Lifecycle-Costing of infrastructure in railway systems 

Rail transport infrastructure is expensive to build, maintain and operate.

Therefore most large railway infrastructure owners have been closely examining their life cycle costs (LCC) for several years using proprietary methods. Unfortunately, systematic and harmonized LCC analysis techniques have not been available for smaller infrastructure owners and public transport companies operating rail service.

To address this gap several international research projects (e.g. INNOTRACK, Urban Track) that consider LCC analysis and economic assessment in rail transport infra­structure, especially focusing on sustainable profitability, are now underway.

LCC calculations are also becoming increasingly important in commercial projects. Right from the start, owners, investors, planners and designers are placing greater emphasis on LCC in all phases of rail projects from planning, design, and construction, to subsequent operations and maintenance. Infrastructure stakeholders are increasingly focusing on a topic that has been normal state of the art practice for vehicles for many years.