Politicians frequently express the core demand of shifting more transport from road to rail, which poses a considerable challenge in terms of management and technology. Since the railway system is extremely complex and always needs to be considered in its entirety, the Department of Rail Technology and Mobility carries out wide-ranging research activities. These cover topics related to the movement of people and goods, construction and safety technology, power supply, railway operation, transport economics and additional disciplines which together make up the rail system.

Current fields of research

Railway Systems

Key Focus Coordinator: Frank Michelberger

• Alternative Drive Systems
• Shunting Technologies
• Control Centre Technology
• Safety and Usability

Lifecycles of  Technical Systems

Key Focus Coordinator: Hirut Grossberger

•     LCC, LCA, LCP
•     Sustainable Procurement
•     Optimization of Railway Infrastructure and Vehicles

Mobility 4.0

Key Focus Coordinator: Alexandra Anderluh

• Digitization and Automation
• Physical Internet and Big Data
• Sustainable Mobility  and New Ways of Transportation

Funding for the key focus Mobility 4.0 was provided by the province of Lower Austria within the project „Aufbau eines neuen Schwerpunkts in der Mobilitätsforschung“