More and more stakeholders of the railway industry become aware of the fact that the better usage of the existing infrastructure, time table stability issues as well as pressure to save energy all ask for new solutions to optimisation of the train traffic.

In this second edition  of the systransis Atelier, we would like to deepen the insights into the opportunities and challenges of optimising  the railway traffic and the related operational processes.

The goal of this atelier is to provide a forum for the interactive discussion of the different dimensions of Rescheduling and Train Traffic Optimisation.

In the morning there will be contributions by experts in the field of Rescheduling and Train Traffic Optimisation.  The areas covered include the experiences with existing systems in operation be it prototypes or systems in commercial operation, as well as theoretical background, and soft issues, such as involvement of human beings in all stages of such undertakings.  There will be enough room for the audience to discuss current issues out of their own field of experience with the presenters.

In the afternoon we would like to try to construct one or several morphological boxes which describe the extend of the problem space of train traffic optimisation.  Morphological Analysis is a method invented by the Swiss physician Fritz Zwicky whose primary goal is to describe and compare all potential solutions to a problem.  We have used this method, which is well-known in the realm of creative professions to invent new products.  It usually is an excellent basis for a fruitful discussion, with a clear and simply structured result.

People who should attend this atelier include decision makers and experts in the area of operational processes of railway, as well as generally everyone who looks forward to extend their horizon in railway knowledge and technology.  The attendees are not seen as passive consumers but are expected to actively contribute to the common deliverable of this atelier: a morphological box for train traffic optimisation systems, describing potential solutions for this complex task.  While attending the Atelier only during the morning is possible, it seems less advisable to participate in the afternoon session only without the morning's input.

Members of the systransis team who are among the world top experts in this field will guide the audience through this atelier.

We received many enthusiastic comments about the first edition of this event in 2008.  Please let me cite one of them: "A big compliment for the well-done systransis-Atelier!  For me it was one of the highlights of the IT08.rail. Can I register already for the next one, please?  I have one request though: please make it a full day event next time"