The UIC Train-Track Interaction Sector participated in the 2nd International Conference on Train-Track Interaction & Wheel-Rail Interface organised by CARS – China Academy of Railway Science, with the high level support of the Science and Technology Management of China Railway.

The Conference was dedicated to the current research activities all over the world in Train-Track Interaction. About 150 people attended the conference in Shanghai, which took place from 25 – 27 October at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre as a part of the Modern Railways Conference.

The participants of the TTI-Conference had the opportunity to attend more than 20 presentations from experts from China Railways, CARS, CRCC (Changchun Railway Vehicles) and main Chinese technical Universities. Europe was represented by UIC and University of Lisbon. Further input came from Japanese Railway Technical Research Institute and the Australian Universities of Queensland and Wollongong.
At the opening session Mr Pierre-Etienne Gautier, Director of Innovation at SYSTRA and Chairman of the UIC Train-Track Interaction Sector, presented the role of the sector and highlighted the principles and direction of the sector’s action in the fields of exchange, research and standardisation.

He then presented the on-going activities of the TTI-Sector for 2017 / 2018 like “Measuring and upgrading the clearance gauges of railway lines” and “PMD - Prevention and Mitigation of Derailment”. He also gave a quick introduction on C4R and an overview about the activities carried out in SP1 like “Track design for VHST” and “Structures dynamical effects due to very high speed”. In a second presentation on “Instabilities of wagons equipped with composite brake blocks” he explained the effects of instabilities on track resistance and fatigue.

Besides the participation of Mr Gautier, further European experts presented TTI-related activities developed in Capacity4Rail:

• Mr Harald Sattler, UIC Senior Advisor Infrastructure, gave a more detailed general introduction to the aims and structure of Capacity4Rail. He then introduced under “Design, Prototyping and Demonstration of new concepts for slab track” the two resulting slab prototypes “3MB” and “L-Track”. He also gave an insight into the carried-out static & dynamic tests in the CEDEX Track Box and into some results of the simulation of freight trains.

• Ms Patricia Ferreira, Professor at University of Lisbon, presented with “Impact of an increase of the train operating speed on the performance of HS ballasted track” the optimised track design for very high speed on the basis of numerical simulations and their validation by real scale laboratory test (also carried out in the CEDEX Track Box).

The bandwidth of themes during the conference reached from rail defects and damage of fastening systems over optimization of wheel and rail profiles, treatment of wheel polygons and grinding strategies to research on adhesion properties and bogie lateral alarm. Thus, many facets of the TTI-sector were covered.

The conference provided a unique occasion for a rich and comprehensive exchange of experiences and the participation in lively discussions to gain a better understanding of the complex sector of train-track interaction. Additionally, it opened up the opportunity to develop further cooperation between China and UIC, as our Chinese partners showed great interest in creating and supporting a TTI subdivision focused on highspeed subjects.