FR8RAIL · Project

Cutting Rail Freight Costs and Delays with Smart Maintenance and Real-Time Data

transportTestedTRL 5

projects.shift2rail.org

Imagine shipping goods by train across Europe but never knowing exactly where your cargo is or when it will arrive — and paying too much because trains break down unexpectedly. FR8RAIL tackled this by developing smarter ways to maintain freight wagons (fixing things before they break, not after), hooking up locomotives to send live data back to base, and designing automatic coupling so trains can be assembled faster. Think of it like giving freight trains a fitness tracker and a scheduling app at the same time.

By the numbers

10%

Targeted reduction in freight transport cost per tonne-km

20%

Targeted reduction in dwelling time variations

100%

Rail freight transport information available to logistics systems

Partners in consortium

Countries represented

Total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

European rail freight is losing market share because it is too expensive, too unreliable, and too opaque. Trains break down on unpredictable schedules, cargo tracking is incomplete, and manual coupling slows down operations at every yard. Shippers who need predictable delivery windows and competitive pricing are choosing road transport instead.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 32 deliverables including three key demonstrations: an installed condition-based and predictive maintenance program, a continuous data transfer system from locomotive to landside, and a modified IT system that compares real-time sensor values against thresholds to trigger maintenance tasks. It also developed functional requirements for automatic coupling, running gear improvements, and high-level system architecture for next-generation freight wagons.

Audience

Who needs this

Rail freight operators looking to reduce maintenance costs and improve schedule reliabilityRolling stock manufacturers developing next-generation freight wagonsMaintenance service providers transitioning from calendar-based to predictive maintenanceIntermodal terminal operators wanting faster train assembly through automatic couplingLogistics companies needing full real-time visibility of rail cargo

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Logistics and freight forwarding

enterprise

Target: Rail freight operators and logistics companies

If you are a rail freight operator dealing with unpredictable delays and high maintenance costs — this project developed condition-based and predictive maintenance systems that detect problems before breakdowns happen. The project targeted a 10% reduction in freight transport cost per tonne-km and a 20% reduction in dwelling time variations, directly improving your schedule reliability and bottom line.

Rail vehicle manufacturing and maintenance

mid-size

Target: Rolling stock manufacturers and maintenance service providers

If you are a rolling stock maintenance provider struggling with reactive repair schedules and unplanned downtime — this project built an IT system that compares real-time sensor values against thresholds to automatically trigger maintenance tasks. Continuous data transfer from locomotive to landside was demonstrated, enabling you to shift from calendar-based to condition-based maintenance programs.

Supply chain and intermodal transport

any

Target: Intermodal terminal operators and supply chain managers

If you are a supply chain manager frustrated by missing shipment data and poor rail-road coordination — this project worked on making 100% of rail freight transport information available to logistics chain information systems. Combined with automatic coupling technology and improved telematics, this means faster train assembly at terminals and full cargo visibility across the transport chain.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What kind of cost savings can we expect from adopting these solutions?

The project targeted a 10% reduction in freight transport cost measured by tonnes per km. This was pursued through condition-based maintenance (reducing unplanned repairs), automatic coupling (reducing manual labor), and better data availability. Actual savings would depend on your fleet size and current maintenance costs.

Has this been tested at industrial scale or only in the lab?

Yes — the project demonstrated installed processes for condition-based and predictive maintenance programs, continuous data transfer from locomotive to landside, and a modified IT system comparing actual values against thresholds. These were delivered as demonstrators within the Shift2Rail programme across a 23-partner consortium with 12 industry players.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

FR8RAIL was funded under Shift2Rail, which is a public-private partnership with strong industry involvement. IP arrangements would have been governed by the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking rules. Contact the coordinator or Shift2Rail for specific licensing terms for the 32 deliverables produced.

How does the predictive maintenance system integrate with existing rail IT infrastructure?

The project delivered a modified IT system with all required parameters to compare actual values and thresholds and to deduct maintenance tasks. Continuous data transfer from locomotive to landside was also demonstrated. Integration specifics would need to be discussed with the consortium partners who built these components.

Is this only relevant for European rail networks?

While developed for European rail freight under Shift2Rail, the core technologies — predictive maintenance, real-time telematics, and automatic coupling — are applicable to any rail freight system worldwide. The consortium included partners from 7 European countries (AT, CH, DE, ES, IT, SE, SK), giving it broad compatibility.

What is the timeline to implement these solutions?

The project ran from September 2016 to August 2019 and is now closed. The outputs feed into the broader Shift2Rail programme, meaning further development and commercialization may continue through successor initiatives. Some components like the predictive maintenance IT system were demonstrated and could be adapted for deployment.

Consortium

Who built it

FR8RAIL assembled a strong industry-heavy consortium of 23 partners across 7 countries (Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia). With 12 industry partners making up 52% of the consortium, plus 4 SMEs, this project was clearly driven by companies that build and operate rail freight — not just academics. The coordinator is Trafikverket, Sweden's national transport administration, which signals government backing and real infrastructure access. The mix of 3 universities and 5 research organizations provided the technical depth, while the industry majority ensured results stayed practical and implementable.

TRAFIKVERKET - TRVCoordinator · SE
LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITETthirdparty · SE
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.participant · ES
HITACHI RAIL STS SPAparticipant · IT
TATRAVAGONKA ASparticipant · SK
DEUTSCHE BAHN AGparticipant · DE
VERBAND DER BAHNINDUSTRIE IN DEUTSCHLAND (VDB) EVparticipant · DE
KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLANthirdparty · SE
CONTRAFFIC GMBHparticipant · DE
AC2T RESEARCH GMBHparticipant · AT
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVparticipant · DE
VIRTUAL VEHICLE RESEARCH GMBHparticipant · AT
DB CARGO AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTthirdparty · DE
INDRA SISTEMAS SAparticipant · ES
MATERIALS CENTER LEOBEN FORSCHUNG GMBHparticipant · AT
KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBHparticipant · DE
ALSTOM TRANSPORTATION GERMANY GMBHparticipant · DE
PJ MESSTECHNIK GMBHparticipant · AT
SCHWEIZERISCHE BUNDESBAHNEN SBBparticipant · CH
ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEITparticipant · ES
CONSTRUCCIONES Y AUXILIAR DE FERROCARRILES INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SLthirdparty · ES
CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABthirdparty · SE

How to reach the team

Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration) coordinated this project. Reach out to their innovation or freight division in Sweden.

Order a report on this consortium See TRAFIKVERKET - TRV profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the FR8RAIL team or explore how their predictive maintenance and telematics solutions apply to your operations? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right consortium partners.

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