Following a tradition that has been running for the past 11 years, and in the frame of the UIC Intercity and High Speed Committee, the 2015 edition of the Training High Speed Systems (THSS 2015, level I) took place in Paris from 20 – 24 April at UIC Headquarters. The training programme was completed by a technical visit on Saturday 25 April.
This year’s technical visit was to the construction site of the 302 km-long high speed TGV link between Tours and Bordeaux. The concession company for this project, LISEA, has recently become a member of UIC.
As in previous editions, this training session examined the two main principles of High Speed Rail as a complex system and looked at the many different approaches of this innovative transport system by establishing a view of its development across the world.
This event is becoming increasingly important for decision-makers and all those professionally involved in high speed rail projects, with the aim of becoming familiar with all the aspects and implications involving any of these systems.
The 2015 edition was attended by 30 participants from 10 countries, among them managers in decision-making positions in the transport sector in general, and in the railways in particular, whether working for railway companies or for ministries, local authorities, universities, advisory bodies, agencies or associations.
Over the five days, the lectures examined all the elements that make up high speed systems (as well as all the different types of systems included in this category), and gauged their impact impartially and objectively from a technical, economic, political and social standpoint. The lectures were given by 51 speakers from 12 countries.
The training session was organised by the UIC Passenger Department team (Mouna Bennouna, Takumi Ishii, Michael Zhao and Kwon Ki-Dong), under the coordination of Iñaki Barrón, Director of the Passenger and High Speed Department and Coordinator of the UIC Latin American Region.
A second level of Training on High Speed Systems is planned to be organised in October (dates are yet to be confirmed) in Madrid, Spain.
