The effects of emerging technologies in rail yards and intermodal terminals

Sammanfattning: This paper analyzes the effects of emerging technologies in intermodal terminals and marshallingyards, based on “Intelligent Video Gate” project within the H2020 – Shift2Rail initiative. Projectaim is to initiate the next logical step to a higher level of automation in terminals and to reduce thelead-time needed for the identification/verification process of freight trains. Thesis projectexamine different emerging technologies that could be applied in intermodal terminal automationand possibilities for their application in different processes. Technologies considered in researchare RFID, cameras, scanners, sensors, GPS and scales. Marshalling yard as important freight nodeon railway network is included in research, where departing processes are examined, andtechnology proposed for automation of brake test procedures.Qualitative research is used as a method to investigate current processes in intermodal terminaland marshalling yards. This research included all the processes from train arrival to the terminal,through transshipment processes and train departure from the terminal. Research also conducteddifferent steps which Intermodal Transport Units go through during operations in intermodalterminal. Knowing processes enabled next step in qualitative research, finding the opportunitiesfor improvements in operations. Third step in qualitative research investigated different emergingtechnologies and as a result gave opportunities and obstacles behind each of technologies.Complementing findings from qualitative research, model simulation is performed, based onoperations in Malmö Kombiterminal. Intermodal terminal operations are simulated in Planimate®software. Addition to the qualitative research is finding the opportunities for improvements inmarshalling yards and proposing emerging technology that could be applied.Master thesis successfully accomplished the task of finding the effects of emerging technologiesin intermodal terminals and marshalling yards. The methodology concluded to be appropriate onefor building task solution. The project is viewed as a breakthrough in this domain but theexpectations for Intelligent Video Gate should stay realistic and proceeded carefully. Eliminationof brake test in marshalling yards is also very optimistic goal but should be followed by appropriatesafety rules and regulations. Simulation of complex systems such as intermodal terminals andmarshalling yards is the task that should be supported by accurate and detailed data, in order tokeep the model and results more realistic.