Table of contents
1. Introduction
IM/ABs can define different parameter settings for passenger and freight trains. They can decide what technical information they need and which fields the applicant needs to complete in order for the train to run on their network when creating the path request at each operating point. This document describes how to set common mandatory parameters and how to make some common parameters mandatory depending on IM parameters.
2. Who
Configuring common mandatory parameter exceptions is available for Admin (PCS Support) and IM users.
3. When
It is usually possible between the first and third Friday in November to prepare the common mandatory parameters for the next timetable period i.e. November 2024 for timetable 2026. After the deadline, IM/ABs only have read privileges on the common mandatory parameter view.
4. Access
You have read-only access to all IM agency Common parameters except your agency IM parameters.
You have edit access only for your own agency IM parameters.
5. Located
The Common Mandatory Parameter submenu is located in the Administration-Reference data submenu in Common Mandatory Parameters.
6. Default parameters
In PCS there are some parameters are defined as mandatory by default:
- Activity types
- Loco type number
- Traction mode
- Train weight
- Train length
- Weight of carriages
- Length of carriages
No one can change these parameters, the added faded blue colour indicates the blocked state by the system, it is necessary to fill in the minimum at each operation point.
7. Establish
First, you need to select the timetable period in which the created common mandatory parameter will be valid. If your company has a passenger and cargo profile, you can also choose which train type the common mandatory parameter applies to.
When the Common Mandatory Parameter window opens you can select which parameter should be mandatory according to your business needs on top of the default parameters.
Tick the checkbox next to the selected parameter to become mandatory and save your changes.
Reminder: the “Location type” is defined as mandatory to fill in for the applicants when filling in the timetable information since the relocation of the field.
8. Configure exception
8.1 Precondition
- Common parameters should be selected as mandatory
- The dependency can only be set if the IM parameter is determined as a single-choice type.
Example: if your IM parameters are NOT of single-choice type, they will not appear and will not be selected as dependencies!
8.2 Exception
IMs should be able to select some Common Parameters as mandatory in dependence on IM parameters:
- Is mandatory when: mandatory only with the specific condition depending on the IM parameters
- Is mandatory except when: mandatory by default except for the condition depending on the IM parameters
8.3 Add
These are the steps that you need to do to add an exception:
- Select a common mandatory parameter by moving your mouse to the parameter name
- Click on the exclamation mark to open the exception wizard
- Select the exception
- Add an IM parameter that triggers the exception with its parameter value
The Common Mandatory Parameters wizard shows that the IM -parameter has been added to the Common mandatory parameter as a dependency:
8.4 Use case
Infrabel’s use case for the profiles: if the applicants select the IM-specific parameter “Traffic type of freight train” with the parameter value “2 combined traffic”, the common train parameter “Container profile” becomes mandatory.
In the above example if the “Traffic type of freight train” IM parameter is selected with the parameter value “1 blocked train”, the common train parameter “Container profile” is NOT mandatory.
But if the parameter value is selected which is defined as dependency then the profile values become mandatory
9. Edit
Press “Edit” to edit the already added exception condition
10. Delete
Press “Remove” to delete the added exception.
After the confirmation message appears to confirm your next activity
Options:
- Remove: the exception will be removed from the common mandatory parameter
- Cancel: if you press cancel, the exception still will be valid and will NOT be removed
