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3rd party assessment of exterior camera installation

Customer: MTR Tech, Sweden

Project tasks

  • Assessment of proposed and installed solutions of camera installation
  • Highlighting risks and deviations from industry standards and recommendations

Our Approach

MTR has operated and maintained the X60 Coradia fleet on behalf of the Stockholm Region until 2024. The region has ordered installation of cameras from Alstom to support the drivers and improve visibility around the door-area, particularly on platforms with curved tracks.

PROSE has extensive experience in mechanical and electrical design as well as design processes, especially in adhesive bonding. Based on our expertise, an iterative assessment process has taken place to assess the proposed and installed solution. It includes recommendations in line with industry best practice for both mechanical design and bonding – as well as design and processes – in accordance with EN17460.

Customer benefit

​Adding additional equipment to an existing fleet without impacting the basic design requires experience and know-how about production methods and the original design. With PROSE as an independent assessor, the client received an independent assessment of the proposed and installed solution as well as the identification of potential short- and long-term risks in the proposed design of both the bonded joints and the mechanical parts.

 

      

Program Management ATO Sector Program

Customer: BLS Netz AG, Dr. Florian Kappler, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Program Management
  • Project Planning
  • Coordination among all Swiss ATO projects
  • Leading the marketing team to develop and maintain the ATO website
  • Quarterly reporting to the steering board (railway undertakings, infrastructure managers and industry)
  • Coordination with stakeholders, such as the national authority BAV, as well as the industry
  • Supporting specific ATO projects with technical-, operational- and business advisory

Our Approach

In May 2022, the Federal Office of Transport called on the rail sector to align and better coordinate future ATO activities within the Swiss rail sector.

PROSE was commissioned to manage the programme for all Swiss ATO projects. In close cooperation with the ATO core team, PROSE established regular monthly exchanges and jointly identified and developed central cross-cutting topics.

In addition, PROSE also led the communication team and worked with this team to develop and maintain the ATO industry website (https://voev.ch/ato). Furthermore, PROSE initiated an ATO-related conference day that invited and actively involved the industry in ATO developments.

Customer benefit

With PROSE as a partner, the customer benefits from comprehensive expertise in the areas of on-board signalling, ETCS and ATO, both on the line and on the vehicle side. An entrepreneurial approach, in-depth technical knowledge and market knowledge are essential for a successful programme design in the first year.

The customer does not need to develop its own project-specific management resources, as PROSE, as an independent consultant, coordinates the related interests of all project managers.

 

   

Corrosion repair

Project tasks

  • Creating a CAD model of the carbody from a set of drawings
  • Creation of an FE model of the carbody
  • Strength assessment of the condition without corrosion
  • Consideration of corrosion damage in the calculation model
  • Analysis and determination of minimum wall thicknesses
  • Specification of measures for corrosion repair
  • Preparation of drawings to document the repair solution

Our Approach

Corrosion damage to the lower structure of the carbody was discovered during the planning of conversion measures on dining carriages. The wagons are welded steel constructions from 1990 and due to the advanced age of the vehicles, the operator did not have any CAD models or strength documents. PROSE was commissioned to assess the utilisation of the carbody in terms of strength. First in their original, corrosion-free state and then considering the identified corrosion damage. Additionally, we were asked to develop solutions to prolong the service life of the vehicles.

In a first step, a CAD model was created from the set of drawings. This model then served as the basis for creating the Finite Element (FE) model, which embodies the target condition of the carbody structure. A subsequent strength analysis then showed how many theoretical reserves the structure still had.

In the next step, the FE model was updated to include corroded areas, and the calculations were repeated. In this way, the effect of corrosion on the structural strength of the carbody could be determined and evaluated.

Using an iterative approach, a maximum corrosion depth could be determined for the damaged areas. For areas where it was foreseeable that the corrosion would penetrate too deeply, repair solutions were also developed, which included welding in new profiles, and their strength was verified.

Customer benefit

Thanks to PROSE’s work, the customer now has access to a CAD model of the carbody. The strength analysis has enabled the determination of minimum wall thicknesses for vehicle areas typically affected by corrosion, which the customer can use to evaluate the extent of corrosion damage. For areas where corrosion has penetrated too deeply, the customer now possesses localised repair solutions. This can significantly extend the service life of the vehicles.

 

          

Process for managing component reverse engineering

Customer: AB Transitio, Sweden

Project tasks

  • Develop a reverse engineering process
  • Ensure parts availability
  • Address business aspects

Our Approach

AB Transitio owns and leases out various EMU and DMU fleets in many regions of Sweden. For rolling stock owners, the lack of documentation and obsolescence, which can occur for different reasons, is a common challenge. Through this project, AB Transitio aims to establish a standardised process and methodology for managing specific cases of obsolescence using reverse engineering. The above-depicted process defines the general tasks, requirements, and responsibilities for handling reverse engineering cases, regardless of who operates and maintains a particular fleet.

PROSE has extensive experience in reverse engineering, safety management and vehicle acceptance procedures. Based on this expertise, we have developed a step-by-step process for the reverse engineering of parts, systems or components. This process ensures that all relevant standards and regulations are complied with. The result is a financially sound, maintainable and sustainable solution that ensures the vehicle can be maintained, repaired and overhauled throughout its life cycle.

Customer benefit

Reverse engineering plays a crucial role in fleet management and ensures sustainable, stable, and long-term maintenance of the fleet. By applying the methodology and process developed by PROSE, customers have access to parts and components that are available for maintenance, repair, or overhaul throughout the vehicle’s lifetime. This process also takes into account the commercial aspects of each case and ensures that the organisation carrying out the work has the necessary skills and expertise.

 

 

Vehicle Authorisation

Customer: various customers

Project tasks

  • Carrying out requirements capture and preparing the safety evaluation, including risk analysis
  • Preparation and management of evidence documents
  • Cooperation and coordination of NoBo, DeBo and AsBo
  • Support in preparing several declarations and dealing with online registers like ERATV or ERADIS
  • Management of the change notification to the ERA or national safety authorities like EBA for changes not requiring an authorisation
  • Management of authorisation applications via One Stop Shop to the ERA for changes requiring authorisation
  • Coordination with the ERA and national safety authority

Our Approach

Vehicle operators or leasing companies make changes to their vehicles for very different reasons, e.g. for obsolescence reasons or to offer passengers a better service by customising the interior and adding features such as sockets or WLAN. In addition to providing engineering services, PROSE supports such projects by taking over the entire approval management process, including communication with all the bodies and authorities involved.

The authorisation process ensures safe rail transport and the best possible interoperability throughout the EU. However, implementing changes to rolling stock presents a significant challenge to operators, keepers, and owners.

At PROSE, we recognise that each railway vehicle is unique. Our team of experts develops vehicle authorisation strategies that address the specific challenges of our customer’s products and needs. From Requirements Capture to One Stop Shop, our experts have the knowledge to guide you through the process. Whether you only need assistance with a single task or are looking for a complete solution, we can provide solutions to meet your particular requirements.

Customer benefit

Modernisations and retrofits guarantee enhanced reliability and superior passenger comfort and open up new applications by integrating new systems. Whilst operators and workshops can focus on their primary tasks, PROSE can handle all the “paperwork” from the engineering and the preparation of evidence documents to the assessment and authorisation phases with bodies and authorities involved. Due to our comprehensive service portfolio, we help reduce interfaces and effort because all services are coordinated and come from a single source.

PROSE ensures that our customers’ railway vehicles comply with the latest standards and regulations. From document preparation to submission, we make sure that vehicle approval hurdles don’t derail your success.

 

      

Authorisation Management – Change of Radio Devices

Customer: various costumers

Project tasks

  • Integration of the new radio device
  • Implementation of additional country-specific equipment for operation outside Germany
  • Requirements capture and safety evaluation
  • Preparation and structuring of evidence documentation
  • Management of the different bodies (NoBos, DeBos, AsBos)
  • Support with the several declarations to be issued
  • Support with ERADIS and ERATV
  • Management of the application at the involved authorities (ERA and NSAs

Our Approach

As Germany’s largest railway infrastructure company, DB InfraGO wants to switch off analogue train radio on many routes. This means that vehicle operators are obliged to retrofit their vehicles with GSM-R digital train radio if they do not yet have the appropriate equipment.

For the first time since the introduction of the 4th railway package, many vehicle operators have been faced with the task of carrying out vehicle modifications that require authorisation. Many small and medium-sized regional transport companies do not have the capacity to deal with the complex authorisation processes and are reliant on external support.

PROSE responds individually to vehicle operators’ needs and provides support throughout the entire chain, from the specification of the required radio equipment to the receipt of the new authorisation in precisely those areas where the vehicle operator has a need.

PROSE determines the individual project requirements for each customer enquiry. The customer’s preliminary work and the desired in-house services are taken into account, and clear interfaces are created so that the project realisation runs hand in hand. The flexibility to respond to short-term customer requests to increase or reduce the project scope is a matter of course for us.

Customer benefit

Due to the large number of projects in this area, we have very good contacts with several bodies and authorities, which enables uncomplicated coordination even before the project begins. In regional transport, where operators often belong to a group, PROSE provides strategic advice on the selection of the proposer, the entity managing the change and the workshops, taking into account several points to keep the overall project costs arising from assessments, audits etc. as low as possible and to be able to exploit synergies, e.g. in cases where different operators of the group operate the same vehicle serie. The operators can focus on their core business and do not even have to take part in the coordination rounds with the authorising entity and/or national safety authorities during the authority’s application assessment phase, as PROSE can do this for the operators on request using a power of attorney.

Authorisation Support – Repainting of ET425.5 EMUs

Customer: Transdev Hannover GmbH, Germany

Project tasks

  • Project management
  • Requirements capture
  • Authorisation support
  • Communication with NoBo and DeBo
  • Preparation of evidence and admission documents
  • Preparation of a change notification

Our Approach

Transdev Hannover GmbH changed the existing colour scheme of 13 EMUs of the type ET425.5 from the Deutsche Bahn “Verkehrsrot” to the Transdev branding in blue and white. PROSE supported with authorisation management concerning TSI LOC&PAS, TSI PRM and German NNTR as well as requirements capture and evidence documents. The main obstacle was to find a way to establish the evidence documents of the fire protection as no spare parts existed to conduct the necessary experiments.

Due to the great experience and good networking within the industry, it was possible to agree on a feasible way of proving fire protection with the assessment bodies as early as the tendering phase. In combination with the close support of the customer in every phase of the project, loops or lengthy discussions could be avoided.

Customer benefit

PROSE led Transdev Hannover through the authorisation process including communication with the assessment bodies and project management. This ultimately resulted in the timely submission of the documents and rapid final processing by the national safety authority (EBA) including the final “Go”.

 

 

Independent technical and operational assessment of ATO GoA2 implementation variants

Customer: Rhaetian Railway, Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Expert interviews
  • Technical and operational assessment
  • Independent evaluation of implementation variants

Our Approach

As part of the development of a technical specification for equipping an existing vehicle fleet with a driver assistance system (DAS) / ATO GoA2 (Automatic Train Operation, semi-automatic operation) , PROSE supported Rhaethian Bahn AG (RhB) with neutral expertise on technical implementation variants.

Specifically, the focus was on the interface and functionality to be implemented for the interface between the DAS and the vehicle control system, as well as the interaction of the locomotive crew with the DAS. In particular, the different implementation variants focused on the DAS activation and implementing the traction/braking force target values on the vehicle.

Based on the European specification analogue to SUBSET-125 and SUBSET-139, the adapted draft specifications, and internal implementation proposals, PROSE carried out a neutral evaluation of the variants using a two-stage methodology.

In the first step, selected RhB representatives from the areas of vehicle technology and locomotive personnel were interviewed. The purpose of the interview was to determine the significance of the individual evaluation criteria.

In the second step, the PROSE experts verified the fulfilment of the criteria for both variants based on the technical specifications and the expert interviews. In particular, the opportunities, risks, suitability for vehicle acceptance, migration capability, acceptance of the systems by the locomotive personnel, and an initial qualitative assessment from the HOF (Human-Organisational-Factors) perspective of the variants were compared and evaluated.

Customer benefit

RhB benefited from the neutral and independent assessment of the PROSE experts and the methodical approach involving the relevant internal representatives. PROSE’s expertise ensured fast and efficient processing and the necessary depth of detail.

 

  

ECM consulting & support

Customer: various customers

Project tasks

  • Kick-off workshop / training
  • Creating a mapping table
  • Gap analysisand elaboration of suggestions for improvement
  • Advice, suggestions, support on specific topics (as required)
  • Review of documents (e.g. process descriptions, procedural instructions, forms, etc.)
  • Suggestions for improvement

Our Approach

​The customer is supported in understanding and implementing the ECM requirements, whereby a gap analysis determines the maturity level of the maintenance organisation. Basic training on ECM topics can be offered in advance. In the trial audit, documents are checked, weaknesses are identified, and assistance is provided to rectify them. The certification audit starts with a Stage I audit, after which PROSE offers support in implementing the auditor’s comments. PROSE can also inspect the customer’s workshop and identify potential weaknesses before the audit.

Customer benefit

The customer is accompanied on the path to successful certification of ECM functions in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/779. The organisation’s existing knowledge on these topics is brought up to date. The organisation is enabled to meet the requirements and pass the audit with the certification body.

Moreover, support in the daily ECM challenges regarding:

  • Risk management according to CSM-RA
  • Competence management
  • Documentation process
  • Supplier management
  • Audit plan
  • Definition of Safety Critical Components according to Article 4
  • Interface definition and information flow between the functions
  • Independent delta assessment in order to improve the internal procedures and processes

Why support by PROSE? For saving time and money by becoming more efficient and due to lack of know-how.

 

      

Project audit of the implementation of a depot management system

Customer: Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), Switzerland; PSI Transcom GmbH, Germany / Switzerland

Project tasks

  • Project audit
  • External advice
  • Second opinion
  • Mediation

Our Approach

​Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) is procuring a new depot management system (BMS) from PSI Transcom GmbH to control its tram depots and bus garages. PROSE carried out an independent project audit on behalf of both parties. The audit aimed to determine whether the project was being handled by both parties in accordance with the requirements for a project in the public transport sector. In addition, VBZ wanted to clarify the extent to which the supplier’s project organisation ensured qualitative and timely project execution. Furthermore, it should be clarified whether any suboptimal project organisation could result in additional financial expenditure on both sides.

PROSE carried out the audit in a two-stage process. In the first phase, both parties were interviewed on-site in an audit meeting about the key issues identified and their respective views were recorded. In a subsequent joint meeting, the first draft of the audit report, including the recommendations of the PROSE auditors, was used as the basis for an initial review. The second phase was organised by focusing on individual key topics in joint meetings of all three parties. Finally, the findings based on the audit report and the recommendations were discussed and finalised.

Customer benefit

VBZ and PSI benefited from the PROSE auditors’ independent perspective and experience in project management and operational issues. By analysing individual key topics, it was possible to illuminate the respective points of view and highlight the perspectives of both parties. As a result, both parties were able to identify potential for improvement in the collaboration.

 

 

Expert report for approval of new trams in Dortmund

Customer: HeiterBlick GmbH, Germany

Project tasks

  • ​Assessment of running dynamics

Our Approach

For the approval of the new trams of the operator DSW21 in Dortmund, the manufacturer HeiterBlick GmbH in Leipzig commissioned the EBA-approved expert Stefan Bühler to assess the running dynamic behaviour according to the regulations for trams in Germany, BOStrab.

The new vehicles have been authorised and in operation since April 2024. Modernised vehicles will be assessed in a further phase.

​PROSE agreed on the scope of verification with the technical supervisory authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (TAB NRW) and the manufacturer HeiterBlick GmbH. Dr Johannes Keudel, a specialist in running dynamics simulations, supported Stefan Bühler in the assessment of the provided evidence. Finally, the expert report was drawn up.

Customer benefit

It is essential for the customer that the authorities accept the assessors. Thanks to the appraisal team’s high level of expertise, the customer HeiterBlick GmbH knew precisely what evidence he had to provide and in what form. For this reason and thanks to the high level of customer orientation of the PROSE team, the expert report could be prepared quickly and in good quality. Although the input on this specialist area was only available very late, this hardly caused any delay to the authorization of the trams.

 

Expert report on metre-gauge flat wagons with cogwheel brake

Customer: PVF Trade, s.r.o., Czech Republic

Project tasks

  • Project management
  • Definition and procurement of input data
  • Review and appraisal of all input documents
  • Preparation of expert report

Our Approach

PROSE was commissioned by the company PVF Trade, s.r.o., to prepare an expert test report (SV report) on the test report of suspension tests of the vehicle “four-axle service – flat wagon 1000mm track with cogwheel brake”.

The report is intended to provide information on the compliance of the brake tests according to the test report “Flat wagon with toothed wheel brake suspension tests” with the provisions of the AB-EBV and their fulfilment.

All documents submitted were checked for completeness and plausibility. The check was carried out against all relevant requirements from the FOT guidelines AB-EBV.

In the event of inconsistencies and/or missing information, these were requested from the client or other project partners. On this basis, a final expert report was prepared and submitted to the client.

Customer benefit

​PROSE’s prompt preparation of the expert report guarantees a smooth and rapid handling of the authorisation procedure. The intensive review of the documents provided ensures that the report meets the highest quality standards and that the vehicle is guaranteed to operate safely. The intensive project supervision by the PROSE expert regarding adjustments and requirements for the documentation with all project partners relieves the customer of this organisational work and ensures rapid and high-quality processing.

 

 

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