Deliverable 29.8 Live-Demo of Video Gates showing process optimization in a German yard

Deliverable D29.8 of the FP5 TRANS4M R project comprises the successful execution of the live demonstration of Intelligent Video Gates (IVGs) for process optimisation in a German yard. This report forms part of the deliverable and serves to document and evaluate the demonstration conducted at the Nürnberg site. The main part of the deliverable was performed as the live demo.

The objective of this deliverable is to assess how IVGs, as part of Europe’s Rail digitalisation strategy, can optimise and partially automate freight processes such as maintenance order management.

The live demonstration served as a central component of this assessment, designed to provide participants with a first-hand understanding of the IVG technology, its operational principles, and its integration into yard processes. The event combined a concise theoretical introduction with a real-time presentation of the system in operation.

During the live session, participants observed freight wagons passing through the IVG system while data, e.g. UIC wagon number, images of the different perspectives of the wagon and the timestamp of the passing wagon, were automatically captured, processed, and analysed. This direct observation allowed attendees to follow the complete digital workflow: from data acquisition to automated analysis and integration into maintenance processes, leading to make the system’s functionality and benefits tangible.

In addition to showcasing the new digital process, the demonstration illustrated the transition from traditional manual inspection procedures to the IVG and Artificial Intelligence (AI) supported workflow. The comparison clearly demonstrated the advantages of the new approach, including greater operational efficiency, improved accuracy, and higher levels of automation in data handling and process management.

The demonstration confirmed that IVGs can reliably generate a digital footprint of freight operations and can be successfully embedded into yard processes. They enhance efficiency, accuracy, and transparency while supporting predictive maintenance and cross-border interoperability.

The Nürnberg showcase thus provides a concrete example and roadmap for further deployment and standardization across Europe. It demonstrates that IVGs are not only technically mature but also ready for large-scale implementation as a cornerstone technology for the digitalization of European rail freight.