Telematic Applications for Freight - TAF TSI
On 23 December 2005 the European Commission published the TAF Regulation (Telematic Applications for Freight) – the first IT-related TSI* (Technical Specification for Interoperability). National implementation has to be completed by 2014. Most member states have delivered a national deployment plan which was aggregated to the SEDP (Strategic European Deployment Plan). This national commitment was the basis for the original TAF TSI implementation timeline.
The aim of the TAF TSI is to define the data exchange between Infrastructure Managers (IMs) and Railway Undertakings (RUs) and between the members of these two groups. But the TAF TSI itself is not ready to be implemented by the rail industry, which needs to review some parts of it. Then it will be possible to modify the original timeline and some parts of the TAF TSI. This work is being done within the TAF TSI Working Groups, which are part of the TAF TSI implementation project.
In addition to IT issues, the TAF TSI describes business processes involving IMs and RUs. For this reason the TAF TSI could have a deep impact on the existing international rail infrastructure business processes as well. The TAF, or at least the IT interfaces with other partners, must be implemented in a similar way by all TAF TSI partners, including the IMs.
As it was the IMs’ aim to co-ordinate the international implementation of the TAF TSI, RNE was mandated by its members to carry out this task during the TAF TSI development phase. This includes the management of the TAF TSI IM Cluster, which represents IMs in the project, and the joint cluster Working Groups (WG), which were set up and defined together with the TAF TSI RU Cluster. In this way, it was possible to use the RNE business process for Timetabling and Operations as the basis for the TAF TSI processes. The TAF TSI project organisation and the mapping with the RNE WGs are presented in the graph below.
It must be stressed that most of the work required to implement the TAF TSI must be done by the rail industry itself – the WGs will define the detailed, internationally-agreed specifications for the TAF TSI functions. Therefore national action will be necessary to develop the agreed specifications for the national IT systems.
TAF TSI Project Organisation:
These functions, reviewed by the Working Groups (WGs), require to define
- When (at which point in a specific process)
- What (which kind of information and content ) has to be sent to
- Whom (partner or partners) and
- How (which format) the data must be exchanged between the partners.
The various IM-related TAF TSI functions which are covered by WGs are:
→ WG 1 - Reference Files (click for details)
Agree about unique location and company reference IDs and the technical and functional process how to maintain them as
Task:
The TAF TSI regulation requires a unique identification for the locations and the companies. Therefore the data elements and attributes have to be agreed. Beside that possible technical solutions how to maintain these IDs have to be defined. The support of the Deployment Team with input about the needed functional data model is to be given. The working group should develop the implementation guidelines to describe and to use the reference files for locations and companies.
Project status:
The WG has already agreed about the technical codification for the company and location ID. In addition the technical solution for the maintenance of the location ID was drafted. To implement a process to maintain the location reference file is up to national solution. The Working group is now starting on writing the Implementation Guideline, explaining in detail all the results of the working group.
→ WG 2 - Train run information
Defines the information flow between the partners during train run including train run forecast, train location information and service disruption.
Task:
As the requirements for information exchange during the train run described within the TAF TSI regulation are offering a lot of space for different interpretations, in order to ensure the same understanding and harmonised implementation the operational experts with the support of IT experts, both from the IM and RU companies, together described the process of Train Running and Service Disruption and defined the needed messages to be exchanged during the processes.
Project status:
The process description for Train Running and for handling the Service Disruptions between neighbouring IMs and with contracted RU were made. Messages to be exchange during these processes were deeply analysed and their content and structure was agreed between the working group members. Working group is now continuing on writing the Implementation Guideline, explaining in details all the results of the working group.
→ WG 3 - Train preparation
Defines the train ready and train composition messages.
Task:
Based on the requirements stated in the TAF TSI regulation, working group developed the business process description for Train Preparation process and defined and analysed the messages to support the information exchange during the whole process.
Project Status:
The WG has created two process descriptions for Train preparation process. One process is to be used in the open access mode, so if one RU is operating the train along the several IM networks and second process is reflecting the situation when several RUs are cooperating in train operation. Also the first analyses of content and structure of the related messages were made.
→ WG 4 - Infrastructure restriction database
Will be a reference database containing the existing infrastructure restrictions on the network. It is not planned to use this source for security-related issues.
Task:
Based on TAF/TSI regulation, an RU is obliged to take into account all restrictions in the Infrastructure Restriction Notice Database (IRNDB) affecting its train running until the pre-departure period. For this the IMs must install and fill-in IRNDBs. WG 4 “IRNDB” should secure that each country will produce their own system based on a common European approach.
Project status:
The ongoing project work showed that there are various open points and questions without clear answers. As they have an influence on several TSIs, the implementation of an IRNDB as it is foreseen by the TAF/TSI regulation is impossible. Governance bodies have to solve first all the open points.
→ WG 5 - Short-Term Path Request
Defines the information flow between IMs and RUs for short-term path requests.
Task:
Due to exceptions during the train running or due to transport demands on a short-time basis, a railway undertaking must have the possibility to get an ad-hoc path on the network. According processes including detail descriptions for placing short term path requests as well as for cancellations and alterations of already contracted paths have to be developed. Even if the long-term planning of the timetables is out with the scope of TAF TSI, the WG has to clarify in addition if at some points there will be reference to the outcome of the long-term planning.
Project status:
The WG has created two processes, one for a full and one for a partial harmonisation by the IMs. These processes had been validated on company level (IM & RU members of the WG).
→ WG 10 - Train Transport ID
The Train Transport ID is required by all functions of the TAF TSI and is to be defined together with the RUs under the umbrella of RNE and the TAF TSI.
Task:
Definition and preparation of an additional unique Identifier, which keeps the same during all single steps of the business process in a short/mid/long term approach. This “TrainTransport ID” (TT ID) will accompany the train along its whole “life circle”. The numbers currently in use, e.g. for operations, will stay in use, but there is always a strong relationship to the TT ID.
Project status:
The working group has described possible models using a TT ID, now the evaluation has started. Further a first draft of a questionnaire describing business cases has been set up and has been answered by the IM members of the Working group.
