Understanding ambiguously structured traffic control practices at ProRail

Abstract

Managers as well as researchers meet the same ambiguity in the traffic control practices inside ProRail. The rail system shows a high number of dynamic interdependencies. Operators respond to it with low structured and sometimes contradictory practices. In the meanwhile, myriads of tradeoffs occur for critical values among which safety and reliability. Current practices do not show a clear model that explains how operators cooperate. The efforts to manage, regulate and innovate traffic control practices should be found on a thorough understanding of the actual practices and problems. These problems, however, tend to be paradoxical. We reflect on `how to improve' after empirically making sense of the ambiguously structured practices at ProRail.