Technologies - Speed harmonisation

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Speed harmonisation

evaluated

Speed harmonisation is a means to improve line capacity especially where demixing fails. The measure consists in adapting the speeds of all trains running on the same track. Increased traffic fluidity can have energy efficiency effects.

Technology field: Energy efficient driving



General information

	Description
		Speed differences of trains running on the same line reduce traffic fluidity and line capacity. An effective means to improve the situation is demixing. In all those cases, where demixing is not possible or has reached its limits, speed harmonisation is an alternative option. In situations where fast freight trains and fast passenger trains are operated on the same line, the speed of passenger trains may be reduced to the average speed of freight traffic in order to improve local traffic fluidity. The case of "downward" harmonisation, i.e. making fast trains slower, is more common than "upward" demixing. The following evaluation refers to "downward" harmonisation.

General criteria

	Status of development: in use
		Speed harmonisation does not yet play a significant role in most networks. According to DB AG, role of speed harmonisation could grow slightly in the future when line demixing reaches its limits.

	Time horizon for broad application: not applicable
		Speed harmonisation is not expected to play a dominant role in capacity management. Time horizon for broad application is therefore not applicable.

	Expected technological development: not applicable
		(no details available)

	Motivation:
		Increased capacity Cost savings through homogenised demand

	Benefits (other than environmental): medium
		Infrastructure costs On lines with harmonised speeds, infrastructure can be optimised to a certain extent to the specific speed.

	Barriers: high
		Service quality Since in most cases, speed harmonisation means reducing the speed (and increasing the running times) of faster trains, the measure has a negative impact on service quality and will therefore only be applied in critical cases.

	Success factors:
		(no details available)

	Applicability for railway segments: high
	Type of traction: electric - DC, electric - AC, diesel
	Type of transportation: passenger - main lines, passenger - high speed, passenger - regional lines, passenger - suburban lines, freight
		Traction

	Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
	Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: not applicable
	Share of newly purchased stock: not applicable
		(no details available)

	Market potential (railways): not applicable
		(no details available)

	Example:
		(no details available)

Environmental criteria

	Impacts on energy efficiency:
	Energy efficiency potential for single vehicle: not applicable
	Energy efficiency potential throughout fleet: (no data)
		Speed harmonisation increases traffic fluidity and can thus improve energy efficiency. However, experts doubt that (apart from effects through reduced speeds of certain trains) any significant energy efficiency effects occur.

	Other environmental impacts: neutral
		(no details available)

Economic criteria

	Vehicle - fix costs: none
		(no details available)

	Vehicle - running costs: minor reduction
		(no details available)

	Infrastructure - fix costs: none
		(no details available)

	Infrastructure - running costs: unchanged
		(no details available)

	Scale effects: none
		(no details available)

	Amortisation: not applicable
		(no details available)

Application outside railway sector (this technology is railway specific)

Overall rating

	Overall potential: not promising
	Time horizon: (no data)
		Speed harmonisation is a measure to solve capacity problems on lines where demixing is not possible. In view of negative effects such as increased running time of trains, speed harmonisation is a suboptimal solution and will only be realized in exceptional cases where other measures fail. Given the niche character of the measure, systematic energy efficiency effects are doubtful.