NeTEx: how to link a ServiceJourney to an Equipment ID?

[clairecarnot]

Hello,

I have a modelling question about the NeTEx Transport Plan.

I would like to link each service in my NeTEx Transport Plan to its equipment.

In my business model:

• a service is identified by: operator + train number + departure date;
• an equipment represents the vehicle composition of the transport mode used for that service (for example, for a train: a sequence of carriages, each with a specific seat layout). Each equipment has a unique identifier.

I cannot figure out which NeTEx structure I should use to link these two objects in the Transport Plan.
Without this link, this information is lost as soon as I import or export a transport plan in NeTEx format.

So my questions are:

1. Where should I publish the catalog of these equipment IDs (recommended file/frame)?
2. What linking chain is expected to connect services to their equipment IDs (e.g. ServiceJourney -> ... -> Equipment, or another pattern)?

Thank you very much!

[skinkie]

What you describe as equipment is not Equipment (Elevator, Escalator, etc.) in the NeTEx terminology. You want to describe the relationship towards a specific Vehicle.

In the VehicleScheduleFrame a relationship is made via Blocks between the generic VehicleType (a vehicle of the same group, with the same properties) or a Train.

NeTEx does allow for a direct relationship between a VehicleJourney (and ServiceJourney) and a specific Vehicle via VehicleRef. But keep in mind that would entail that the plan likely denormalises all journeys, into individual instances, and is not something you would find in travel information or ease of use within a journey planner.

[clairecarnot]

Hello,

Thank you for your answer !

You are right, I think we can make 2 simple additions to get the info (cf Netex_11_Rail_CompoundTrain.xml):
ServiceJourney -> TrainRef
ResourceFrame -> vehicleTypes + Train (with the ID of the vehicule (='equipment' in our terminology))
cf simplified structure :

<frames>
  <ResourceFrame>
    <vehicleTypes>
      <Train id="12345"/>
    </vehicleTypes>
  </ResourceFrame>

  <TimetableFrame>
    <vehicleJourneys>
      <ServiceJourney>
        <TrainRef ref="12345">
      </ServiceJourney>
    </vehicleJourneys>
  </TimetableFrame>
</frames>

It would be a simple way not to lose the vehicule info between import/export. I keep in mind the warning about multiplicating the ServiceJourneys though.
Thanks again and have a nice day !

[skinkie]

Just understand if you do it in the way you write here above. Your ServiceJourney and TrainRef are always connected. This may not be the case, therefore the Block relation allows you to schedule the composition independently. If it is the case the example is really good, because now a journey planner can always trust the assigned Train, regardless of vehicle scheduling.

[hfjelstad]

I would like to join in, because this is a very complicated issue. I will try my best to contribute without confusing to much =P

I would recommend ServiceJourney <- "LinkingObject(s)" -> Vehicle
In Norway we use ServiceJourney <- DatedServiceJourney -> TrainBlock -> Train / CompoundTrain

DatedServiceJourney / DatedVehicleJourney id represent the whole "operator + train number + departure date"
There are often two types of train number, either the operational trainnumber (PrivateCode) and the commercial trainnumber (PublicCode)

I could help with making a valid example if you had a concrete case or i can strip down a Norwegian one