ReTurnout 1.0

Important results from the project

The project mainly fulfilled the objectives stated in the proposal. The project documented experiences of reuse and changing working methods in railway maintenance through interviews with former track managers, maintenance contractors and suppliers. The results indicate that organizational, logistical and responsibility-related obstacles make more systematic reuse difficult. The project also highlighted the need for improved information management and decision support related to reuse.

Expected long term effects

The project is expected to contribute to more circular working methods in railway maintenance and to understanding how organizational practices, information management and allocation of responsibilities affect the possibilities for reuse of railway components. The project has highlighted the need for improved traceability and decision support related to reuse, issues that may become important in the Swedish Transport Administration’s continued development of circular material flows.

Approach and implementation

The project mainly followed plan through interview-based data collection and qualitative analysis. Interviews were conducted with former track managers and representatives from the Swedish Transport Administration, contractors and suppliers. During the project, the focus widened to organizational and practical issues linked to current working methods and the Swedish Transport Administration’s work on circular material flows. The interviews also identified new questions and additional informants.