Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems
Understanding the Basics – Ensuring Safety – Applying Standards Correctly
The railway is a complex technical overall system: infrastructure, vehicles, operations, and regulations are tightly interlinked. At the same time, software plays an increasingly central role – from train control to safe monitoring of infrastructure. Anyone entering railway projects quickly notices: the industry follows its own rules shaped by safety thinking, evidence documentation, and clearly defined roles and processes.
This training provides an understandable, practice‑oriented system overview and shows what distinguishes railway projects—especially regarding safety—from other industries. The focus is on the special requirements for safety‑critical software as well as the relevant standards, particularly EN 50126, EN 50129, and EN 50716. A compact SIL4 case study illustrates how standard requirements take effect in real project environments.
The course is aimed at anyone who wants to classify and realistically assess railway projects—regardless of whether they develop software, offer systems, provide technical solutions, or hold organizational responsibility. The goal is to create a solid understanding of how the railway system works and which processes, roles, and evidentiary steps are required.