New rail technologies in Jurata

On May 7-9, 2013 in Jurata there was held VII scientific-technical conference “Modern technologies in the implementation of investment projects in railway transport”, organised by companies NEEL and AREX under the patronage of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Maritime Economy, PKP Polish Railway Lines, the Office of Rail Transport and the Railway Institute.

Partners of the conference were Bombardier Transportation (ZWUS), Elektrobudowa, KZA Katowice, KZA Lublin, ASTE, Schréder Poland, Delta-Zieńć, STRABAG Rail Poland, Protektel, PORR (Poland) and KZA Kraków.

More than 150 guests watched about 20 presentations. There were raised such topics as: safety control in railway companies, railway forecasting, proposed changes to the public procurement law, experience of railway-connected companies in markets other than rail. Due to the large number presentations on one hand and the wide thematic range on the other, in the afternoon the presentations were split into two parallel sessions: one devoted to more technical issues (infrastructure, electric power) and the other devoted to broader issues (signaling, safety, environmental protection). Just like last year, safety was the issue that was raised many times in various aspects, such as the scale of train collisions with large animals and ways to improve safety at D category level crossings.

There were also presented innovative solutions offered by railway companies, including technologies that can achieve significant savings in energy consumption for heating switches, heating loads in the cars of coal and railway station lighting.

Speakers pointed to the problems faced by the implementation of railway projects, due to inconsistencies in the legislation or the bad practices of decision makers. Proposals for improving the existing state were written down in the conclusions of the conference.

In connection with this year's 20th anniversary of NEEL, in the program of the conference there was also a musical surprise – it was a short piano concert performed by the President of the company, Mr. Mark Stolarski.