Human microservices at the Dutch Railways: modern architecture, ancient hardware?

The Dutch railways have been operating an increasingly complicated network of trains for over 80 years. The task of overseeing it is far too complex for a single human. As such, a network of specifically scoped humans has been connected. Over time, computers and software have been introduced into the system, but today there is still a significant role for humans. This talk describes the network of "human microservices" that is involved in the Dutch Railways' day to day operation from the eyes of a software developer. When a train breaks down in the Netherlands, a system of interconnected humans is shifted into gear. The current state of that system has been developed for over 80 years and as such should be seen as an architectural marvel. Even though there is nowadays a significant amount of software involved in the process, the people involved are still very much necessary. This talk describes the processes and roles involved in the Dutch railway day to day operations. We will star