RailData is actively involved in the implementation of TSI TAF (Technical Specification for Interoperability relating to the Telematics Applications for Freight subsystem of the rail system in the European Union).
TSI TAF was published in the Official Journal of the EU as Commission Regulation (EU) No 1305/2014 of 11 December 2014, available in all official EU languages. The latest consolidated English version of the regulation, reflecting all amendments, is available for download as a PDF.
The latest official version of TSI TAF is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/541 of 26 March 2021, which amends Regulation 1305/2014 regarding the simplification and improvement of data calculation and exchange, and the update of the Change Control Management process. This version is available on Eur-Lex.
Additional information, including TAF TSI Technical Documents (TDs), the implementation Master Plan, and Status Reports, can be found on the TAF TSI section of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) website.
Railway Undertakings (RUs) connected to the ORFEUS system fulfill the TSI TAF requirements for the Consignment Note function. ORFEUS enables comprehensive data exchange between cooperating RUs in any role (contractual, successive, or substitute carriers).
Thanks to the joint efforts of RailData and the Joint Sector Group, supported by the EUAR, the TAF specifications were aligned with COTIF. A new version (1.6) of the ORFEUS message “ECN” was developed in full compliance with the TAF data catalogue. This format (ECN v1.6) has been adopted as the official XSD schema for the TAF Consignment Order Message (COM).
While users of older ORFEUS messages are considered “soft” compliant, any RU using version 1.6 is fully TAF compliant.
ISR is the central tool for exchanging wagon status information between Railway Undertakings and plays a key role in fulfilling the TSI TAF requirements for the Wagon Movement function.
Because ISR events closely match those required by TAF, EUAR issued a soft compliance report for the existing Wagon Status Message (WSM).
To achieve full compliance, RailData developed a new version of WSM (v61) aligned with the TAF data catalogue, building on the current version (v60). Through the TAF Change Management process, version 61 was adopted as the official TAF schema for wagon movement reporting.
Additionally, the latest release of the TAF core text is now fully aligned with ISR and uses WSM as the universal message format for all event types.
RailData receives Train Running Information from RailNetEurope’s TIS application, using the TAF TRI message and the TAF Common Interface.
Train run data are enriched with wagon information and used both for wagon status updates and as train run information for the RUs.
As part of this process, RailData translates between TAF CRD location codes and UIC location codes using a lookup table.
RailData actively represents the interests of its Members and Users in TAF-related bodies such as the TAF-TSI Steering Committee, Joint Sector Group, and Telematics Cluster. We have submitted multiple change requests contributing to the ongoing revision and improvement of the TAF regulation.
A dedicated RailData TAF working group has long been in place to support these activities. RailData also holds regular meetings with EUAR to exchange on TAF matters.
Upon request from the Joint Sector Group, RailData established two Telematics Experts Groups: TEG 5 for the Consignment Note function and TEG 6 for the Wagon Movement function.
Both groups developed change proposals for the respective TAF functions, which were accepted through the official TAF Change Management process.
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