Railway systems, like other public transport systems, will face incredible challenges in the coming years. On the one hand, they support the productivity of our society with an increasing mobility demand; on the other hand, the pandemic has highlighted their limitations. Railways are recognized as one of the best solutions for traveling in a sustainable way, from an economic, ecological, and social perspective. Nowadays, they require better models and new tools to fully exploit the capabilities of current and future technologies (e.g., ATO systems, moving block signaling systems, virtual coupling) and to be resiliently prepared for future changes from the user, the operational, and the economic point of view. In this context, the Special Issue Sustainable Railway Systems | Innovation and Optimization welcomes research papers on current and future innovations in railway systems and their optimal use for a more sustainable operation, addressing one or more of the following research streams: Infrastructure (e.g., planning, construction, maintenance, noise, vibration, power supply systems); Rail traffic management (e.g., line planning, traffic control, train operation, energy efficiency); Vehicle (e.g., light materials/new wagon concepts, regenerative braking, onboard batteries, automation, energy saving speed profiles); Rail freight (e.g., planning, operation, new rail freight vehicle concepts, optimal vehicle composition and wagons disposition, urban rail freight); Information from/to customers (e.g., smart card data, mobile apps, disruptions management); Strategic development (e.g., high-speed rail, high-capacity rail, Hyperloop). Please consider the abovementioned topics in brackets as examples, though submissions are not limited to these.
Keywords: rail operation; rail system; rail infrastructure; automation; rail transportation; rail freight.