New Projects with ÖBB: Expanding Cooperation in Railway Optimization

The Chair of Industrial Management at TU Dresden is continuing its successful collaboration with ÖBB – and expanding it with two new projects. Together with academic and industry partners, innovative solutions for the planning and operation of railway systems are being developed.

ExplAIn-TrAIn-Plan – AI-based Planning of Production Variants, Circulations and Shifts
Launched on 1 October 2024 and funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), ExplAIn-TrAIn-Plan addresses the growing complexity of modern railway networks. The aim is to move away from manual assignment of traction unit production variants towards AI-supported planning – with a focus on energy efficiency and robustness. By combining optimization, simulation and machine learning, the project develops explainable, green and reliable planning solutions. The consortium brings together dwh GmbH (project lead), TU Dresden, University of Vienna, TU Wien, and ÖBB-Produktion GmbH.

DIMO – Intelligent Adjustment of Shift Plans in Case of Disruptions
In the DIMO project, the Chair of Industrial Management at TU Dresden, together with GWT-TUD GmbH, is developing optimization solutions commissioned directly by ÖBB Produktion GmbH and dwh GmbH. The focus is on the automated rescheduling of shift plans in case of operational disruptions. In such cases, numerous legal and operational constraints must be respected, including working time regulations, vehicle rotations and the return of train drivers to their original starting point – all while minimizing cancelled services. The solution builds on previous methodological work and is implemented using a column generation approach within the simulation environment of dwh GmbH.

With these two projects, the cooperation between TU Dresden and ÖBB is being further strengthened, contributing to digital, energy-efficient and robust railway planning.