A multi-criteria methodology to evaluate the optimal location of a multifunctional railway portal on the railway network

•Multifunctional railway portals improves safety of a railway infrastructure.•TCCS monitors real time convoys transits, to detect specific faults.•Proposed AHP approach evaluates locations to install a TCCS on a railway sections.•Main criteria to assess ranking of eligible sites-Track layout, safety, technical feat.

The installation of a multifunctional railway portal (or TCCS – Train Conformity Check system) can contribute to improve the safety of a railway infrastructure. The TCCS can detect the conformity of the trains traveling along the tracks, and can transfer the status information to a main traffic control center. This paper proposes a methodological approach based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate the optimal locations to install a TCCS on a railway section. The eligibility and ranking of the potential sites have been defined with respect to constraints related to the rail line track layout and geometry, the TCCS technological features, and the required safety distance allowing the train to stop. The proposed approach has been applied to a real case study on the Italian railway.