Safetrain project
The Safetrain project (also known as the Safetrain project ) was the name of a research project for road safety and was coordinated from August 1, 1997 to July 2001 by the Warsaw- based Centrum Naukowo-Techniczne Kolejnictwa (CNTK). The investigations took place in Żmigród, Poland. Around a dozen European rail companies such as Deutsche Bahn and the Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF), but also producers such as Siemens and Bombardier, were involved .
All research was guided by two main subjects. The first dealt with problems of the transport chain, paying particular attention to its structure, organization, logistics and economy. The second, more interesting in the media, was research into the materials and construction of individual building components and their interaction. Two additional, interdisciplinary working groups complemented the two research fields. In addition to the safety devices, the track construction, the use of rolling stock and handling, the behavior in crashes was tested.
The area of Żmigród north of Wroclaw is an old railway area, where three railway lines met at the time. On the branch from Wąsosz there is now a track ring for rail tests ( 51 ° 28 ′ 6 ″ N , 16 ° 51 ′ 33 ″ E ).
The aim of the research was to achieve uniform European safety guidelines, which is becoming more and more important with the addition of private railway companies and increasing cross-border traffic. Despite the large number of project partners, the schedule was adhered to. The final report could already be presented in July 2001. Among other things, it said: "The goal pursued by the project of the compatibility of the proposed technical solutions and their subsequent consideration in the technical standards and regulations is basically achieved with the proof of technical feasibility." (Dr. Wilfried Wolter: Safetrain; collision safety of rail vehicles . in: Eisenbahningenieur (52) 5/2001 S, p. 67) From this, binding regulations for the vehicle construction of future rail wagons and locomotives were derived, which have since been incorporated into DIN EN 12663 "Requirements for the structures of rail vehicles".
The successor project was the Safetram project , which ran for three years.
Web links
- European Commission; research
- From Christian Wüst: Kink in the buffer. DER SPIEGEL 49/2000
- Dr. Wilfried Wolter: Safetrain; Collision safety of rail vehicles. in: Eisenbahningenieur (52) 5/2001 pp. 63–68
- Summary of the final report
- Wolfgang Noske: Report on the project