In order to acquire the latest cable and track technologies and increase the international collaboration opportunities, TRA and Japan’s Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the end of this year.

RTRI is a research institute specialised in railway technology research. Its research activities are involved with developing railway technologies, drawing up railway technology standards, or releasing railway-related documents in order to promote the development of forward-looking and innovative technologies for railway industry. From 14 – 16 October 2014, TRA invited the RTRI experts to join an investigation meeting to study the cause of cable incidences. At that time, both parties reached a consensus of periodically conducting mutual visits in terms of issues related to civil and electrical engineering. Meanwhile, both parties agree to license emerging track and cable technologies from international community to enhance TRA’s power supply system and strengthen track structure.

Following the Taiwan visit initiated by the British Minister of State for Transport, Baroness Kramer, TRA has decided to work with the British consultancy group to apply the Whole Life Cycle Costing system to the TRA cable renewal project. Additionally, considering the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) was established to support talent training and tackle current and future skills needs within the railway engineering industry in the UK, TRA is initially concluding an agreement with certain domestic colleges to strengthen the development of railway technologies and talents.

TRA hopes to enhance the technological exchanges with international leading railway organisations or institutes and learn valuable experience form them. Furthermore, in the near future TRA will designate the staff to international railway organisations to acquire overseas training.

(Source: TRA)