The Digirail project is building the railway system of the future in collaboration with industry stakeholders. The success of the project depends on open dialogue, sharing of information and the active participation of various stakeholders. Regular cooperation forums bring together government agencies, transport operators, rolling-stock owners and other key stakeholders to discuss the project’s progress, current issues and upcoming changes.
Digirail is one of the most significant reforms in Finland’s rail transport sector. The project will modernise train control, safety equipment, remote control systems and traffic management systems, and lay the groundwork for the growth of rail traffic. For this change to succeed, close cooperation with the entire industry is essential.
The project involves active collaboration with stakeholders in the railway sector and provides several forums for sharing information, discussion and building a shared situational awareness. The goal is to ensure that the various stakeholders stay informed about the project’s progress, can share their views and participate in the development of the railway system of the future.
The ERTMS coordination group is developing a shared situational awareness
One of the key forums for cooperation is the ERTMS coordination group, whose task is to support the implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) in Finland. The group brings together key players in the railway sector to share information, coordinate implementation and address current issues related to ERTMS.
The group convened by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency generally meets once a month. The meetings regularly address, among other things, issues related to radio networks, progress on the Tampere–Pori/Rauma track section and the Implementation Phase Implementation Plan project (ToTo), the status of rolling stock equipment and current updates from various organisations.
Through the group, various stakeholders receive up-to-date information on the project’s progress and can share their own perspectives and needs to support the preparation process. Each member also has the opportunity to bring up their own topics for discussion.
“The progress of the pre-FRMCS exemption has been monitored particularly closely in recent months and has attracted a great deal of interest. The group has also actively discussed the documentation produced during the preparation of the ToTo project, and members have had the opportunity to provide feedback on them. Toward the end of the year, attention will focus particularly on the progress of ERTMS and ETCS equipment procurement by various operators,” says Jere Puska, Project Manager at Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
This collaboration is also reflected in concrete solutions. For example, the top-level schedule for Digirail’s implementation phase has been prepared in close collaboration with industry stakeholders. The ERTMS coordination group identified the need to align implementation as closely as possible with customers’ transportation needs and utilisation of rolling stock. The schedule was then refined as part of the ToTo project in collaboration with experts from various organisations, after which the final proposal was submitted back to the coordination group for review and approval.
“Flexibility is a key feature of the group’s work: new topics to discuss are raised constantly, and members can propose them for discussion even on short notice,” says Puska.
The target group supports the common goals of the entire industry
Digirail’s goal development and monitoring group was established to strengthen interaction and cooperation among railway sector operators. The group includes key authorities, operators and rolling stock companies relevant to Digirail.
The group’s goal is to develop a shared understanding of the benefits of Digirail, monitor progress toward its objectives and identify measures to ensure that the project delivers the greatest possible benefits to the entire industry.
In recent years, the group has closely monitored the progress of the EKA and ToTo projects, as well as the achievement of Digirail’s benefit objectives. Among other things, debate has been sparked by the requirements for a centralized security system, progress on licensing for the use of commercial radio networks, and preparations for equipment subsidies.
“The strength of the group lies in the fact that the various stakeholders can examine Digirail’s progress from a shared perspective. At the same time, this allows us to identify early on issues that require collaboration or common guidelines,” says Raine Luntta, Chief Design Officer at Fintraffic.
As a result of this collaboration, and based on the work of the goal development and monitoring group, a programme-level steering group has been set up at Digirail, which will address top-level collaboration and common guidelines among stakeholders when going forward. The goal group will continue its work in support of the programme-level steering group by providing input and preparing topics for discussion.
This collaboration is also evident in the development of future transport systems. For example, efforts to explore the potential of autonomous rail transport have been advanced in close cooperation with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, Fintraffic Railway, HSL and Metropolitan Area Rolling Stock Ltd. As a result of this collaboration, the first ATO (Automatic Train Operation) trains have already been tested in Finland.
“The success of a large-scale reform such as Digirail requires collaboration across the entire industry. We want to give our stakeholders the opportunity to participate in the discussion, influence the preparation process and stay informed about the project’s progress. A shared understanding of the situation and open dialogue help us in building the railway transport of the future together,” says Luntta.
The Digirail project is making rail transport in Finland safer, smoother and more efficient. The project is reinventing the outdated train control system and introducing a shared European radio-based train control system across the entire rail network. Digirail will enable safe transport, an improved service level and growth of capacity, and it will create a long-term technical foundation for Finnish railway traffic. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, Fintraffic and the Ministry of Transport and Communications are collaborating in the project with other actors.