To make the rail network in the Netherlands more reliable, ProRail has developed the Feniks system in collaboration with ICT InTraffic, part of ICT Group. This system replaces two outdated systems – TRON and RMS. Feniks gives train traffic controllers better insight into the planned occupancy of the rail network. The new system has been in use nationwide since February and was developed within the ProRail IT Partners partnership, in which ICT InTraffic has taken over a number of ProRail's IT projects.
Feniks consists of two parts: one part for registering movements on tracks that are not centrally controlled, such as marshalling yards and freight yards, and one part for planning track occupancy across the entire network. The system helps train dispatchers, planners and transport operators to better anticipate bottlenecks, for example when a railway yard is in danger of becoming full. This prevents delays and makes it possible to provide alternatives in a timely fashion.
The new application brings all data together in a single graphical overview, providing a shared view across planners, traffic controllers and transport operators. Maintenance work and outages are also integrated, so that tracks that are temporarily unavailable can be taken into account. This enables more transparent and efficient decision-making about routes and track usage.
Although Feniks is now operational, development continues. User requirements will be added step by step in the coming period. The system will also be included in the basic training of new train dispatchers, to familiarize them with it from the outset. All this makes Feniks an important step in the digitization and modernization of railway infrastructure in the Netherlands.
Source: spoorpro.nl
