Augmented Usage of Track by Optimisation of Maintenance, Allocation and Inspection of railway Networks (AUTOMAIN) – is a European research project focusing on innovations that will decrease the railway capacity required for inspection and maintenance. The high level aim of the project is to make the movement of freight by rail more dependable (reliable, available, maintainable and safe) through the generation of additional capacitiy on the existing network. Through the widespread introduction of automation that is designed to improve Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) of railway infrastructure equipment and systems, it is anticipated that required possession time of the railway could be reduced by as much as 40%.
The project will develop new processes and technologies that will enable infrastructure maintainers to move towards a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week railway.