Adif, the Spanish rail infrastructure manager, has opened a line of R+D+i specializing in rail freight transport, which will be carried out at the Railway Technology Centre of Málaga.
|
|
(28/04/2011)
This new line of R+D+i focused on freight will support the development of the national and international projects that Adif carries out in conjunction with other companies or even for third parties under contract, and will benefit from the construction of the “Railway Testing and Experimentation Ring”, designed as an additional facility for the Railway Technology Centre.
Adif’s research efforts are currently focused on freight, particularly in relation to universal gauge changers for freight trains, methodologies for evaluating the modal shift towards the railway in terms of safety and environmental issues, monitoring of the train’s speed and position, logistic material management systems and identification and communication technologies for the improvement of information and security along the logistical chain, among other areas of interest.
This new line of research takes its place alongside "Operations", related to the optimization and improvement of train running performance and infrastructure maintenance, and "Sustainability", which will cover projects relating to energy efficiency, the environment and new infrastructure construction techniques.
Research on freight
Adif’s freight research plan ties in with the proposals set out in the Ministry of Public Works’ Strategic Plan to Promote Rail Freight Transport, which includes subsidies and incentives for specialized R+D+i in this field.
The principal measures adopted in this line of research include the establishment of real-time load monitoring systems throughout the logistical chain, the implementation of automatic rolling stock identification and location technologies for their optimization as a resource and imminent availability, and the development of an efficient rolling stock gauge change system for freight transport.
Adif is currently working on 57 research projects, in conjunction with different organizations, which represent a total investment of 107 million Euros. Adif collaborates with more than 125 Spanish companies, 22 technology centres and 24 universities.
|
