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          Discover Innovation pillar
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          Innovation Pillar

          EU-Rail’s Innovation Pillar (IP) is tasked to deliver operational and technological solutions that contribute to a more efficient, flexible, and demand-led, yet safe and environmentally sustainable European railway system. The activities undertaken aim at large-scale demonstrations and they also cover technologies of all readiness levels as well as exploratory research.

          Explore System pillar

          About

          The System Pillar is the “generic system integrator” for the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), and the architect of the future EU’s railway system.

          Outputs

          Discover key outputs from the System Pillar.

          Governance

          Discover the Governance structure and key decisions from the System Pillar.

          Key documents

          Discover the System Pillar document library.

          Discover System pillar

          System Pillar

          The System Pillar provides governance, resource, and outputs to support a coherent and coordinated approach to the evolution of the rail system and the development of the system view.

          Discover Deployment Group
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          Deployment Group

          The Deployment Group advises the EU-Rail Governing Board on the market uptake of rail innovation developments and support their deployment. Its activities thus form a bridge between the research and innovation process and the coordinated implementation through recommendations for deployment in the rail system.

          Explore the DAC Delivery Programme

          For a successful and effective implementation of the Digital Automatic Coupler for European rail freight (DAC), it is of crucial importance to have open, close and efficient cooperation between rail stakeholders. The European DAC Delivery Programme enabled by Europe’s Rail, offers a unique European platform for such cooperation and collaboration.

          About Shift2Rail

          Explore more information about the Europe's Rail predecessor programme.

          Explore Shift2Rail

          Shift2Rail Programme

          Explore the detailed information about the Shift2Rail Innovation Programmes.

          Organisation

          Explore the structure of the Shift2Rail programme.

          Shift2Rail Projects

          Get a glimpse of the Shift2Rail Projects and their achievements.

          Discover Shift2Rail

          The Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking is the predecessor programme of the Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), established by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021.

           

        • Projects

          Discover detailed information on Europe's rail innovation initiatives, showcasing flagship and other projects aimed at enhancing rail systems across Europe. It highlights collaborative efforts funded by the European Union to develop sustainable, efficient, and competitive rail transport solutions.

           

          Solutions catalogue

          Europe’s Rail Catalogue of Solutions illustrates successful R&I results in the form of possible products and solutions, while highlighting the benefits for final users, operators, infrastructure managers and/or suppliers. This publication also outlines the advantages of integrating demonstrators into market solutions so that they can deliver the rail innovation Capabilities of the future.

        • Who we are?

          About Europe's Rail

          Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) is established by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021. It is the new European partnership on rail research and innovation established under the Horizon Europe programme (2020-2027) and the universal successor of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking.

           

          Explore About Europe's Rail

          Mission and objectives

          The objective of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking is to deliver a high capacity integrated European railway network by eliminating barriers to interoperability and providing solutions for full integration, covering traffic management, vehicles, infrastructure and services, aiming to achieve faster uptake and deployment of projects and innovations.

          Preparatory Activities

          Discover the the processes and background information on the preparation of the Joint Undertaking.

          Jobs

          Browse latest Europe's Rail vacancies.

          Discover Europe's Rail Members

          Find out the full list of Europe's Rail Members.

           

          Explore Structure of Governance

          Governing Board & General Assembly

          The Europe's Rail Governing Board oversees Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking, guiding strategy, budgets, and work plans. It includes the European Commission and rail industry stakeholders, aiming to innovate and integrate Europe's rail systems, boosting efficiency, sustainability, and alignment with EU Green Deal goals.

          States Representatives Group

          The Europe's Rail States Representatives Group advises the Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking. It comprises representatives from EU member states and associated countries, ensuring alignment of Europe's Rail activities with national policies, facilitating cooperation, and providing input on rail innovation, integration, and sustainable development across Europe.

          Scientific Steering Group

          The Europe's Rail Scientific Steering Group provides scientific and technical advice to the Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking. Comprising experts from academia and research institutions, it ensures that research projects align with cutting-edge science and innovation, supporting the development of a modern, sustainable European rail system.

          Executive Director

          Find out more information about the Europe's Rail Executive Director.

          Discover Structure of Governance

          Discover the full structure and governance of Europe's Rail, including the decisions of the Governing Board.

           

          Explore Reference Documents

          Key Documents

          Discover main Europe's Rail documentation.

          Annual Work Plan and Budget

          Find out about our key priortires in our Annual Work Plans and Budget.

          Annual Activity Report

          Discover the progress of our programme by downloading Europe's Rail Annual Activity Reports.

          Annual Accounts

          Have a full overview of Europe's Rail Annual Accounts.

          Functioning of the Europe's Rail JU

          Discover key documentation describing the general functioning of the JU.

          Discover Reference Documents

          Get access to Europe's Rail main reference documents, including Annual Work Plans, Annual Activity Reports, Annual Accounts and other important information.

           

News

Evaluation models of ‘Modal Shift’

DOWNLOAD HERE

Description: The report describes the results of applying the modal shift evaluation models to the Shift2Rail impact scenario, as well as, eight alternative future scenarios such as autonomous vehicles (AVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) with and without effects of S2R innovations. The analysis shows that the Shift2Rail innovations have potential to deliver substantial increases in rail demand for all analysed market segments except metro.

Target audience: All rail stakeholders

How it brings us closer to achieving better rail for Europe: The deliverable describes the main drivers for the modal shifts for the four System Platform Demonstrators (High-Speed, Regional, urban/metro and freight. This helps to better understand the priorities to be put for each SPD.

More information on this topic: CCA Work Areas


Drive-by-Data demonstrator support

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Description: This deliverable details the Drive-by-Data (DbD) hardware validation and supporting procedures of Safe4RAIL-2 project for the demonstrators of CONNECTA-2.

Target audience: Operators (rail operator companies); Suppliers (vehicle and part manufacturers)

How it brings us closer to achieving better rail for Europe: The deliverable proves the integration in train network devices of Drive-by-Data (DbD) technology, which is based on Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) and increases the time precision of the data managed in the TCMS.

More information on this topic: TD 1.2 – Train Control and Monitoring System Demonstrator


Advanced Wireless Technologies and Applications for Wireless TCMS

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Description: This deliverable summarizes the activities done in WP2 on advanced technologies for wireless TCMS, such as 5G, wireless Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) and Virtual Coupling.

Target audience: Operators (rail operator companies); Suppliers (vehicle and part manufacturers)

How it brings us closer to achieving better rail for Europe: The application of advanced wireless technologies in the wireless TCMS will increase its capabilities in terms of time precision and throughput.

More information on this topic: TD 1.2 – Train Control and Monitoring System Demonstrator


Terms of reference, requirements and specifications for novel journal bearing concept

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Description: The GEARBODIES project is part of Innovation Programme 1 (IP1) “Cost-efficient and reliable trains, including high-capacity trains and high-speed trains”. The review and preliminary assessment of existing and emerging technologies and technical solutions, as well as the definition of requirements for specific use cases identified are key pre-requisites for further work. The selected available solutions and the requirements for key use cases for journal bearings enabled the definition of specifications for technologies and technical solutions that would be further developed and tested in GEARBODIES, at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-5.

Target audience: Operators (rail operator companies); Infrastructure management companies; Suppliers (vehicle and part manufacturers)

How it brings us closer to achieving better rail for Europe: The journal bearings are the elements that connect the wheelset (more precisely the part of the axle called the journal) to the axleboxes, which in return support the primary suspension. Their main function is to allow free relative rotation of the connected parts whilst transferring all the required loads (longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and all torques except about the lateral axis). GEARBODIES focusses on the Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) aspects of bearing units, and in particular their lifetime, which is the main cost driver for this component. In particular, extending maintenance intervals for high-speed applications could lead to significant operator benefits.

More information on this topic: GEARBODIES

Europe's Rail