In accordance with the Cooperation Plan for 2019 agreed between UIC-OSJD, the meeting of the OSJD-UIC Joint Group (JG) on the conversion of the UIC-OSJD joint leaflets into International Railway Solutions (IRS) was held on 5 – 7 February 2019 in Warsaw.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the following railways:
Belarus Railway (BC)
Railway of Moldova (CFM)
Russian Railways (JSC RZD)
Hungarian State Railways (CJSC MAV) – in the observer’s capacity,
International Union of Railways (UIC)
OSJD Committee
1. Mr Attila Kiss, Secretary of OSJD Committee, informed the meeting about OSJD efforts to establish relations with ISO Technical Committees ISO/TC-269 and IEC/ТС-9. OSJD now has a B-category ‘observer’ liaison including sub-committees on infrastructure matters (SC 01), rolling stock matters (SC 02) and the matters of operation and maintenance (SC 03). The OSJD Committee still needs to coordinate a number of next steps for further interaction with the Technical Committee IEC/ТС-9 to be established.
2. Meeting participants agreed that the ISO format should be used as a basis for documents (including IRS) to be develop by the JG. However, experts decided that where relevant, other types of formats (IEC, CEN/CENELEC, GOST, OSJD, UIC etc) may be used when necessary. Any documents to be produced by UIC-OSJD JG on IRS will remain as voluntary ones.
3. Mr Simon Fletcher, co-Chairman of the JG, Coordinator of the European Assembly/UIC Director of Standardisation, presented “Setting the Stage for Future Mobility. Standardisation” which described the activities carried out within UIC, annual plans and the migration of residual UIC leaflets into IRS, internal structure and objectives of the standardisation unit, the role of the UIC teams, Forums and Platforms in undertaking the migration. The presentation was followed by a wide-ranging debate in a question-answer format. The general consensus of the meeting was one of entire satisfaction and support for not only the UIC’s migration programme but also one of support that the IRS model is one that fully satisfies the requirements of the OSJD railways company business needs.
4. The JSC RZD (VNIIZHT JSC) presented to the meeting participants the draft Leaflet O 500 “Rolling Stock Gauges”. The meeting decided to continue work on the draft presented using it as a basis for IRS 1501 to be complemented with 1520mm gauge technical parameters. OSJD Committee & UIC HQ will collect comments and proposals from OSJD & UIC members interested to contribute and will integrate all remarks into final document before 11 March 2019 and submit it to next JG meeting (16-18 April 2019, Russian Federation, St. Petersburg). At that meeting it would be really useful to have the full participation of both OSJD and UIC technical experts and members.
5. The JSC RZD (VNIIZHT JSC) would, on the basis of OSJD Leaflet O 502-3/UIC Leaflet 502 “Carriage of exceptional goods in international railway traffic with the participation of the 1435 mm and 1520 mm railways”, finalise the document with the elements relevant to the operation over 1520 mm gauge lines and submit it to OSJD Committee and UIC HQ for further agreement.
6. The next meeting will, at the invitation of RZD, will take place in St. Petersburg on 17 and 18 April.
7. The OSJD Commission on infrastructure and rolling stock and UIC HQ will coordinate activities of interaction between OSJD/UIC with IEC and ISO. To this end, on behalf of OSJD & UIC an invitation is going to be sent to ISO to take part in the next JG meeting (16-18 April 2019, Russian Federation, St. Petersburg). The UIC representatives confirmed the possibility of technical expert from the interested UIC members to attend the JG meetings.
On behalf of Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General, and Mr Francois Davenne, UIC Deputy Director General, the UIC delegation reiterated support for the work being undertaken by OSJD and the importance of collaborative development for the overall benefit of future railway transportation. Working together will bring about a useful change to the landscape of international standardisation activities. It will prevent underestimation of UIC & OSJD leaflets because the technical documents de-facto provide a structure of standardised technical solutions (IRS) for the Railway Operating Community.
Being strategic partners with OSJD within a Eurasia context, UIC is ready to share its experience and work with the 5th OSJD Commission in preparation for practical steps to be jointly undertaken by UIC-OSJD JG on IRS in the months to come.
