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IBM sets up rail innovation center

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-06-18 13:56

IBM opened a new global rail innovation center in Beijing on June 11, to bring together the world's foremost industry leaders, researchers and universities to advance next-generation rail systems.

Founding members of the center's advisory board include leading representatives and organizations in the railroad community including Judge Quentin L. Kopp, chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority, Michigan Technological University, Motorola, Railinc, RMI, Sabre, Tsinghua University, and Professor Joseph M. Sussman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Advisory Board's role is to help define areas where business and technology solutions can solve passenger and freight rail problems.

The Center will address the rail industry's most pressing challenges, including: passenger reservations and service, asset utilization and productivity, surveillance of tracks and infrastructure, scheduling, integrated fare management, and environmentally efficient operations.

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Based in Beijing, the Rail Innovation Center will be staffed by a global network of IBM rail consultants, software specialists, mathematicians and business partners. China is at the epicenter of revolutionizing rail infrastructure and operations for the 21st century, introducing new high speed trains and a hugely expanded rail network at an unprecedented pace.

"Population growth and urbanization are driving an unprecedented demand for modernized rail systems, and governments and businesses worldwide recognize that railroads play a critical role in supporting economic growth," said Keith Dierkx, director of the IBM center. "By bringing together leading industry experts and advanced technologies, we can help rail providers increase rail capacity, efficiency, safety, and customer service – resulting in networks of smarter rail systems around the world."

According to a recent IBM report "The Smarter Railroad," railroad executives around the world are focused on capacity and congestion, operational efficiency and reliability, and safety and security.

One major area of focus will be safety and preventive maintenance. Smarter capabilities and insight can help to prevent accidents before they happen. Sensor-based early detection of potential equipment failures provides a more optimal predictive maintenance scheme, and various monitoring capabilities for rail infrastructure such as tracks and bridges can reduce disruptions to passenger and freight service.

The rail center will also address customer service issues. Using intelligent aggregations of data, a smarter rail system can make the travel experience much more pleasant for passengers. New perks include the ability to buy a ticket and receive alerts on delayed trains using a mobile device, guaranteeing a seat, and achieving nearly perfect on-time arrival rates.