CIMA Research Foundation has been working for the Liguria division of the Italian Rail Network (RFI) since 2014. The primary goal was to draft a glazed frost risk report, a phenomenon that causes ice formation on the power lines transmitting electricity to trains, increasing the possible blockage of railway circulation. The request of RFI was to use a specific forecasting model for glazed frost and to monitor it in some Liguria railway routes: Genoa-Milan, Genoa-Turin, Genoa-Acqui Terme, Savona-Acqui Terme and Savona-Ceva.
Given the geographic conformation and the morphological characteristics of the territory, these lines may be subject to problems related to glazed frost. There have been instances in which ice not readily removed has caused damage to the pantograph, blocking the line and creating inconveniences to the railway circulation. After a study on scientific literature, CIMA Research Foundation has implemented a very reliable model for forecasting the phenomenon and the consequent automatic compilation of a risk report.
Based on temperature, precipitation and humidity forecasts, glazed frost risk forecasts are provided twice a day. These forecasts are provided every six hours on the different railway lines in order to identify in what part of the day individual lines may or may not be at risk. Subsequently, using data from special control units located near the railway lines, a database for operational monitoring is filled in.