ÖBB RCG is a double prizewinner with its innovative locomotive rotation planning

The ÖBB Rail Cargo Group and Hex Solutions have won the State Prize for Consulting and the Constantinus Award for their innovative locomotive rotation planning project. The artificial intelligence involved saves money and reduces CO2 emissions in the rail logistics industry.

The ÖBB Rail Cargo Group and its partners have developed a data-based automated and intelligent working rotation planning for locomotives. This rotation planning reduces idle time and empty runs and, above all, CO2 emissions. What’s more, digitised planning improves how locomotives are deployed and makes a significant contribution to saving costs.

Reality is the key to success

The demand for locomotives is one of the biggest cost factors in vehicle operations. This innovative project to optimise the working rotation planning aims to improve the demand for locomotives and reduce the number of empty kilometres. Digitising the planning process significantly reduces the demand for locomotives, increases flexibility and greatly improves the overall quality of planning processes.

A key success factor in its development was being able to bring the real world into the simulation process. Real-time data drawn from train rotation planning notifications, locomotive information, handling times, and more were part of the development process.

Backed by science

The company Hex Solution, the University of Vienna and TU Klagenfurt all supported the RCG in developing this innovative working rotation planning for locomotives. The project was nominated for the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs’ State Prize Consulting and for the Austrian Economic Chamber’s Constantinus Award in the Digitalisation / Internet of Things category. The project impressed everyone and picked up both awards.

14.01.2021