How EquipmentCloud® Optimizes the Seddin North-South Marshalling Yard

Train formation systems like Seddin North-South marshalling Yard are an indispensable hub for global logistics chains: Every day, over 100 employees ensure that trains are split up and newly formed to continue their journey with a new configuration of wagons. In order to ensure smooth handling of over 60 trains per day, the yard is equipped with multiple entry tracks in order to be able to react to short-term delays with appropriate capacity buffers. A flawlessly functioning infrastructure, including switches and signals, is also essential in a highly automated environment such as shunting technology. 
The Kontron AIS VarGBS rail brake and conveyor control system enables automated braking sequences. The sensor signals used - such as process values and alarms on the rail and shunting equipment, are evaluated and logged in real time. 

Until now, stored data, process values and alarms have been laboriously documented in tabular form on the local archive system. This made it difficult to clearly visualize the data correlations and long-term analyses to reliably predict the maintenance or even the renewal of rail brakes using critical indicators such as the number of braked axles per brake and the thickness of the brake elements recorded in measurement protocols. 
 

A modern solution was needed so that global storage of all relevant data and evaluation over longer periods of observation and several classification tracks could be made possible for everyone involved. The district manager Daniel Mairing of the Seddin marshalling yard and Dr. Martin Scheuch from the shunting technology department of DB Netz AG initiated the project and strived to achieve the goal. 

Thanks to the IIoT service solution EquipmentCloud^®, employees of DB Netz AG have numerous new options for data analysis and monitoring with smartphones and tablets at their fingertips:
 

• Real-time comparison of systems and rail components based on comprehensive data acquisition
• Creating track retarder load statistics with just a few clicks.
• Documenting fault analyses, alarm durations and frequencies across track and installation boundaries — including remotely via smartphone or tablet
• Identifying recurring errors easily.
• Targeted maintenance and repair work.
• Providing everyone involved with access to circuit diagrams, planning documents, test regulations and maintenance instructions.

Higher availability of the systems, excellent shunting quality and faster reaction times thanks to real-time monitoring and visualization: The DB Netz team in Seddin has made full use of every potential since the introduction of EquipmentCloud^®. In addition, thanks to the comprehensive data basis, district managers have a reliable basis for negotiating and planning ongoing investments. The database created and the knowledge gained is also a starting point to establish the use of artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance in the future. 

Would you like to know more about the project? Are you a marshalling yard manager who would like to set out on the path of digitalization together with us?

Contact the EquipmentCloud® team now!

Der entsprechende Fachartikel wurde im Oktober 2021 in der Fachzeitschrift Der Eisenbahningenieur veröffentlicht.