O aumento da produtividade das ferrovias, observado no período pós-concessão da operação à iniciativa privada, é decorrente da utilização de composições com grandes comprimentos e elevadas cargas por eixo, aplicação de tecnologias para o gerenciamento do sistema e investimentos na infra-estrutura. Entretanto, a intensificação do tráfego na malha ferroviária resultou no aumento do desgaste da via permanente, que aliada às restrições geométricas exigiu a imposição de limites operacionais de velocidades, comprometendo significativamente a capacidade de processamento de trens. Esta pesquisa apresenta um método de identificação dos trechos de uma rede ferroviária que necessitam de prioridade de investimentos, visando o aumento da capacidade de processamento, através de um modelo de análise da circulação dos trens com base em diagramas espaço-tempo. Os dados de entrada do modelo são os tempos de viagem nos arcos e a proporção de trens que partem de cada um dos terminais da rede, em relação ao total que converge para um terminal de concentração de cargas. O modelo fornece o número de trens diários que circulam em cada ramal da rede, o arco que restringe o aumento da capacidade do sistema e o intervalo de tempo entre trens sucessivos, no sistema. A aplicação do modelo em uma rede formada pelos ramais do sistema ferroviário do Estado de São Paulo permitiu a identificação dos arcos que restringem o aumento da capacidade dos trens, cujas cargas são destinadas ao Porto de Santos, e reforçou a hipótese de que a falta de conservação da infraestrutura ferroviária é o fator que impõe maiores restrições à circulação dos trens, seguido dos parâmetros geométricos (raio das curvas e rampas) da via permanente. / Increasing the productivity of the railways, after the system\'s operation concessions, is due to usage of long trains with high loads per axis, the application of technologies to properly manage the system and investments on infrastructure. However, the intense traffic on railroad caused an increase on track\'s waste which, attached the geometric limitations, required the imposition of operational limits of speeds, that significantly spoiled the railway capacity. This research presents a method that identify the stretches on a railway network that need priority of investments in order to improve capacity, based on a model that analyses space-time diagrams. The input data of this model are travel times on arches and the proportion of trains that leave each terminal of the network related to all the trains that reach a terminal that concentrates the load. The model provides the number of daily trains traveling on each branch of the network, the arc that restricts the improvement on capacity and the time interval between successive trains in the system. Its application on a network of the State of São Paulo allowed identifying the arcs that restrict the improvement of system\'s capacity, and reinforced the hypothesis that lack of maintenance on railway infrastructure is the greatest restriction on the movement of trains, followed by geometrical parameters (radius of curves and slopes) of the track.

O aumento da produtividade das ferrovias, observado no período pós-concessão da operação à iniciativa privada, é decorrente da utilização de composições com grandes comprimentos e elevadas cargas por eixo, aplicação de tecnologias para o gerenciamento do sistema e investimentos na infra-estrutura. Entretanto, a intensificação do tráfego na malha ferroviária resultou no aumento do desgaste da via permanente, que aliada às restrições geométricas exigiu a imposição de limites operacionais de velocidades, comprometendo significativamente a capacidade de processamento de trens. Esta pesquisa apresenta um método de identificação dos trechos de uma rede ferroviária que necessitam de prioridade de investimentos, visando o aumento da capacidade de processamento, através de um modelo de análise da circulação dos trens com base em diagramas espaço-tempo. Os dados de entrada do modelo são os tempos de viagem nos arcos e a proporção de trens que partem de cada um dos terminais da rede, em relação ao total que converge para um terminal de concentração de cargas. O modelo fornece o número de trens diários que circulam em cada ramal da rede, o arco que restringe o aumento da capacidade do sistema e o intervalo de tempo entre trens sucessivos, no sistema. A aplicação do modelo em uma rede formada pelos ramais do sistema ferroviário do Estado de São Paulo permitiu a identificação dos arcos que restringem o aumento da capacidade dos trens, cujas cargas são destinadas ao Porto de Santos, e reforçou a hipótese de que a falta de conservação da infraestrutura ferroviária é o fator que impõe maiores restrições à circulação dos trens, seguido dos parâmetros geométricos (raio das curvas e rampas) da via permanente. / Increasing the productivity of the railways, after the system\'s operation concessions, is due to usage of long trains with high loads per axis, the application of technologies to properly manage the system and investments on infrastructure. However, the intense traffic on railroad caused an increase on track\'s waste which, attached the geometric limitations, required the imposition of operational limits of speeds, that significantly spoiled the railway capacity. This research presents a method that identify the stretches on a railway network that need priority of investments in order to improve capacity, based on a model that analyses space-time diagrams. The input data of this model are travel times on arches and the proportion of trains that leave each terminal of the network related to all the trains that reach a terminal that concentrates the load. The model provides the number of daily trains traveling on each branch of the network, the arc that restricts the improvement on capacity and the time interval between successive trains in the system. Its application on a network of the State of São Paulo allowed identifying the arcs that restrict the improvement of system\'s capacity, and reinforced the hypothesis that lack of maintenance on railway infrastructure is the greatest restriction on the movement of trains, followed by geometrical parameters (radius of curves and slopes) of the track.

<p>Railway transportation is showing a substantial increase. Investments in new infrastructure, new fast and comfortable vehicles, and high frequency of service are important factors behind the increase.</p><p>Infrastructure configuration and timetable construction play important roles in the competitiveness of railway transportation. This is especially true on single-track lines where the travel times and other timetable related parameters are severely restricted by crossings (train meetings). The crossings also make the lines’ operation more sensitive to disturbances.</p><p>Since the major part of the Swedish railway network is single-track it is of great interest to examine the relationships between operation properties, such as travel times and reliability, and infrastructure configuration on single-track lines. The crossings are the core feature of single-track operation and this thesis focuses on the crossing time, i.e. the time loss that occurs in crossing situations.</p><p>A simplified analytical model, SAMFOST, has been developed to calculate the crossing time as a function of infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, timetable and delays for two crossing trains. The effect of possible surrounding trains is not taken into account and all kinds of congestion effects are thus excluded from evaluation. SAMFOST has been successfully validated against the simulation tool RailSys, which shows that this type of simplified model is accurate in non-congested situations.</p><p>A great advantage of disregarding congested situations is that analysis is independent of timetable assumptions. The model also explicitly shows the effect of punctuality, which is of particular importance on single-track lines where the interdependencies between trains are strengthened by the crossings.</p><p>For the same reason, the timetable is severely constrained. Nonetheless, there is often a need for changes of the timetable (crossing pattern). The thesis proposes three simple measures of timetable flexibility, all based on assigned crossing time requirements. Together, these measures can be used to evaluate how infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, punctuality etc affect possibilities to alter the timetable.</p><p>As an example of its application, SAMFOST has been used to evaluate the effect of shorter inter-station distance, partial double-track and combined crossing and passenger stop. These measures affect the operational properties quite differently.</p><p>More crossing stations result in a minor decrease in travel time (lower mean crossing time) but significantly higher reliability (lower crossing time variance). These effects are independent of punctuality, which is a valuable property.</p><p>A partial double-track results in shorter travel times and in some cases also higher reliability. Both effects are strongly dependent on punctuality and high punctuality is needed to achieve high effects.</p><p>A combined crossing and passenger stop results in a situation similar to that of a partial double-track. In this case it is important to point out that the assignment of time supplements in the timetable should be directly correlated to punctuality in order to achieve good operation.</p>

Railway transportation is showing a substantial increase. Investments in new infrastructure, new fast and comfortable vehicles, and high frequency of service are important factors behind the increase. Infrastructure configuration and timetable construction play important roles in the competitiveness of railway transportation. This is especially true on single-track lines where the travel times and other timetable related parameters are severely restricted by crossings (train meetings). The crossings also make the lines’ operation more sensitive to disturbances. Since the major part of the Swedish railway network is single-track it is of great interest to examine the relationships between operation properties, such as travel times and reliability, and infrastructure configuration on single-track lines. The crossings are the core feature of single-track operation and this thesis focuses on the crossing time, i.e. the time loss that occurs in crossing situations. A simplified analytical model, SAMFOST, has been developed to calculate the crossing time as a function of infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, timetable and delays for two crossing trains. The effect of possible surrounding trains is not taken into account and all kinds of congestion effects are thus excluded from evaluation. SAMFOST has been successfully validated against the simulation tool RailSys, which shows that this type of simplified model is accurate in non-congested situations. A great advantage of disregarding congested situations is that analysis is independent of timetable assumptions. The model also explicitly shows the effect of punctuality, which is of particular importance on single-track lines where the interdependencies between trains are strengthened by the crossings. For the same reason, the timetable is severely constrained. Nonetheless, there is often a need for changes of the timetable (crossing pattern). The thesis proposes three simple measures of timetable flexibility, all based on assigned crossing time requirements. Together, these measures can be used to evaluate how infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, punctuality etc affect possibilities to alter the timetable. As an example of its application, SAMFOST has been used to evaluate the effect of shorter inter-station distance, partial double-track and combined crossing and passenger stop. These measures affect the operational properties quite differently. More crossing stations result in a minor decrease in travel time (lower mean crossing time) but significantly higher reliability (lower crossing time variance). These effects are independent of punctuality, which is a valuable property. A partial double-track results in shorter travel times and in some cases also higher reliability. Both effects are strongly dependent on punctuality and high punctuality is needed to achieve high effects. A combined crossing and passenger stop results in a situation similar to that of a partial double-track. In this case it is important to point out that the assignment of time supplements in the timetable should be directly correlated to punctuality in order to achieve good operation. / <p>QC 20170222</p>

Os investimentos no setor ferroviário brasileiro desde o processo de privatização das ferrovias trouxeram um expressivo crescimento ao setor, evidenciado principalmente pelo aumento do volume de cargas transportadas. Entretanto, a capacidade de processamento dos trens tem sido comprometida pela imposição de limites operacionais de velocidades, decorrentes principalmente do aumento do desgaste da via permanente em função da intensificação do tráfego da malha ferroviária e das restrições das características geométricas da via construída no final do século XIX. Neste contexto e diante das perspectivas de crescimento do setor na próxima década, o objetivo desta dissertação é investigar a validade da hipótese de que a construção de uma nova via, com melhores padrões de projeto e maior capacidade no transporte de cargas, é uma alternativa mais atraente em relação à recuperação e modernização de uma ferrovia existente. O processo de investigação consiste em um método expedito de comparação de cenários através de um modelo de custos generalizado. Neste método, as características planimétricas da nova ferrovia são obtidas pela geração de um conjunto de vetores por inspeção visual no software Google Earth, posteriormente em uma plataforma de desenho assistido por computador (CAD). As características altimétricas da ferrovia são estabelecidas pela associação da geometria da via em planta com os dados altimétricos obtidos do modelo digital de terreno proposto pelo SRTM, através de um método computacional de cálculo dos gradientes da via. A partir dessas informações são estimados os volumes de movimentação de terra associados a cada cenário estabelecido. Como aplicação prática, apresenta-se a análise para um trecho de cerca de 200 km de um dos principais corredores de exportação do país entre as cidades de Santa Fé do Sul e São José do Rio Preto, no Estado de São Paulo, sob concessão da empresa América Latina Logística S.A. Os resultados da investigação permitem inferir que, apesar das limitações impostas pela técnica de modelagem utilizada, o custo total de implantação de uma nova ferrovia supera em apenas 4,3% o custo total de reforma e retificação do traçado antigo, mostrando-se como uma alternativa atraente do ponto de vista econômico, técnico e ambiental. / Investments in the Brazilian railway sector since the privatization of the railways brought a significant growth to the sector, notable primarily by the increase of cargo volume transported. However the processing capacity of the trains has been compromised by the restriction of operation speed limits, due mainly to the increased wear of the railway superstructure with the traffic increase and the geometric restriction of the track built in the late 90th century. In this context and given the sectors growth prospects over the next decade, the goal of this research is to investigate the validity of the hypothesis that the construction of a railroad with new improved design standards and greater capacity is a more attractive alternative than the repair and modernization of an existing railway. The research process consists of an expedite method of scenarios comparison through a generalized cost model. The planimetry features of the new railway are obtained by generating a set of vectors by visual inspection using the Google Earth software, which are fed into a computer aided design (CAD). The altimetry characteristics of track are set by the association of the horizontal track geometry platform with the elevation data obtained from the digital terrain model proposed by SRTM, using a computational method to calculate the gradient of the track. Earthwork volumes are calculated for each scenario based on this date. As a practical application, it presents an analysis of a segment of approximately 200 km between the cities of Santa Fé do Sul and São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, operated by America Latina Logística S.A. The results of research may imply that, despite the limitations imposed by the modeling technique show that, the total cost of deployment of a new railway exceeds in only 4,3% the total cost of rectification and reform of the old track, and therefore constitutes an attractive alternative from the economical, technical and environmental point of view.

Os investimentos no setor ferroviário brasileiro desde o processo de privatização das ferrovias trouxeram um expressivo crescimento ao setor, evidenciado principalmente pelo aumento do volume de cargas transportadas. Entretanto, a capacidade de processamento dos trens tem sido comprometida pela imposição de limites operacionais de velocidades, decorrentes principalmente do aumento do desgaste da via permanente em função da intensificação do tráfego da malha ferroviária e das restrições das características geométricas da via construída no final do século XIX. Neste contexto e diante das perspectivas de crescimento do setor na próxima década, o objetivo desta dissertação é investigar a validade da hipótese de que a construção de uma nova via, com melhores padrões de projeto e maior capacidade no transporte de cargas, é uma alternativa mais atraente em relação à recuperação e modernização de uma ferrovia existente. O processo de investigação consiste em um método expedito de comparação de cenários através de um modelo de custos generalizado. Neste método, as características planimétricas da nova ferrovia são obtidas pela geração de um conjunto de vetores por inspeção visual no software Google Earth, posteriormente em uma plataforma de desenho assistido por computador (CAD). As características altimétricas da ferrovia são estabelecidas pela associação da geometria da via em planta com os dados altimétricos obtidos do modelo digital de terreno proposto pelo SRTM, através de um método computacional de cálculo dos gradientes da via. A partir dessas informações são estimados os volumes de movimentação de terra associados a cada cenário estabelecido. Como aplicação prática, apresenta-se a análise para um trecho de cerca de 200 km de um dos principais corredores de exportação do país entre as cidades de Santa Fé do Sul e São José do Rio Preto, no Estado de São Paulo, sob concessão da empresa América Latina Logística S.A. Os resultados da investigação permitem inferir que, apesar das limitações impostas pela técnica de modelagem utilizada, o custo total de implantação de uma nova ferrovia supera em apenas 4,3% o custo total de reforma e retificação do traçado antigo, mostrando-se como uma alternativa atraente do ponto de vista econômico, técnico e ambiental. / Investments in the Brazilian railway sector since the privatization of the railways brought a significant growth to the sector, notable primarily by the increase of cargo volume transported. However the processing capacity of the trains has been compromised by the restriction of operation speed limits, due mainly to the increased wear of the railway superstructure with the traffic increase and the geometric restriction of the track built in the late 90th century. In this context and given the sectors growth prospects over the next decade, the goal of this research is to investigate the validity of the hypothesis that the construction of a railroad with new improved design standards and greater capacity is a more attractive alternative than the repair and modernization of an existing railway. The research process consists of an expedite method of scenarios comparison through a generalized cost model. The planimetry features of the new railway are obtained by generating a set of vectors by visual inspection using the Google Earth software, which are fed into a computer aided design (CAD). The altimetry characteristics of track are set by the association of the horizontal track geometry platform with the elevation data obtained from the digital terrain model proposed by SRTM, using a computational method to calculate the gradient of the track. Earthwork volumes are calculated for each scenario based on this date. As a practical application, it presents an analysis of a segment of approximately 200 km between the cities of Santa Fé do Sul and São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, operated by America Latina Logística S.A. The results of research may imply that, despite the limitations imposed by the modeling technique show that, the total cost of deployment of a new railway exceeds in only 4,3% the total cost of rectification and reform of the old track, and therefore constitutes an attractive alternative from the economical, technical and environmental point of view.

Planifier les horaires des trains qui circulent sur un réseau constitue une tâche complexe. En Europe, elle s'inscrit dans un processus qui voit le gestionnaire d'infrastructure opérer des choix pour répartir une ressource rare, la capacité d'infrastructure, entre des usages concurrents - commerciaux (trains de voyageurs et de marchandises) et de maintenance (travaux) - et des demandeurs multiples. Dans ce travail, nous cherchons à mieux cerner comment s'organise et fonctionne le processus pour le réseau ferré français par le prisme du fret, activité ouverte à la concurrence depuis 2006 mais qui traverse une crise structurelle depuis plusieurs décennies. Les différentes facettes temporelles du processus de répartition des capacités constituent le fil conducteur de notre analyse. A travers une démarche croisant le point de vue du gestionnaire d'infrastructure et celui de ses clients, au premier rang desquels les entreprises ferroviaires, nous montrons que le fret occupe une place singulière dans ce processus qui se structure selon un calendrier spécifique, fruit de dispositions règlementaires européennes et d'héritages et de choix nationaux. La question de la qualité de sillons offerts par le gestionnaire d'infrastructure est appréhendée sous l'angle d'une articulation entre composantes de court et de long termes par rapport à l'échéance de circulation. Activité plurielle, le fret a besoin de flexibilité et de visibilité. Nous nous intéressons enfin aux sillons-catalogue en tant que dispositif participant à garantir de la capacité au fret. Une analyse de la méthode allemande, à travers le projet neXt, est proposée en guise de contrepoint. Nous mettons en évidence que l'équilibre entre des exigences industrielles (standardisation) et commerciales (personnalisation) dans la production des sillons est indispensable mais demeure délicat à établir / Train timetabling on a rail network is a complex task. In Europe, this issue lies within a process for which the infrastructure manager has to consider competing uses - passenger and freight trains as well as maintenance work - and several users of a scarce resource, infrastructure capacity. The aim of this research is to better understand the way this process is organised and works on the French rail network. We have chosen to tackle this issue focusing on freight as an activity which has been opened up to competition since 2006 but has experienced structural difficulties for decades. The various time aspects of the capacity allocation process are the key focus of our analysis. Our approach considers the perspectives of the infrastructure manager and of their customers, foremost among which are train operating companies. We highlight that freight occupies a unique place in this process which is based on a schedule resulting from both European regulations and the legacy of decisions taken at the national level. The issue of the quality of the train paths offered by the infrastructure manager is studied with a focus on the links between short and long term requirements with regard to the train running deadline. In spite of their diversity, we demonstrate that freight operators need flexibility and visibility. Finally, we analyse catalogue paths as a specific offer that aims to guarantee capacity for freight. The German method, through the neXt project, provides an alternative insight into this issue. Accommodating freight train paths into the timetable is essentially a necessary but delicate balance of interests: standardisation vs. customisation

This thesis shows the advantages of simple models for analysis of railway operation. It presents two tools for infrastructure and timetable planning. It shows how the infrastructure can be analysed through fictive line designs, how the timetable can be treated as a variable and how delays can be used as performance measures. The thesis also gives examples of analyses of complex traffic situations through simulation experiments. Infrastructure configuration, timetable design and delays play important roles in the competitiveness of railway transportation. This is especially true on single-track lines where the run times and other timetable related parameters are severely restricted by crossings (train meetings). The first half of this thesis focuses on the crossing time, i.e. the time loss that occurs in crossing situations. A simplified analytical model, SAMFOST, has been developed to calculate the crossing time as a function of infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, timetable and delays for two crossing trains. Three measures of timetable flexibility are proposed and they can be used to evaluate how infrastructure configuration, vehicle properties, punctuality etc affect possibilities to alter the timetable. Double-track lines operated with mixed traffic show properties similar to those of single-tracks. In this case overtakings imply scheduled delays as well as risk of delay propagation. Two different methods are applied for analysis of double-tracks: a combinatorial, mathematical model (TVEM) and simulation experiments. TVEM, Timetable Variant Evaluation Model, is a generic model that systematically generates and evaluates timetable variants. This method is especially useful for mixed traffic operation where the impact of the timetable is considerable. TVEM may also be used for evaluation of different infrastructure designs. Analyses performed in TVEM show that the impact on capacity from the infrastructure increases with speed differences and frequency of service for the passenger trains, whereas the impact of the timetable is strongest when the speed differences are low and/or the frequency of passenger services is low. Simulation experiments were performed to take delays and perturbations into account. A simulation model was set up in the micro simulation tool RailSys and calibrated against real operational data. The calibrated model was used for multi-factor analysis through experiments where infrastructure, timetable and perturbation factors were varied according to an experimental design and evaluated through response surface methods. The additional delay was used as response variable. Timetable factors, such as frequency of high-speed services and freight train speed, turned out to be of great importance for the additional delay, whereas some of the perturbation factors, i.e. entry delays, only showed a minor impact. The infrastructure factor, distance between overtaking stations, showed complex relationships with several interactions, principally with timetable factors. / QC20100622 / Framtida infrastruktur och kvalitet i tågföring

Les marges de progression pour le système ferroviaire français et européen restent nombreuses tant du point de vue de la gouvernance que de la compétitivité. C’est la conclusion à laquelle tend ce travail. Les résultats du consortium de recherche Enerdata-LET (2014) montrent que dans le respect du facteur 4 à horizon 2050, le report de la demande en transport vers le ferroviaire pourrait être massif. Face à cela, la situation de la LGV Paris-Lyon, déjà à la limite de la saturation, interroge sur la capacité du système à accueillir de nouveaux trafics. Deux écoles s’affrontent sur cette question. D’un côté, les tenants du SNIT proposent un quasi doublement du réseau LGV pour répondre aux futurs besoins tandis que la commission « Mobilité 21 » privilégie la recherche de rendements croissants à partir de l’existant. Sans prétendre résoudre le débat, ce travail tente d’apporter des éléments de compréhension sur l’interaction entre demande et offre dans le ferroviaire.L’étude de la concordance entre augmentation de la demande et offre ferroviaire nous mène à poser la question de la performance. Elle sous-entend d’être en premier lieu capable de définir la capacité d’une infrastructure ferroviaire. En second lieu, la mise en évidence de limites conduit à interroger le phénomène de saturation ou congestion. Enfin, interroger la notion de saturation mène inévitablement à mettre en perspective la relativité des limites et à poser la question de leur dépassement.L’objectif de cette recherche est d’appliquer cette problématique au système ferroviaire en tenant compte de ses spécificités. On tient compte de sa constitution en tant qu’industrie de réseau et de monopole naturel dans le cas de l’infrastructure (gestionnaire d’infrastructure). Sans prétendre trancher le débat sur le mode de gouvernance, on considère que cette particularité peut influencer le comportement des acteurs et indirectement la performance du système. On considère également l’évolution législative du système au niveau européen. On ne peut aborder la question de la performance sans resituer le secteur dans son contexte juridique. Enfin, l’essentiel de l’analyse repose sur l’étude de la saturation de la LGV Paris-Lyon. On considère cette LGV représentative de la performance souhaitée pour le réseau ferroviaire français. Elle concentre à la fois les défis techniques et économiques de la capacité qui constituent le cœur de notre réflexion sur la performance, ses conditions et les marges de progression du réseau français. / There is still much progress to make concerning the French and the European railway networks, both from governance and competitiveness standpoints. This is the conclusion this work lead to. The results from the Enerdata-LET research consortium (2014) illustrate that, considering factor 4 for horizon 2050, the modal shift of demand in transport towards railway could be massive. Regarding this, the situation of Paris-Lyon high-speed line, already up to its saturation level, addresses the issue of the capacity a system possesses to bear new traffics. Two schools oppose there. On one side, the supporters of the SNIT suggest a quasi-doubling of the high-speed railway network, in order to cope with futures needs, whereas on the other side, the “Mobilité 21” commission gives priority to the search of increasing returns from the existing infrastructure. Without claiming to solve the issue, this work attempts to bring up comprehension elements on the interaction between demand and offer in the railway sector.Studying the accordance between an increase in railway demand and offer leads us to question performance. It means being able to define capacity of the railway infrastructure, first. But it also means questioning its limits, which addresses the phenomenon of saturation, also called congestion. Eventually, this all inevitably leads to put into perspective the relativeness of these limits and to question the ways to overcome them. The objective of this research is to apply this issue to the railway system, accounting its specificities. We consider its constitution as a network industry and as a natural monopoly, when considering the infrastructure (infrastructure manager). Without pretending to conclude the debate on governance, we consider that this particularity might influence actors and, thus, performance. We also consider the legal framework at the European scale. One can’t question performance without framing the railway sector within its legal context. Then, the main purpose of the analysis stands in the study of saturation of the Paris-Lyon high-speed line. We consider the line as representative of the expected performance level of the whole French railway network. It challenges both technical and economic capacities that are in the core of our rationale on performance, its requirements and the opportunities of the French network.