Globally, there is mounting pressure to do more with existing infrastructure—much of which was designed and constructed many years ago and is approaching end-of-life. Faced with budget limitations and rising expectations from passengers, stakeholders and shareholders, there is an increased need for infrastructure owners and operators to find efficient ways to extend the lifespan of existing assets and improve existing railway systems.
Ultimately, investment in rail infrastructure is needed to replace life-expired assets (including trains) and futureproof the railway environment for the benefit of users and owners alike. Digitalization will be key to ensuring these investments can deliver optimal outcomes in the areas of safety, operational quality and availability. To deliver continued, reliable services across the network, infrastructure owners and operators will need to adopt a holistic approach to ensure that replacement assets integrate seamlessly with existing ones.
Railway infrastructure owners and operators who pursue a strategy of digitalization can benefit from significant operational improvements and financial efficiencies in the reliability, safety, operations, maintenance and sustainability of railway infrastructure assets. The integration of virtual twins and Smart Enterprise Asset Management as a combined approach improves standardization and enables predictive capabilities, as well as faster turnaround times for repairs, throughout the lifecycle of assets and systems.
This whitepaper was developed by DB International Operations in collaboration with WSP and Dassault Systèmes.
