For the 4th and final SMGG meeting of the year, the SMGG members were welcomed by the ONCF under the direction of Mr Mohammed Chahid. This working group, headed by the chairman Mr Carlos Ventura of ADIF (Spain), aims to prepare stations for major challenges in the coming decades by formalising the tools and actions necessary for station managers.
The railway station is an infrastructure that has undergone significant technical and physical changes, which justifies the structural role of the SMGG. The main topic of the Rabat meeting was the LTDRS project (long-term development for railway station), a project aimed at addressing all of the station’s themes: how to evaluate the quality of services in stations? What are the “smart” opportunities for the railway station? What is and what will be the high-speed impact in urban cities and stations? What new roles can the station have in the railway but also in the functioning of the city?
This meeting was an opportunity to share and exchange constructive comments from our members once again and UIC would like to thank the actors present: ONCF, ADIF, RZD, Gares & Connexions via AREP and SNCB.
ONCF through Mr Chahid took the time to explain to members the project of the first high-speed line in Africa between Tangier and Kenitra (200km line). This will profoundly transform mobility in Morocco: the journey from Tangier-Kenitra will be completed in 47 minutes instead of three hours 15 minutes, Tangier-Rabat in one hour 20 minutes instead of three hours 45 minutes, and Tangier-Casablanca in two hours 10 minutes instead of four hours 45 minutes. To accommodate the increase in flow expected by high speed, ONCF has launched a plan to build 4 stations (2 new and 2 rehabilitations: Rabat Agdal Station, Kenitra Station, Rabat City Station, Tangier Station). To complete the meeting of the SMGG, two technical visits were made to the new stations of Kenitra and Rabat Agdal.
To build the station of Rabat city, ONCF is using the BIM system to gain efficiency and speed. BIM system (Building Information Modelling) is a parametric 3D model that is used to generate plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, details, schedules – in fact, all the necessary components to document the design of a building.
For the second presentation, the speaker of SNCF Gares & Connexions, Nicolas Augris, presented AREP’s work on traffic and flow studies. The station design enhances the flow capacity of stations users and at the same time increases passenger capacity. Design and the capacity building must be taken into account because the cost of the construction programme will be profoundly impacted. Clients became actors of the station, they need time, space. Therefore, it is important to adapt the station to the client’s vision.The best example of the French engineer comes from the refurbishment of Saint Lazare station in Paris. The programme started in the mid-1990s to finish 20 years later while continuing the passenger transport service.
It was also an opportunity to prepare the next meetings of the year 2018 with the desire of our members and UIC to integrate as many members as possible into our working group. The next meeting will be at the SNCF office in March and meetings are planned to be held in Poland, Japan and Iran.
Finally, for your information, the SMGG members and UIC are particularly pleased to inform you that work on station pictograms will soon be transformed into International Railway Solutions (IRS).
