1. Home
  2. TRID
  3. View Record
https://www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting/Registration.aspx

THE SYSTEM OF CENTRALISED CALCULATION OF FREIGHT CHARGES, ITS BENEFITS TO COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION

More than 60% of all traffic revenue of the German Federal Railway is derived from goods traffic. That is why, from an early stage already, the planning for the application of computers has been orientated towards this most important activity of the undertaking. Beginning in 1962 with wagon load traffic within the network of the German Federal Railway, and ending in 1973 with the inclusion of international transports, an integrated data processing system for the calculation and invoicing of charges for the entire goods traffic has been created. On this basis, the German Federal Railway is at present introducing a freight charges calculation centre where the computer centre at Frankfurt-on-Main assumes the functions of the original calculation of the charge rather than the checking of a charge already calculated. Prerequisite to this system, and likewise already realised, are the collection of data close to their source in terms of space and time, the vetting of input data during their introduction into terminals capable of being programmed, and a high-speed data transmission network converging at the computer centre. As part of the centralised computation of freight charges, the mechanical division of charges among different railway administrations in Germany and abroad as well as the mechanised compilation of tariffs are already in practical use. Beyond the improvements in economic efficiency already realised, the system has led to a great gain in information. The individual data stored in the computer are selectively processed for the following purposes: the up-to-date presentation of traffic trends; ad-hoc information to the requirements of the commercial department; rapid presentation of production data for the different requirements of the various levels of management. Without incurring additional costs, the goods traffic data are evaluated for the planning of operation through: presentation and analysis of goods traffic flows; investigation of the goods wagon turn-round times; special, selective investigations for the solution of specific operating problems.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Presented at Fourth International Symposium on Railroad Cybernetics, AAR/UIC/IRCA, 21-26 April 1974, Washington, D.C. This paper was also published in the October 1973 issue of Rail International, which is available from E.S.L.
  • Corporate Authors:

    International Union of Railways

    14 rue Jean Rey
    75015 Paris,   France 
  • Authors:
    • Mohl, K
  • Publication Date: 1974-4

Media Info

  • Features: Figures;
  • Pagination: 6 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00053799
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: International Union of Railways
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Paper
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 17 1974 12:00AM