Dutch Railways boasts an impressive network of trains that oversee over 1.2 million passengers a day. Some of the ways the railway has been able to better it’s service recently comes from the implementation of a new data analytic strategy. This project is the brainchild of the head of the Data & Analytic department, Marjin Scheele, and utilizes a Microsoft Azure cloud system. The Adoption Cloud Ecosystem (ACE) was created in 2017 and has transformed railway operations in some pretty neat ways.
The first main advance to come out of ACE was a sensor analysis system. There are many points along the rail where senors are located that measure how much pressure a particular wheel is putting on the rail. This data is used by mechanical teams to ensure that the train cars are properly maintained. Although the sensors had been in use for many years, the data analysis needed was too complex to produce meaningful results. The use of ACE has produced real time analysis and usable results. This increases the safety of the railway as well.
Another area that ACE has proven useful is in waste management. Senors were used again, but this time in the trains toilet systems. The data analysis showed that the system was being processed way to much. This realization and subsequent changes have saved Dutch Railways a huge amount of money. Data has also been used to show where and when trains are needed the most. This has lead to more efficient train scheduling. ACE has most recently been used to create an app for passengers that shows train car capacity when on the platform, thus increasing boarding efficiency.
Marjin Scheele is happy with the results of the Data & Analytics departments projects. He says that although progress has been made, he hopes to continue promoting a data driven culture within Dutch Railways so that more data analytical ideas can be generated. Personally, I think these projects have been great for the railway and show the never-ending benefits of data analytics. I can’t wait to see what new ideas Scheele and his team come up with next
Source: Smart use of data takes Dutch railways further, Kim Loohuis, https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252478632/Smart-use-of-data-takes-Dutch-railways-further
LIS 4022 Spring 2020 