In context of the Rail Freight Forward (RFF) initiative, the Xrail Alliance members (www.xrail.eu) CFL cargo, DB Cargo, Fret SNCF, Green Cargo, Lineas, Rail Cargo Group and SBB Cargo together with UIC launched the UBS project in 2019 to develop harmonized European braking rules. On top, eight further RUs (Railway Undertakings) have also joined the initiative. The goal is clear: Reduce dwell times and administrative efforts in cross-border operations.
In line with the transposition of the 4th EU railway package in 2019/20, RUs have the possibility to define individual braking rules, subject to proving safety via a risk assessment. The participating RUs want to use their new autonomy to overcome the deviating national regulations, identified as priority #1 topic on the European Commissions’ Rail Technical Operational Issues Logbook.
Xrail´s experience in aligning processes, standards and rules for a more seamless international collaboration pays off in the central coordination of the project in close alignment with UIC, ERA and DG Move. The involved RU experts have already derived draft proposals for aligned brake position rules as well as for a common brake sheet and wagon list.
The foundation for success and proper alignment is regular, bilateral calls with RU representatives as well as a set of intense common, multi-lingual workshops. While the COVID-19 crisis currently forces the project to skip any physical meetings, the contributing RU specialists remain eager to simplify international rail freight business together with their European colleagues.
The project will continue in digital mode to complete the remaining harmonization tasks and to align with other stakeholders – namely Infrastructure Managers and National Safety Authorities – as well as to define an implementation path. The aim is to establish the proposals as the new standard practices step by step from 2021 on.