Rail Network uses IBM Technology to manage train schedules and cut energy cost by 20%

Photo: Konkan Railway

India’s youngest rail operator Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways is leveraging IBM software to extract fresh insight to improve its train’s management system, to ensure commuter safety and reduce costs by 20 percent. To effectively manage business and its growth, while keeping costs low, Konkan Railway turned to IBM software to streamline its business services and to keep it trains running on-time.
 
With more than 4,500 employees and 14,000 passengers daily, Konkan Railways manages a large network of passenger and freight trains. The primary goal of the railway system is to improve service for its passengers, replace redundant manual procedures with efficient technology solutions to ultimately bring greater operating efficiency.
 
Konkan Railway selected IBM Informix Dynamic Server, when they developed their “Railway Application Package” (RAP) system to help manage, analyze and maintain train running information, schedules and reduce the passenger delays. Real-time data is fed into the management system that uses smart analytics to respond to information in real time — whether it is scheduling delays, abnormalities or passenger queries.
 
The Railway solution helps minimal staff manage all aspects of Konkan’s business, from real-time management of Train-running, collecting ticket revenue, managing finances and Human Resources, to automatically controlling Station platforms lighting with Train-movements.  IBM software provides Konkan Railway with cost-effective performance, availability, requiring only two database administrators managing 66 database server instances.  A reliable, easy-to-maintain data-server is a necessity as Konkan Railway operates in very remote areas.
 
“IBM has helped us keep our IT management costs down, while supporting rapid growth of our Railway system” said, Vijay Devnath, Chief Manager (IT), Konkan Railway. “With the Railway Application Package system running on IBM software, Konkan Railway has significantly improved its ability to analyze, maintain and present data, helping to reduce the likelihood of passenger delays and cultivating better decision-making. Additionally, by automating the light-switching at stations with train arrival-departures, the system has helped cut such energy costs by approximately 20 percent.”
 
“National railways are the backbone of the economy in many developing countries which is why governments all over the world are investing in innovative technology solutions to make railways more efficient and secure, and to improve the overall commuter experience,” said Keith Dierkx, director, IBM’s Global Rail Innovation Center. “Our technology and rail expertise allow Konkan Railway to lay the foundation for smarter railway transportation and set an example for all other railways system within India and worldwide.”
 
IBM software also helps in managing the platform lights for all passenger-carrying trains at each station and ventilation in few long tunnels. These long tunnels are each greater than 2 kilometers long. Konkan Railway developed information-flow systems & analytics to manage timely air-circulation and platform lights, in an effort to be energy-efficient. Not only does this help the Railway operate more efficiently, but has also resulted in significant energy savings. The same system also offers a web-based train location system, train-operations and ticketing management operations.
 
Konkan Railways was the winner of the 2009 The Great Mind Challenge for Business award for Information Management. This Award recognizes innovative solutions that deploy an information infrastructure (using IBM Information Management products) to enable organizations to deliver relevant and trusted information in real time to its employees, customers and partners and become an on demand business.
 
IBM is collaborating with many other leading rail operators in various projects around the world where it is helping to build smarter rail systems. By using a combination of IBM hardware, software and services, leading rail networks are able to improve the speed, safety, reliability and efficiency of both passenger and freight trains while reducing operating costs.

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