Following the press conference organised by UIC to finalise the work on the EuropeTrain project, a specific event was held on 24 June in Berlin in the company of Transport Federal Minister Dr. Peter Ramsauer, CEO of DB Dr. Rüdiger Grube and UIC Director General Jean-Pierre Loubinoux.

The event, held in the same railway yard as two years ago in April 2011 where the UIC EuropeTrain project test campaign was launched, was the occasion for an audience of German and European politicians, and German and international journalists to reconfirm the possibility of using LL brake blocks to retrofit freight wagons.

As reiterated by Dr. Rüdiger Grube, DB stressed the complex nature of the work led by UIC under project manager Johannes Gräber and the decision taken by DB Schenker to gradually retrofit its wagon fleet with these new brakes. Minister Ramsauer for his part recalled the importance of the results of this project which enable rail networks to demonstrate a technological advancement to reduce the impact of noise caused by rail traffic and by extension claiming that rail has a clear advantage vis-à-vis other modes of transport.

Jean-Pierre Loubinoux for his part acknowledged the work undertaken by the project team at UIC, thanked all the networks (29) and manufacturers (8) which participated, and highlighted the key issues not only in terms of sustainable development through reducing noise pollution, but also financial issues for the European rail sector which will enable noise caused by trains and wagons to be reduced at a lower cost thanks to these LL brake blocks.