Mr. Joachim Mayer, PTR Chairman opened the session and welcomed all participants.
Mr. Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General presented the new UIC HQ’s organisational chart and a proposal for a new Rail System Forum (RSF) gathering track and structures, train dynamics and running gears, operations and CCS, energy management and finally rolling stock activities. The RSF would be supported by the new UIC Rail System Department (by merging both departments “Infrastructure” + “Technology & Research”). PTR members agreed that a Rail System Forum could help managing the topics of the rail system, especially at interfaces between Sub-systems, but they expect also a professional project management organisation with a clear contractor relationship of the RSF and its activities to the other forums and platforms. Presentations will be sent to PTR Members for their comments to be returned to mayer at deutschebahn.com during week 44.
A presentation on the Coordination Technical Group was also made in the session (see also the UIC press release on the kick off meeting held on 19th October in Brussels). Experts from the European associations CER and EIM, supported by the multi-regional technical body UIC, will work together in the newly launched ‘Coordination Technical Group’ (CTG). The role of the CTG will be to coordinate common sector positions on technical issues coming from the ERA work programme. From the UIC side Mr. Simon Fletcher, Regional Coordinator, Europe will be the person in charge of the CTG. For further information please contact fletcher at uic.org
Mr. Steffen Jank presented the draft PTR internal rules on which the PTR Steering body members had already given their comments prior to this meeting. These rules will be used as a basis to the future RSF internal regulations. A table with comments is being prepared and will be sent out to all PTR members for written comments.
Mr. Johannes Gräber reported on different meetings related to “Noise reduction/LL Blocks” held in September and October on which PTR Members had already been informed in writing through letters sent by the UIC HQ to CEOs of all UIC European members.
The main result has been a common resolution signed by several European Members on the project « Europe Train » to speed up and improve LL Brake block testing in operations and a workshop organised from 5th to 7th October at the UIC (see also e-news N° 155 dated 9th October 2009).
After completing all necessary documents a consolidated working programme with a related budget will be presented to the European Regional Assembly at their meeting on 7th December 2009.
Then Mr. Dennis Schut made a progress report on the Research Coordination Group (RCG) and ERRAC activities and particularly on the EU FP7, 3rd call and mainly on the project proposal RIVAS (Rail Induced Vibration Innovative Solutions) and the project proposal EURAXLES (Minimising the risk of fatigue failure for railway axles) for which he requested support from the PTR Members. He finally presented high priority project ideas to be considered for the 4th call of the EU FP7.
Mr. Steffen Jank informed the members on rail standardisation meetings held between UIC and UNIFE and on an interim application of a draft Memorandum of Understanding on the edition and publication of common UIC – UNIFE Technical Recommendations (TecRec).The aim of the interim application of this MoU is to demonstrate that both parties are able to produce and agree on these pre-standards. TecRecs are designed to be the preferred solution by both partners for
– Product and interface standards (e.g. spare parts interchangeability)
– Publication of results of common research programs before them being passed to the ESOs
– Advanced consensual process for acceleration and influencing the work undertaken by
CEN (e.g. the cab standard)
TecRec demonstrators that are to be prepared by both partners in 2009 are:
– TecRec “Cab”, evolving from EU project Modtrain and from UIC leaflet 612, supporting the ongoing work of CEN TC 256 WG 37
– Results from on-going EU project RAILENERGY: deliverable from WP 2.2 “standard service profiles”
The Tec Rec MoU and Tec Rec Demonstrators should be adopted by PTR Members in writing by the end of 2009.
The results will be presented to the UIC Regional Assembly Europe and General Assembly in December 2009.
As far as UIC leaflets for which T&R are responsible:
– UIC leaflet N° 592 “Intermodal transport units (other than semi-trailers) for vertical transhipment and suitable for carriage on wagons – minimum requirements” has been approved in writing by PTR Members prior to the PTR meetings.
– UIC leaflet N° 556 “Information transmission in the train (train bus) – general dispositions (5th edition)” has been also approved in writing prior to the PTR meetings.
– New UIC Leaflet N° 559 “Diagnostic data transmission from railway vehicles” is available only in English and will be sent out to PTR members for written approval in November to be brought into force in December 2009 and to be published immediately in English.
New projects proposals and the PTR budget were also discussed in this meeting, e.g.:
– “CoStriM (Contact Stri/Wiere Interaction of Materials)”
– “Application of rail noise forecast”
– “Axles, wheels and axle boxes reliability – implementation of EN 50126”
– “Axles fatigue endurance according to EN 13260 and EN 13261”
Mr. Stefano Guidi made a presentation on the project “Stresses and running gear” = SOR “Sollicitation des organes de roulement” for which works have been completed. The main results will be published on the public UIC Web site soon. The complete reports will be sent free of charge to all members participating in the project. A workshop on a free participation basis will be organised on 9th December at the SNCF Depôt in Hellemmes on the outskirts of Lille in France. Please contact Geissler at uic.org
Mr. Stefano Guidi reported that an ad-hoc group “Traindy software” would be created under the umbrella of PTR Sector Expert Team 03 to further develop the already existing “TrainDy software”. The members participating in this group are: Deutsche Bahn AG, SNCF, Trenitalia, Faiveley Transport Italy, Tor Vergata University Roma. An additionnal member has recently joined the group „Knorr Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge“ from Germany. Other members from Railway untertakings, universities, companies and national certification authorities are still welcome to join. Please contact Geissler at uic.org
Mrs. Marie-Eve Lim gave an overview of the budget related to technology and research projects and the financing by PTR members.
The date for the next PTR Steering body is 11th December (09:00-15:00) at the UIC HQ.
