Framework for Monitoring and Assessing Performance Quality of Railway Network Infrastructure: Hellenic Railways Case Study

Abstract

In accordance with European Policy, management, maintenance, upgrading, and repair of existing infrastructures play a very important role in their optimal use. Availability and access to information regarding the track-support structure, switches, crossings, and rails may efficiently lead to timely identification of the needs for maintenance and/or renewal. In the context of the previously mentioned considerations, a monitoring and assessing performance-quality (MAP-Q) framework has been developed for railway infrastructure, which aims to provide the railway operators and managers with global and complete knowledge on the condition of infrastructure and enable the maintenance process in the most effective way to achieve a three-fold objective, as follows: (1) increase performance of the component or te network overall, (2) achieve a coherent and consistent network with a harmonized level of performance, and (3) prevent deterioration in the short-term or long-term as a result of its usage. The framework is structured in six criteria, as follows: (1) performance/speed, (2) safety, (3) comfort, (4) maintenance cost, (5) operability/reliability, and (6) overall condition, and allocates to them 54 primary and 112 basic indicators, associated to the track, structure, and equipment. The methodology for quality assessment of the railway infrastructure was implemented on the railway network of Greece (Hellenic Railways). Analysis of the results showed that (1) the central division network has the highest performance indices in almost all criteria, and (2) the southern division network is inferior to those of central and northern Greece in speed/performance, comfort, maintenance cost, and general condition, owing to the older age of the three elements that compose the infrastructure (i.e., track, structures, and equipment). Such a comparison provides useful information towards harmonized upgrading and development of the network, minimizing the disadvantages of remote regions, and assuring the interoperability of the network throughout the area under analysis. If adjusted to the specific requirements and priorities of a railway authority, the framework can be merged to the decision-support mechanism, which is responsible for the maintenance of a high-quality-performance network.