Control Command Signalling

ERNST

The maintenance of the ERNST (European Railways Numbering Scheme for Telecommunications) database is an ongoing activity which has the primary objective to manage and keep the database updated. In the light of bettering the quality of service of the UIC IRTN (International Railway Telecom Network), the Telecom Panel of Experts (PETER) has operated and maintained the ERNST database in 2006/2007.

The database is hosted by the UIC web server in Paris and it is managed and kept regularly updated by a network of remote database administrators from 27 railways (the UIC PETER group). The database contains values from 27 Infrastructure Managers, Railway Operators and Railway Organisations in 24 countries.
The database currently contains:

dialling codes of the fixed telephone network (country and town codes),
information of operator assistance telephone numbers, operators,
information of dialling and escape codes in GSM-R network,
sources for printing a railway telephone directory in paper form.

For the “Administrators” a restricted area contains a complete inventory of national circuits which form part of international telecommunication lines, and routing tables of telephone switches. These pieces of information help telecommunication staff to operate and maintain the network.

The activities in 2008 will be developed in order to make the ERNST data base an indispensable tool for managing the IRTN network. The following main activities are planned:

Integrate numbering schemes following the on-going implementation of GSM-R.
Take into account the access matrices according to EIRENE Functional Requirement Specifications which define the possible calls between GSM-R users.
Develop design tools to enable to model the topology of the network and network behaviour in the case of the failure of an international telecommunication line. It is initially planned for the GSM-R network and it will be extended to the fixed IRTN.
Develop administration tools in order to enable automatic values updating with mutual cross information between the remote database administrators.

The Galileo Railway Applications Expert Group’s main activity is to follow up on matters relating to the certification and validation of Galileo for railway applications in the safety and non-safety area and to act in accordance with the mandate given by the UIC Executive Board to represent the railway viewpoint in contacts with EU projects and with the Galileo Joint Undertaking during the development stage of the Galileo Project which is due to enter operational service during the period 2008-2010.

IM IT Strategy

The IM-IT Strategy project objective is to implement the “Business Process” for Infrastructure Managers as defined and approved by RNE and UIC, on operation (from pre-selling to quality assessment) in relationship with TAF TSI, using existing IT applications, identifying the gaps, developing new applications and integration of the existing applications. In the same time the project will create common interfaces applicable to all members.
The project will assure the input of the IM cluster in TAF TSI.

As a transition stage, the requested funds for 2008 will be transferred to RNE, UIC having a supervisory role.

Telecom & Signalling

Revision of Leaflets

It is a permanent activity carried on by the UIC signalling and telecom panels of experts.
The programme set in 2007, after the revision made to critically review the UIC leaflets in order to classify them in different categories taking into account the European Norms, activities carried out at CEN/CENELEC/ETSI level and TSIs, is being followed on schedule.

The following list of leaflet is to be considered as multi-annual programme. The number of leaflets that can be revised each year depends on the type of leaflet and the member railway commitment. Past experience has shown us that two leaflets per year is an average good figure.

Panel of Telecom Experts

Objective

The PETER expert group was set up in January 2000. It consists of about 46 members representing about 24 Railway Companies.

The project is related to the GSM-R evolution towards more flexible systems and its integration with the fixed telecommunications railway networks as well as supporting the implementing railways.

A common telecommunication platform for GSM-R and fixed network will be developed. That will realise the integration between the fixed and mobile networks, it will integrate voice and data and it will be managed in an efficient way.

The network shall be easy to use, cost effective and of high quality.

Major Activities

Three major activities have been identified in the following areas:

Fixed and mobile networks integration - pilot implementation, between Germany and Sweden, of the EIRENE/ERNST unique numbering scheme as agreed in the related MoU signed by 20 railway infrastructure managers.
Network management via the ERNST database and its new features related to fault reports, routing tables, GSM-R tables, Least Cost Routing solution and inventory of the telco circuits at borders.
Integration of voice and data via the “voice over IP” solution (using the new MLPS technology) will be further step pending agreement from the GSM-R side.

It is a consultative body, a network of telecom specialists, ready to work in order to solve real telecom problems related to railways.

It was decided to set up the PETER Action Group, made of 7 experts - in February 2003 - in order to produce structured proposals, to be addressed to the Infrastructure Forum, on the most important items raised at the PETER meetings:

educate the UIC experts to the ERNST data base usage (dissemination actions, database user’s guide);
testing/trial activities;
encourage new railways to join the UIC telecom network;
new projects.

Traffic Management and Operating Systems Leaflets

The main activity relates to a permanent action to review operation leaflets, adapt them, as necessary, to face the new context created by the implementation of Technical Standards for Interoperability (TSI). The leaflets to be rewritten and/or reshaped in 2008 are: 419-2, 450-2, 452, 453,473.