There have been some developments at the Kaunitz Museum Station, where a test site for the AuToRail OWL research project has been established. Along a 300-meter stretch of track, the wooden ties were replaced with concrete ties, and the area adjacent to the tracks was paved with asphalt over a length of 50 meters—creating a situation similar to a railroad crossing. In addition, a hangar for the test vehicle was built and an office container was installed.
“With the construction of the test site, we are finally achieving the desired visibility for the project,” said Verl Mayor Robin Rieksneuwöhner at the opening of the test track. Test sites like this one give scientists the opportunity to transfer their research findings to an experimental environment and test the research under real-world conditions.
“With this test field, HSBI is not only bringing research directly to Verl but also creating a branch location that serves as a venue for technical demonstrations. Through regular events where interested parties can experience the project’s technical innovations and progress firsthand, the project will become tangible for the people of Verl,” Rieksneuwöhner continued.
Project leader Professor Dr. Rolf Naumann from the HSBI added: “The test field will not only become an important research site but also a visible part of regional development and progress in mobility.”
Vision: Reactivating rail lines through automated switching between rail and road
Starting immediately, academic staff from the Institute for System Dynamics and Mechatronics (ISyM) at HSBI and TH OWL will frequently be on site to work on the shunting vehicle purchased specifically for the project. Together with researchers from Bielefeld University, they aim to “teach” the vehicle to automatically switch between tracks and the road. The primary goal of the project is to automate the transition between road and rail—and vice versa—so that it occurs with minimal time loss and without requiring additional infrastructure measures.
Danus Kilian Rawert, academic staff at HSBI, explains: “The vehicle is designed to drive automatically on both road and rail in order to be integrated into the existing rail network without the need for infrastructure investment. The time-consuming process of transferring goods or passengers is eliminated, thereby improving comfort and minimizing costs and travel times.”
Solution for the “last-mile problem”
Furthermore, the reactivation of railway lines that are no longer fully operational is conceivable, as sections of the route can be covered by road. This is because many rural railway lines, particularly single-track sections, are underutilized and represent untapped potential. Railway expert and project manager Rolf Naumann: “Our vehicle concept aims to tap into this potential by utilizing the routes in an automated and flexible manner, including a passing function that enables oncoming traffic on single-track sections by derailing at suitable locations. Conventional use of the route remains possible as well.”
By enabling vehicles to travel sections of the route on the road to the nearest track and to re-rail at railroad crossings, the project makes the resource-efficient rail infrastructure accessible even to companies without a direct rail connection: Long distances are covered by rail, while trackless sections are traveled on the road—without the need for transshipment. In this way, the project can make a long-term contribution to solving the “last-mile problem,” which in practice often poses a major obstacle to rail transport.
The fact that many rail lines in rural regions of Germany lie unused is often due to the fact that operation with conventional vehicles is not economically viable, as Professor Naumann explains: “With our concept, we aim to develop a model that demonstrates how underutilized lines can be put to greater use. We want to serve as a model for regions with similar conditions to those here in OWL and transfer our concept there.”
Research on automated rail entry and exit
But first, the project focuses on the development and implementation of the automated coupling and uncoupling process—that is, on the technical feasibility in a demonstration operation. And there is still much to be done in this regard: The scientists have already been working virtually on the project for a good two years. On the part of HSBI, the main focus area is developing the automated driving system, including control and regulation technology for road and rail (drive/brake, steering, and raising/lowering the rail wheels).
A central focus is on safe and smooth mode switching: The vehicle is guided with high precision to the single-track position, the actuators are controlled in a coordinated manner, and the transition to rail operation is stably regulated. The goal is for this transition to occur while the vehicle is in motion—that is, without stopping. To achieve this, vehicle and functional models are first developed and used in simulations to test and validate control strategies, procedures, and edge cases before the functions are gradually integrated into the actual vehicle and put into operation. In addition, HSBI handles project management, including public relations.
TH OWL focuses on the design of the system architecture and vehicle safety, as well as on testing, commissioning, and evaluation of the complete vehicle. In the work package “System Architecture and Vehicle Safety,” TH OWL is responsible for the design and implementation of the vehicle architecture, as well as the development and implementation of the internal communication network, including all relevant interfaces. Furthermore, safety functions for the continuous monitoring of the vehicle are developed and implemented.
In the work package “Testing, Commissioning, and Evaluation of the Complete Vehicle,” TH OWL develops and implements comprehensive test cases and oversees the systematic validation of the complete vehicle. This involves close integration with the enableATO project, in which a technological framework for a new automated, rail-based mobility system is being developed. Here, too, TH OWL is responsible for testing. The two-way vehicle from AuToRail OWL and the gyroscopically stabilized monorail vehicle MONOCAB serve as test vehicles.
At Bielefeld University, research is primarily focused on sensor technology for localization and environmental perception. Professor Naumann explains: “Now, with the test field and the test vehicle, it’s time to get hands-on: On-site, we can now test what was previously only calculated in our simulation programs and visible on our computer screens.” However, the vehicle still needs to be upgraded before the first test runs: The cabling and integration of the hardware are still pending, as is the installation of the sensors.
A commercial shunting vehicle serves as the development basis
The shunting vehicle was manufactured following a bidding process in accordance with the scientists’ specifications. It weighs 7.5 tons, is fully electric, and is powered by a battery. It is equipped with hydraulically raised and lowered rail wheelsets to enable the system change. The research results form the basis for future dual-mode vehicles and for initiating further projects.
Sustainable Concept
The project aims to promote sustainability in transportation through holistic and seamless mobility, as project manager Rolf Naumann summarizes: “The majority of the route is covered in a resource-efficient manner via the rail infrastructure. The integration of road sections for destinations without rail access combines cost-effectiveness and public acceptance. No additional infrastructure measures are necessary, and costly work on existing routes is avoided. And the battery-electric drive also enables the use of renewable energy.”
Background: The “Automated Transport of Road and Rail Goods OWL” project is scheduled to run for three years and is funded with two million euros by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the “Regionale 2022 OWL” program. The funding approval has been in place since early 2024. According to the original schedule, the test route was supposed to be set up by the end of 2024. The approval process took longer than expected because several legal issues had to be clarified. Challenges arose during the application process for using the route that were not foreseeable in the original planning. For instance, a higher level of detail was required for the traffic safety concept than previously anticipated, which also necessitated a more detailed vehicle specification.
An insurance confirmation was also required; obtaining this took more effort than originally anticipated due to the novelty of the vehicle concept. In July 2025, the lights finally turned green, and the tenders for the construction work between the two railroad crossings at Holter Straße and Peitzweg in Kaunitz could be launched. Construction began in September 2025 on the replacement of the railroad ties, the asphalting, and the construction of the hall and the office container. The shunting vehicle was delivered in January 2026.
The AuToRail project is part of the OWL Connected Mobility Initiative, which brings together numerous mobility projects. It is also linked to the diverse mobility initiatives within RailCampus OWL. For more details, visit the project page: www.autorail-owl.de
