EMULRADIO4RAIL will provide an innovative platform for tests and validation of various radio access technologies (Wi-Fi, GSM-R, LTE, LTE-A, 5G and satellites) that combines very new approaches for testing so called System in the loop (SITL) and Hardware in the loop (HITL). The adaptable communication prototypes will be coupled to both simulations of the communication core network and emulation of various radio access technologies thanks to the coupling between discrete event simulator such as RIVERBED modeler (former OPNET modeler), Open Air Interface, various radio channel emulators, Network emulator, models of IP parameters and real physical systems. The radio access emulation tool will offer a graphical based interface for the users. EMULRADIO4RAIL platform will work at IP level i.e. the radio access emulator will reproduce the radio access behaviour as seen by the applications. EMULRADIO4RAIL will investigate the various communication and environment scenarios in railways covering degraded modes, outages, network overload scenarios, interferences and other perturbations which occur in the railway environment or can be expected in the future. Particular focus will be proposed on interferences, taking into account also intentional ones. EMULRADIO4RAIL will analyse and select the communications characteristics perceivable by the applications and services using the communication bearer (like throughput, packet loss, jitter, etc.). EMULRADIO4RAIL will assess the communication capabilities of existing radio access networks and how they could be emulated. EMULRADIO4RAIL will provide support to Shift2Rail members for integration of the radio access emulation platform in the verification labs. EMULRADIO4RAIL is driven by a consortium composed of the main research and development actors in wireless telecommunications for rail involved in current and recent state-of-the art projects concerning the technologies, methodologies and equipment that should be considered.

TRANSIT aims at providing the railway community with a proven set of innovative tools and methodologies to reduce the environmental impact and improve interior acoustic comfort of railway vehicles. Noise is one of the main environmental challenges for the railway industry. Currently vehicle certification and authorisation requires extensive measurement campaigns on dedicated test tracks, leading to high cost and time expenses. In the future virtual certification of railway vehicles and improved authorisation procedures should reduce these expenses. Furthermore, increasing energy efficiency of railway transport is a key goal of Shift2Rail and efforts are ongoing to reduce vehicle weight, e.g. by applying composite material technology in the design of the carbody. However, this could potentially lead to increased interior noise levels as sound insulation is inherently related to mass, hence compromising the interior acoustic comfort. In this project the next major steps will be taken towards virtual testing, enhanced flexibility and compatibility in authorisation procedures. This will be achieved by developing accurate and robust source characterization and separation methods and techniques, and exterior noise simulation tools that will facilitate virtual testing and more cost-effective vehicle certification and authorisation methods. Regarding interior acoustic comfort, innovative material designs to increase sound transmission loss and absorption will be developed, leading to an improved interior sound quality within the weight constraints. The TRANSIT consortium has been carefully selected to bring together universities, research institutes and companies with proven expertise in railway noise and vibration and in other important fields such as microphone array technologies and innovative materials. Most TRANSIT participants have been strongly involved in the reference projects Acoutrain and Roll2Rail and many other relevant projects.

Increasingly, railway stations are becoming complex, with some being interchanges, and in some cases commercial or shopping malls and social activities. Subsequently, there are likely to be issues with congestion, guidance and security that are not experienced in more remote stations. The FAIR Stations project aims to develop solutions for improved users flow within the station, and at the platform train interface (PTI). This will be done putting customer satisfaction, and security & safety at the centre of the station design, paying special attention to needs of PRMs. The project will conduct a study on the state of the art station designs, as a benchmark. Future stations design will hinge on three pillars: design for security & safety, design for congestion, and design for accessibility. Tools to be applied include: - User needs assessment - User flow modelling - Station design algorithm that optimises passenger flows for continuing and emerging operational design requirements such as security, baggage handling, and accessibility. - Engineering design of a train and/or platform based mechanism to facilitate independent boarding and alighting of PRMs, using sensors/detection systems. The key design factors to be considered are security, safety, baggage handling, ticketing, design for accessibility, information & signage, and climatology. KPIs developed will be used to evaluate and validated the design solutions. Since security is a major challenge highlighted, the station design process will incorporate a risk assessment sub-routine. As part of the demonstration, experimental and in-situ tests will be conducted. Additionally, a 3D virtual reality demonstrator will be developed. The outputs of the project will be aligned with S2R projects S2R-CFM-IP3-01-2017 & S2R-CFM-IP1-01-2017. The project consortium will include an academic institutions, rail operators, infrastructure managers, engineering SME, architectural firm, and passenger interest group.

European distribution networks and light-railway networks present common issues: both have been developed as independent networks, relying on the resilience and robustness of existing power supplies. However, RES progressive penetration introduced an increasing degree of uncertainty on the direction of power flows. Both networks are looking at integrated solutions targeting: i) reduction of electricity losses ii) increase the grid stability in a high local RES penetration scenario iii) accommodate the needs of new energy actors such as EVs, electrical storages and prosumers. Electrified transport networks such as light railways could act to enhance distribution grid stability providing ancillary services inter-exchanging electricity. However such potential is still unexploited. E-LOBSTER intends to capture such potential through the development of an innovative, economically viable and easily replicable electric Transport-Grid Inter-Connection System that will be able to establish synergies between power distribution networks, electrified transport networks (metro, trams, light railways etc.) and charging stations for EVs. The proposed solution encompasses the integration of high power flow Electric Storage with smart Soft Open Points providing flexible control. The system will be managed by an integrated Railway + Grid Management System which starting from the real time analysis of energy losses will be able to optimize the interexchange of electricity between the networks maximizing local RES self-consumption. The hardware and software control platform will be demonstrated at TRL 6 in one substation owned by Metro de Madrid. Business models and standardisation needs will be deeply analyzed and measures to unlock existing barriers will be promoted and in parallel the knowledge generated from the project will be further exploited for the definition of the up-scale design of a full scale E-LOBSTER system, paving the ground towards replication across the EU.