.cenelec.eu

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Readily available for usage

5. Availability of expertise

� The engineering forces of all UNIFE members have be en mobilised during 15 years to build the European syst ems of rules and standards

• A unique expertise, shared by hundreds of English-speaking engineers, is therefore available

• This expertise could be mobilised to help building an American system of


• This expertise could be mobilised to help building an American system of High Speed rail regulations

• Possible cooperation with other bodies, such as the European Railway Agency or UIC

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Availability of relevant expertise

Conclusions� The European standardisation system provides

considerable advantages – it is open, readily available, flexible, whilst ensuring the highest levels of saf ety and interoperability

� It can be used both in the case of « dedicated » High Speed lines and in a « mixed » traffic situation


� UNIFE has developed a unique expertise in the constr uction of this open standardisation system and is willing to help and contribute to the elaboration of a US High Speed standardisation system

� UNIFE welcomes the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between FRA and ERA to strenghtencooperation in this respect

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...Thank you...Thank youfor your kind attention

The advantages of an open railway standardisation system...

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