About IRSC
The International Rail Safety Council (IRSC) is a global forum for railway safety experts, regulators, and industry leaders. It focuses on sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovations to improve rail safety worldwide, primarily through its annual conference. The IRSC promotes international collaboration to reduce accidents and enhance rail safety systems.
www.inteernational-railway-safety-council.com
About the Panelists
- Head of Safety & Operations - European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), Bart Accou
- ÖBB Program Manager of the Digital Automatic Coupling, Constanze Bannholzer
- CCO of Nevomo, Stefan Kirch
- Vice President of Transit Engineering at Wabtec Corporation, Paolo Paliero
- Director General of UNIFE, Enno Wiebe
- Secretary General International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP), Gilles Peterhans
- Founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, Matt Soule
My Key Take Aways
- Reality Check: Gilles made it clear that we need to face reality—the modal shift is not happening with the current setup of rail freight. We need to embrace innovation, rethink the ecosystem, and change the game.
- New Potential for Modal Shift: Matt explained that with self-propelled autonomous railcars, a new, attractive rail service could be offered for the so-called Class 2 and Class 3 railroads in the U.S., allowing smaller volumes to be transported over shorter distances.
- Challenges in Homologation: Stefan highlights the difficulties of approving new rail technologies, as their system blurs the lines between traditional rail and maglev, with the pods "flying" over the tracks.
- Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC): Constanze emphasizes DAC as a game-changing innovation for efficiency and safety in European rail freight, though it is not yet fully embraced by the sector.
- Data-Driven Innovation: Gilles stresses the need for better use of data to improve safety and efficiency and calls for harmonization across countries.
- Technological vs. Operational Gaps: Paolo discusses the innovation gap between freight and passenger rail, noting that advanced locomotives contrast with underdeveloped freight wagons, impacting safety.
- Safety and Technology: Bart advocates for an integrated approach to safety, focusing on both technological and operational improvements that support operators.
- Courage for Innovation: Panelists call for courage, optimism, and openness to innovation, despite the challenges of introducing new technologies into legacy systems.
- Mindset and People: The panel concludes that innovation in rail requires not only technology but also the right mindset and motivated individuals to drive change.
Sebastian Sperker
www.railup.club
sebastian@railup.club
