Preorder now and save EUR 10,-! Price after publication: EUR 89,-European Train Control System (ETCS) is now a well-established standard manufactured by multiple suppliers and installed widely on trains and tracks in Europe and around the world. High level information about ETCS is readily available in magazine articles and websites, and the detailed specifications are also publicly available from the European Agency for Railways (ERA). Our aim with this book is to fill the gap between these, explaining the background and technical detail in a manner that will be understandable to an engineer who is new to ETCS.The main topics of the book are: Introduction to ETCS, its history, stakeholders, governance, benefits Concepts and functionality, including levels, modes, operational scenarios Constituents and interfaces, on the track and on the train Deployment in projects, testing, certification, training and entry into serviceReaders of this book will include:Students and early career professionals, including those studying for qualifications such as the IRSE Advanced Diploma in Railway Control Engineering and the Certificate in Railway Control Engineering FundamentalsSignal engineers encountering ETCS is a project for the first timeEngineers working in specific ETCS roles who need a wider understanding of the systemRailway operations staff involved with changes to operational rules and training for the deployment of ETCSRailway managers and consultants interested in the opportunities and challenges that ETCS can bring to their strategies for railway development or renewalsThis book has been prepared by a working group of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineering (IRSE) drawing on experience from a wide range of engineers who have worked for railways and suppliers as the system has been developed. The IRSE is the professional institution for all those engaged in railway signalling and telecommunications, train control, traffic management and allied professionals, with 5,000 members around the world. Railway signalling is responsible for managing the safe flow of train traffic, and modern systems are based on digital track to train communications. Implementing this technology on the complex European railway network has required the development of a standard interoperable solution that is applicable to all types of railway traffic and allows trains to operate across national borders.Bonus for free: The e-book-PDF of this book is available upon registration. Users of devices with a PDF reader will have electronic access to all content through a search function.

Preorder now and save EUR 11,-   In German! Planning – Dimensioning – Execution – Maintenance – Retrofitting. The fourth edition of the “Handbook Earthworks of Railways” was written by renowned experts in both railway construction and geotechnical engineering. As a result, it provides a comprehensive overview of the superstructure, substructure, and subgrade support system, including its interrelationships and mutual dependencies under the effects of traffic loads. Compared to the previous edition, standards and references to regulations have now been updated in almost all chapters. Some chapters have been supplemented with important additions.New additions include chapters on the effects of climate change and natural hazards.This handbook is a practice-oriented recommendation for action and a reference work for all colleagues involved in the construction, upgrading and maintenance of railway lines. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

Designing Railways looks at the construction and planning of new railways, and maintenance of railway infrastructure, covering the initial spatial planning studies, financial budgeting, and project planning This book presents the current state of the railway technology in Germany and also in Austria to a lesser extent. It looks forward to expected technical and legal developments and also contains valuable information on effective planning and approval procedures. The authors are well-known experts in the railway sector and their expertise make this book an indispensable compendium on the subject of railway construction. The book is aimed at civil engineers and architects as well as students at the German-speaking technical universities and colleges. It provides all necessary information and tips, e.g., on line management, superstructure, railway bridge construction, earthworks, tunnel construction, railway crossings, container terminals, sound and vibration protection. As the railway system is an extremely complex technical system, there is also a description of the essential requirements, which are derived from other relevant fields, such as signalling, overhead lines and vehicle interface. The third, completely revised edition includes the new current European regulations together with further extensive examples of railway construction in Austria.

For the seventh time, Deutsche Bahn gives an insight into investments to strengthen the railways. More and more trains are travelling on the German rail network. To ensure that the infrastructure can keep up with the pace of growth on the railways, more is being invested than ever before. In the general renovation of the heavily used lines, which are being developed into a high-performance network. In the renewal and digitalisation of the entire network. In the expansion and new construction of the infrastructure for the German cycle and the European transports. The book gives examples of what and where investments are being made. And it also reports on the restoration of the Eifel line, which was destroyed by the flood disaster in 2021. Finally, the interim balance sheet and the outlook for the "Future Railway Construction Initiative" show: Strong Rail is a joint project of the entire industry.

Re-railing freight rail business back to success Lack of accessibility and reliability results in poor service quality of rail freight. Freight transport requirements have grown enormously over the last half century, and that seems likely to continue. Road has found the right answers to this, rail has not. And the volume moved by rail has remained largely static and is now no more than 20% of total inland movements. Why should this be so, and what should be done to exploit the full potential of rail’s mass transport? The European Commission’s White Paper of 2010 envisages shifting large transport volumes to rail, using not only technological innovation, but also by establishing new, market-driven and highly efficient production concepts. The benchmark is modern road freight logistics, which have improved enormously. These operators always put the customer at the centre of their businesses. Road also dominates the transport segments which could offer significant growth and additional market share for rail. The authors have investigated how rail freight transport can be reviewed systematically and made fitter for the future. They analyse the different types of goods, their growth potential, and how they might fit into a future overall system of rail freight. That includes the development of new production concepts and a radical freight train concept using the CFW Extended Market Wagon. Considering the economic and financial capabilities of the rail sector, the authors propose a two-path migration approach. This consists of an evolutionary path where previous production concepts are improved using new solutions, followed by the revolutionary approach using new style wagons with highly automated components in fixed train configurations. Higher running speeds and an overall more dynamic operation would enable them to be fitted more easily into the timetable. The proposed package outlines a way towards sustainable competitiveness, the possibility of vastly expanded rail freight businesses, and an even more dynamic future. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

Basics - Error Detection - Correction - Quality: A comparative overview of the DACH countries and the UK  Language: Japanese! This technical book provides a comprehensive, practical overview of all aspects of track alignment correction, taking into account the relevant regulations of the DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and the United Kingdom. First of all, the fundamentals of track alignment and the interrelationships between track components and their stresses are described in a clear and practical manner. Starting from these fundamentals of track alignment, the book then spans the thematic arc from the determination to the methods of measurement and correction of track position defects to quality control. The entire tamping process, including all the necessary accompanying work, is explained clearly and independently of the manufacturer. Regardless of the existing level of knowledge, this book offers interested parties from all areas of railway engineering an insight into the planning, execution and acceptance of tamping work in the DACH countries and the UK. The six chapters of this book not only provide a well-founded introduction to the basic aspects of railway track and track construction, but also give a comparison of the engineering principles adopted in these four countries. This comparison provides an interesting insight into the practical implementation of those technical principles and illustrates common features as well as differences. From the legal provisions to the basics of the permanent way as well as measurement methods, the book describes the key concepts that are required for the design and maintenance of track geometry on plain line track. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

The railway system is developing at high speed: "Deutschlandtakt" and digitalisation, sensor technology, hybrid drives and environmental friendliness are current topics. As a result of the interoperability of the railways in the European Community (EU), the railway system has changed profoundly - not without impact on the handbook "The Railway System". The 3rd edition, a fundamental new version, provides up-to-date information with a holistic system view by 28 expert authors (including 12 new, experienced experts) from the fields of science, industry, market research and railway companies. Theory and practice go hand in hand. Current topics, many of them completely new, cover: EU directives and planning processes in the context of interoperability Technology and digital strategy of DB Systemtechnik Building Information Modelling (BIM) Rail vehicles (including new developments) Vehicle maintenance (ECM, basics and current examples) Safety in railway operations (CSM, basics and current examples) HGV systems worldwide (networks and trains) Mountain and cable railways. This new edition of the handbook "The Railway System" provides planners, developers, manufacturers and operators of railway systems as well as young engineers and all readers interested in railways with the latest information and a highly up-to-date outlook on the further development of this efficient, environmentally friendly and safe means of transport. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

Basics - Error Detection - Correction - Quality: A comparative overview of the DACH countries and the UK  This technical book provides a comprehensive, practical overview of all aspects of track alignment correction, taking into account the relevant regulations of the DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and the United Kingdom. First of all, the fundamentals of track alignment and the interrelationships between track components and their stresses are described in a clear and practical manner. Starting from these fundamentals of track alignment, the book then spans the thematic arc from the determination to the methods of measurement and correction of track position defects to quality control. The entire tamping process, including all the necessary accompanying work, is explained clearly and independently of the manufacturer. Regardless of the existing level of knowledge, this book offers interested parties from all areas of railway engineering an insight into the planning, execution and acceptance of tamping work in the DACH countries and the UK. The six chapters of this book not only provide a well-founded introduction to the basic aspects of railway track and track construction, but also give a comparison of the engineering principles adopted in these four countries. This comparison provides an interesting insight into the practical implementation of those technical principles and illustrates common features as well as differences. From the legal provisions to the basics of the permanent way as well as measurement methods, the book describes the key concepts that are required for the design and maintenance of track geometry on plain line track. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

For the sixth time, Deutsche Bahn gives an insight into investments to strengthen the railways. Since the last publication, Deutsche Bahn has had a lot of tailwind from politics and society. The climate debate, as well as the experiences of the Corona months, have clearly shown: Germany needs the railways! Environmental and climate protection, sustainable mobility - it doesn't work without rail. Politicians have paved the way for strengthening the railways in Germany: with comprehensive investment programs, with the modernization of planning law for an accelerated implementation of investments, with new concepts such as the “Deutschlandtakt”. With the participation of the entire rail industry in the “Rail Alliance for the Future”, a “master plan” for rail traffic was created. The DB Group has realigned its corporate strategy to the "Strong Rail Germany". Together we have the goal of getting more traffic onto the rails. This book shows how DB Netz, construction companies and planners work together as partners in the Rail System to achieve this goal.  

This ABSTRACT offers you: a compact introduction to the structure and operation of ETCS an overview of operating modes and technical components a preparatory reading for tasks in project planning, development and application of ETCS "An introduction to ETCS" covers the most important aspects of the European Train Control System (ETCS) as part of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). The author introduces the basic technical principles of ETCS, starting from the legal basis. He presents the structure and the mode of operation of the different equipment levels and describes the individual components of the vehicle and track equipment. The operating modes supported by ETCS are used to show how ETCS can be integrated into railway operations in the various countries. The presentation of basic technical interrelationships and safety functions creates an understanding of the future uniform European train control and protection system. This ABSTRACT enables students and practitioners in the railway industry to get a quick start on the subject and offers numerous points of contact for further research.     Cross-border mobility in European rail transport has long been characterised by technical, operational and also normative obstacles. Different traction current systems, different track gauges, but also different train control and command systems were the reason why the railways were increasingly less competitive than other modes of transport. In the last decade of the last century, the legal framework was created to build a uniform railway system in the European Union. Since then, comprehensive harmonised standards have been created to standardise approval processes for signalling systems. These have since been revised several times and adapted to the experience and the progressive development. At the same time, ETCS has been specified as a Europe-wide uniform train control and protection system. ETCS removes a central technical obstacle to cross-border train traffic. ETCS enhances the competitiveness of the railways by increasing their safety, performance and economic efficiency.   The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

 Rail freight traffic is a volatile market and, in terms of market participants, much more lively than, for example, long-term contracts, which are based on local rail passenger transport.  The new business compendium "railfreight.eu" portrays 600 active freight railways in the well-known and standardized layout of the "Europäische Bahnen" (European Railways) reference book that has been published since 2007. In addition, the participants in the service areas of locomotive and wagon hire, rail forwarding are described and portrayed. An indispensable help for daily operation and detailed market research and observation. Bonus for free: The e-book-PDF of this book is available upon registration.   

This compendium describes the technologies, methods, processes and systems of modern maintenance of railway vehicles. Ever since the beginning of the railway era, the maintenance of railway vehicles has been an indispensable function for a safe and economically efficient railway system. The vehicle design as well as the workshop equipment and qualifications of the staff have to be geared towards this objective. Modern railway vehicles are technically highly complex mechatronic systems that combine mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electric and electronic components. With the hardware and software of vehicle control systems, the automatic train protection system ETCS and many other components, cutting-edge technology has arrived on the market and must be mastered by maintenance companies. This has also fundamentally changed the technical requirements of maintenance. In addition, rapid developments in market conditions have resulted in reforms of the legal principles for the integration of maintenance providers and their various functions into the whole railway system and its organisation. This compendium contributes to highlighting these changes. It is primarily aimed at experts working in railway vehicle maintenance, who want to refresh or consolidate their knowledge about the subject, and at students of railway and railway vehicle engineering. Bonus for free: The e-book-PDF of this book is available upon registration. Users of devices with a PDF reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) will have electronic access to all the terms and references through a search function.

This ABSTRACT offers you: an introduction to the basics of BIM a representation of the application of BIM methods for infrastructure first approaches of BIM in track construction the diverse potential of BIM in track maintenance Track maintenance in the railway sector is carried out with the help of track construction measures, which mainly involve the repair, i.e. the restoration of the target condition, of the track. Track construction measures must be planned precisely in order to determine and comply with the resulting operational restrictions. At the same time, track construction measures must be implemented economically, as the financial resources of the railway infrastructure companies are limited. One way to improve the planning, costing and calculation process of track construction measures is to apply Building Information Modelling (BIM) methods. This includes a combination of collaborative work and communication methods with a digital (data) model that is consistent throughout all life cycle phases of an infrastructure. The application of BIM methods promises more transparency, higher planning accuracy as well as improved cost certainty and adherence to schedules.   The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

Components - Functions - Operations   This ABSTRACT represents the valid normative basis for highly automated light rail systems. The presentation is based on the author’s experience in advising transport companies and his practical work in the acceptance assessment of train protection systems for international metros and light rail vehicles.   This ABSTRACT offers you:- Definitions of automatic train control systems (CBTC)- Basic safety functions of automatic train control systems- Definition of the degree of automation of automatic train control systems- Operating modes and mode transitions of automatic train control systems- Performance criteria of automatic train control systems   Millions of people use public transport every day. Without efficient rail transport systems, the world's metropolises would face a traffic infarction every day. However, in many places the existing infrastructure is reaching the limits of its capacity. The key to increasing the efficiency of urban rail transport systems lies in automation. In recent decades, more and more cities around the world have invested in high-performance rail transport systems. For a long time, Germany has not reinvested in metro and light rail systems. The technological basis in cities is therefore often outdated and in some places has already exceeded the limits of its technical life. In some cities, transport companies will therefore renew their infrastructure over the next few years. In Germany, too, comprehensive investments in the renewal of the signalling infrastructure of metro and light rail systems are to be expected.   The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

International Compendium. As a standard work on Railway Signalling and Interlocking, this book documents the principles and current situation of international signalling technology.   This 3rd edition of this work contains some fundamental extensions and the latest findings on the following topics: • Innovations in train control systems (ETCS, CBTC, PTC)• Improved descriptions for RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety)• Innovative methods for train detection and hazard alert systems• Modern diagnostic solutions• Innovations in electronic interlocking and communication networks   This book combines the knowledge and experience of more than 20 renowned international authors from universities and the railway industry. It offers practical help for railway signal technicians, operators and manufacturers as well as teachers, scientists and students at universities. It is also a useful source of reference for everyday work.   Bonus for free: The e-book-PDF of this book is available upon registration. Users of devices with a PDF reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) will have electronic access to all the terms and references through a search function.

A holistic approach.   Transport infrastructure plays a vital role in our society. Deliberate harmful actions intended to damage or interrupt the use and operation of transport infrastructure can affect negatively the pursuit of economic activities, generate substantial financial losses, undermine user confidence and cause major damage to the economy.   This book answers the question of what is meant by critical transport infrastructure. Network and information systems are essential for its effective control. That is why these systems in particular need to be protected against unauthorised access. The motivation of companies and organisations to secure the critical transport infrastructure which they operate is based on a uniform legal framework imposed within the European Union.   EU legislation has to be transformed into national laws by each one of the member states. It is the ultimate goal of legislation at European level to set out an equal level of protection of consumers and businesses to cybersecurity threats. In order to do so, operators of critical transport infrastructure first of all need to be identified. These operators then need to define the requirements for protection measures, in proportion to the risks represented to their networks. Such risks need to take into account the current state of the art of cybersecurity.   Following the design paradigm of defence in depth, an effective protection of critical transport infrastructure can only be achieved with an adequate combination of technical and organisational measures, as well as the appropriate physical protection of the relevant assets.   The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

Railway track infrastructure is a complex system consisting of various subsystems which require incremental maintenance from all engineering disciplines; all of whom are competing for the limited time and number of available maintenance windows. The constant demand for higher traffic volumes, increased train speeds and heavier axle loadings all result in an exponential increase in maintenance requirements but the time available for maintenance is as a result even further reduced. This requires a more scientific lifecycle approach to infrastructure maintenance management. It also requires increased performance from mechanised construction, maintenance and renewal machines to keep the infrastructure reliable, available, maintainable, affordable and safe within the short available maintenance windows. The objectives of this book are to address the optimisation of infrastructure maintenance management and to provide a model with selection criteria for maintenance machinery and their features for the prevailing circumstances The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function.

This textbook, which is also suitable for non-engineers, deals in two parts with digitization in mobility and traffic: The first part describes the most important technologies, which as a whole make it possible today to solve mobility needs in society that were technically unworkable or too expensive just a few years ago. The aim of this survey is to provide a basic understanding of these new technologies. The second part sheds light on how digitization is being translated into mobility and transport. The focus is on rail and public transport, which are predestined as existing networked systems to cover the mobility needs of people and goods safely, efficiently and climate-friendly. With the digitization even the former individual traffic of people and goods is networked and thus approaches the rail and public transport in its essence. Therefore, relevant aspects of road traffic - such as autonomous driving - are also considered in this work. The included e-book provides users of a device with pdf-reader (PC, tablet, smartphone) the contents of the work also electronically and with search function. The author Dagmar Rees has been working for 20 years as a journalist on topics related to economics and technology. For more than five years she has also been an editor at the renowned Eisenbahntechnischen Rundschau (ETR). The book is available in German.

Once again, DB Netz AG is publishing a book on railway construction with "Infrastructure Projects 2018".   How can we remove and rebuild rail infrastructure faster and better? - That's what the more than 30 papers in this book are about. Levers for faster and better implementation of projects are the acceleration and simplification of approval procedures as well as lean concepts in the construction industry, the introduction of the BIM method and partnership building. Using the example of the metropolitan areas of Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, this book outlines which challenges population growth and disproportionately increasing economic performance mean for the transport infrastructure and how the transport networks can be made future-proof.   Another focus is investment in the preservation of existing infrastructure. The focus here is on the renewal or upgrading of 875 railway bridges as part of the current performance and financing agreement for the existing network.

La gestión de la infraestructura ferroviaria es un tema de gran complejidad, en el que influyen una gran variedad de factores económicos, jurídicos, políticos y, sobre todo, técnicos. El objetivo de la presente serie, “Best Practices para el mantenimiento de vía”, consiste en presentar estas interdependencias de forma estructurada a todos los que trabajen en este ámbito o se interesen por la materia, incidiendo especialmente en el tema de la sostenibilidad. El tomo 1, “Gestión de la infraestructura”, ofrece una descripción general de las problemáticas y los aspectos relacionados con la gestión de la infraestructura, centrándose, en particular, en el Espacio Ferroviario Europeo Único. A través de ejemplos de mejores prácticas procedentes en su mayoría de Europa Central, la presente obra apunta medidas para modernizar y mejorar el mantenimiento de la infraestructura en las redes existentes. Muchos administradores de infraestructuras se encuentran ante un cambio generacional, lo que acelera la reorientación de los procesos y procedimientos. En estecampo, las modernas tecnologías de información y comunicación permiten simplificar notablemente el registro y la representación de las complejas inter-relaciones descritas. Los nuevos enfoques sobre la gestión de activos y del ciclo de vida permiten la implementación de la así llamada “vía de cristal” (en alemán: “Gläserner Fahrweg”), o del “Ferrocarril 4.0”. El e-book incluido permite a los usuarios de un dispositivo con un lector de archivos PDF (PC, tablet o smartphone) consultar todos los términos y sus referencias de forma electrónica mediante una función de búsqueda. 

Now only € 69,- instead of formerly € 106,-: You save 35 %! The current overview of the railway market in Europe.The market overview provides up-to-date data on around 1100 rail transport and infrastructure companies in 34 countries: Market analysis "Europe", created by Independent Regulator's Group-Rail (IRG-Rail) Quick overview for each country: train history, route map, market participants, authorities Company profiles of all railways: Addresses / Management / Shareholders / History / Financial figures / Traffic relations / Fleet list Buying guide with important addresses for the daily business with service providers Comprehensive personal index This makes the business manual "European Railways" a core medium for decision makers at railways and throughout the rail industry.

L‘exploitation de l’infrastructure ferroviaire revêt un haut niveau de complexité. Elle implique une intervention des domaines économique, juridique, politique et surtout technique. L’objectif de la série «Bonnes pratiques de la maintenance des voies ferrées» est de décrire cette corrélation de manière structurée pour tous les acteurs du monde ferroviaire. Le développement durable y tient une place particulière. Le Tome 1 «La Gestion de l’Infrastructure» décrit de manière claire les aspects de la gestion de l’infrastructure en se concentrant particulièrement sur l’Espace ferroviaire unique européen. Des exemples tirés des bonnes pratiques de l’Europe centrale illustrent les mesures ciblées de renouvellement et d‘amélioration de la maintenance des voies ferrées pour le réseau existant. En de nombreux endroits, les gestionnaires de l‘infrastructure passent progressivement le relai à une nouvelle génération, ce qui accélère la réorganisation des processus. Les technologies modernes de l’information et de la communication offrent dans ce domaine de nombreuses possibilités de faciliter considérablement la conception et la description des corrélations complexes. De nouvelles perspectives pour la gestion des biens et la gestion du cycle de vie permettent la mise en place de la« voie ferrée transparente» ou encore des «chemins de fer 4.0». Le livre numérique fourni avec cet ouvrage permet aux utilisateurs d’un appareil équipé d’un lecteur pdf (ordinateur de bureau, tablette, smartphone) d’avoir à leur disposition tous les termes et leurs renvois au format numérique avec fonction de recherche.

Railway infrastructure management involves a high degree of complexity. Economic, legal, political and, above all, technical interdependencies are required. The aim of the Best Practice Permanent Way Maintenance series is to describe these relationships in a structured way for all stakeholders. "Infrastructure Management" looks at aspects of infrastructure management with particular reference to the single European railway area. Based on best-practice examples from Central Europe, measures for the targeted retrofitting and improvement of the infrastructure maintenance of the existing network are presented. In many places, infrastructure operators are faced with a generational change, which accelerates the process. Modern information and communication technology can simplify the comprehension and presentation of complex contexts. Modified approaches to asset management and life-cycle management enable implementation of the "transparent permanent way" or the "railway 4.0". The included pdf e-book allows users to search and access all terms and references electronically using their PC, Tablet or Smartphone

This book is dedicated to the many people involved in the day to day planning and performance of track maintenance activities. Providing a practical approach to everyday challenges in mechanised track maintenance, it is not just intended as a theoretical approach to the track system. Railways aim at transporting people and freight safely, rapidly, regularly, comfortably and on time from one place to another. This book is directed to track infrastructure departments contributing to the above objective by ensuring the track infrastructure’s reliability, availability, maintainability and safety – denoted by the acronym RAMS. Regular, effective and affordable track maintenance enable RAMS to be achieved. As a social service, railways are required to transport people at affordable fares. On freight railways, transportation costs significantly influence the competitiveness of products, particularly when it comes to exports. The “affordability” of maintenance activities should therefore be added to RAMS, hence RAMAS, since operating and capital funds are a major stumbling block for effective maintenance practice. As a result, alternative methods and technologies will always be sought after. This has given rise to the term “appropriate” technology as opposed to “latest” or “best” technology. Maintenance strategies and methods play a major role in ensuring the RAMAS of the railway as they involve decisions on the track sections to be maintained, the maintenance measures to be taken, the resources available for maintenance and the use of appropriate maintenance machinery. The focus of this book is therefore placed on reliability, availability, maintainability, affordability and safety as objectives of track maintenance.