A common exchange standard for service data could reduce the railway sector's reliance on proprietary formats and allow operators, manufacturers and maintainers to share maintenance information on consistent terms, including across borders.
- The International Union of Railways is launching the Rail Service Data Exchange (RSDEX) initiative with a consortium of European railway undertakings.
- RSDEX aims to define a common standard for exchanging maintenance, engineering and support information across the railway asset lifecycle.
- The initiative draws on the aerospace and defence S-Series standards, including S1000D for technical documentation and S5000F for in-service feedback.
- As an initial step, UIC will work with participating stakeholders to develop a proof of concept in an operational environment.
- Dassault Systèmes is contributing its technological expertise to the initiative.
The International Union of Railways (UIC), together with a consortium of leading European railway undertakings, is launching the Rail Service Data Exchange (RSDEX) initiative, an industry-led effort to explore and define a common standard for exchanging maintenance, engineering and support information across the entire railway asset lifecycle.
As railway operations and maintenance become increasingly digital, the seamless exchange of service information across the value chain has emerged as a critical factor in ensuring the sector’s success. However, this exchange is currently still fragmented. Undertakings, manufacturers, component suppliers and maintenance entities each work with their own data models and proprietary formats, making it difficult to share information consistently, plan interventions efficiently or realise the full value of digital twin technology.
RSDEX is designed to close that gap. The initiative aims to define a common exchange standard that ensures data interoperability across maintenance, operations, asset management and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) systems, supported by intermediation platforms capable of facilitating these exchanges and keeping practices consistent between stakeholders. The aim is to have better failure prediction, richer technical information for maintenance operations, more efficient intervention planning and lower whole-life costs.
Proven Practice from the Aerospace Sector
The initiative draws directly on the experience of the aerospace and defence sectors, where the S-Series of standards (such as S1000D for technical documentation, S3000L for logistic support analysis and S5000F for in-service feedback) has provided a structured framework for the exchange of information between aircraft manufacturers, engine makers and airlines.
These standards illustrate how common approaches to information exchange can support interoperability and efficiency across complex industry operations.
RSDEX aims to bring a similarly robust, standardised foundation to rail: one that promotes interoperability, reduces dependency on proprietary formats, supports cross-border operational efficiency and reflects the real operational needs of the industry.
Industry-Led, within the UIC Framework
A recurring lesson from aerospace is that this type of standard cannot be imposed by any single technology seller; it must be developed and adopted by the industry itself. Building on the digital twin work, which is already under way across the UIC network, UIC will explore RSDEX as an industry initiative within its Work Programme, in coordination with existing efforts on common data modelling and AI-based predictive maintenance. As an initial step, UIC will work with participating stakeholders to develop a proof of concept aimed at demonstrating the potential value of the approach in an operational environment.
Jean-Michel Evanghelou, Director Digital Systems & Innovation at UIC, said: “Interoperable service data is the foundation on which the digital railway will be built. By defining this standard together, as an industry, we will be protecting fair competition while unlocking shared value for operators, manufacturers and maintainers.”
Making the Vision a Reality
Crucially, the technology to realise this vision already exists. Digital continuity and Virtual Twin platforms can digitally support RSDEX, connecting engineering definition, in-service data and maintenance execution, and enabling multiphysics, behavioural, statistical, logistical and operational simulations to optimise availability and costs. Dassault Systèmes, whose solutions support the implementation of aerospace S-Series standards, is contributing its technological expertise to the initiative and providing a reference point for how such standards can be operationalised in complex industry environments.
Guillaume Vendroux, CEO of DELMIA, said: “The railway sector doesn’t need to invent this from scratch. Aerospace has already shown that a shared standard, underpinned by the Virtual Twin, lets an entire industry collaborate on maintenance data without ever giving up its competitive edge. Dassault Systèmes is pleased to contribute its experience as the rail industry explores how a similar approach could be developed for its own needs.”
About the RSDEX Initiative
The Rail Service Data Exchange (RSDEX) initiative aims to give the railway sector a standardised framework for exchanging maintenance, engineering and support data across the asset lifecycle. Inspired by internationally recognised aerospace practice, RSDEX is being developed as an industry-led initiative within the UIC framework, bringing together undertakings, manufacturers, suppliers and maintenance entities to enable interoperable service data exchange across the rail sector.
