According to the ERAccording to the ERA 2015 Report on ERTMS Longer Term Perspective, GNSS could prove a game changer for the European railway network by enabling a significant reduction of trackside equipment and by improving localisation performance. The conclusions of the STARS project have confirmed this potential. However, fusion with other sensors will be necessary to mitigate the known impact of local effects on GNSS performance. Capitalising on the achievements of EC and GSA funded projects, collaborating railway companies, i.e. SBB, DB and SNCF, would like to propose the project CLUG. This project will perform a mission analysis/needs identification and a preliminary feasibility study of an on-board localisation unit with the following characteristics: > failsafe on-board multi-sensor localisation unit consisting of a navigation core (IMU, tachometer, etc.) brought in reference using GNSS, track map and a minimal number of reference points; > on-board continuous localisation system that provides location, speed and other dynamics of the train; > operational and interoperable across the entire European rail network; > compatible with the current ERTMS TSI or with its future evolutions. To achieve its objectives,the CLUG's management and the design and development of the localization unit will follow agile processes taking into account former projects results – especially STARS – as well as observations resulting from new test campaigns. The CLUG consortium comprises railway companies (SNCF, DB Netz and SBB), railway signaling industries (CAF and Siemens), navigation specialists (Airbus Defense & Space, Naventik, FDC), a research institute (ENAC) and a certification expert (Navcert). Ultimately, this project is the key enabling technology for the future-proof development of train digitalisation and automation to respond to the increased mobility needs of all European citizen and goods by leveraging the train, a green safe and efficient means of transport.

GNSS is amongst the “game-changing” technologies for future digital and automated rail operations, acknowledged in a 2015 report from the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) on the longer-term perspective for the evolution of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and the EU Parliament in its adopted report on railway safety and signalling from July 2021 also calls for a joint effort towards the introduction of GNSS in ERTMS. Three major railway operators in Europe – DBN, SBB and SNCF – endorse and support the efforts of the EU Parliament and propose a follow-up-project to the "Certifiable Localization Unit with GNSS in the railway environment” (CLUG) project to demonstrate the technological readiness of the CLUG Localisation On-Board (LOC-OB) System. In CLUG 2.0 (CLUG Demonstration of Readiness for Rail), the system architecture aims to complement the existing European Train Control System (ETCS) odometry system by using GNSS to enable absolute safe train positioning whilst also transforming the way of train localisation is done today by demonstrating a GNSS-based multi-sensor fusion architecture. To ensure that an enhanced on-board localization in ERTMS/ETCS using GNSS is interoperable, the technological readiness of the LOC-OB System shall be demonstrated in CLUG 2.0. To achieve its objectives, the consortium continues the work started in the first CLUG project, by improving the design of the safe functional architecture and validating it against the requirements defined by the operators. Ultimately, all thanks to an improved LOC-OB System for ERTMS, benefits such as increasing the line capacity, reducing headways between trains, reducing expenditure for rail infrastructure rollout can help reduce emissions, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable and smart mobility solutions that revolve around rail. LOC-OB can make rail transport more attractive, enhance the competitiveness of rail for citizens and businesses.

The key aspects for this proposal, FR8HUB, is the emphasis on increasing the efficiency in the nodes, hubs and terminals in the railway system for freight and to continue development in freight locomotives of the future. FR8HUB answers to the member call for Shift2Rail IP5 AWP 17 and thereby propose activities in new development areas together with continuation of progress in Technical Demonstrators (TD) started in AWP 15. To succeed with implementation of technologies developed within Shift2Rail IP5, FR8HUB will also initiate development of a strategy for implementation of relevant technologies to secure market uptake.

X2RAIL-3 represents the 3rd proposal of the Shift2Rail members in the IP2 “Advanced Traffic Management & Control Systems” domain and it aims to continue the research and development of key technologies within the following Technology Demonstrators (TDs): Adaptable Communications for all Railways (TD2.1 / WP3) – The objective is to demonstrate, via the integration of the different prototypes into dedicated demonstrators, that a new Communication System will be able to overcome the shortcomings in current ETCS and CBTC communications and deliver an adaptable communications system usable for train control applications in all market segments. Moving Block (TD 2.3 / WP4) – the scope is to move beyond the laboratory preparations undertaken in the framework of the X2Rail-1 project and to develop technical demonstrators for suitable railways applications. Zero On-Site Testing (TD 2.6 / WP5) – In the context of the simulation and testing framework integrating new functionalities such as moving block/satellite positioning, finalising the general architecture and will as well perform specific prototypes. Virtually Coupled Train Sets (TD 2.8 / WP6 & WP7) – The action aims to perform a comprehensive study focusing on the new concept of “Virtual coupling”, which foresees that trains will be able to run much closer to one another and to dynamically modify their own composition on the move. Cyber Security (TD 2.11 / WP8 & WP9) – In the context of Cyber Security, the main objectives are to define a “Cyber-Security” System to railway and to contribute to a secure development standard applicable to railway applications. ATO over ETCS pilot test for freight demonstrator (TD 5.6 / WP10) – In the context of freight autonomous train operation, the main objective is to perform field testing with specific focus on freight operational scenarios to get early feedback from the field on potential improvement necessities.