The “EuropeTrain” international test campaign, coordinated and managed by DB Systemtechnik on behalf of UIC – with Johannes Gräber as UIC Project Manager – is continuing according to schedule.

On 6 September the train left the DB Systemtechnik test centre in Minden for Passau via Hanover, Frankfurt and Würzburg. The next morning the train was handed over to Rail Cargo Austria for a short stay in Deutsch-Wagram, where on the 9th a very successful press event took place with ÖBB/RCA and UIC (see pictures and TV spot at http://europetrain.uic.org/Pictures). After the event, the “EuropeTrain” departed for its temporary home base in Salzburg. From here a first short trip was performed to Bludenz, running over the slopes of Arlberg on 12 September.

The train then ran eight times from Salzburg via the Tauern slope to Villach and further via Klagenfurth and the Semmering slope to Vienna and then via St. Pölten and Linz back to Salzburg. During the whole stay in Austria the train often passed wayside check points measuring various train behaviour such as weight, running behaviour and noise. These results will give additional input to the work of the EuropeTrain’s International Analysis Team (IAT). The EuropeTrain returned to Minden after nearly 3 weeks and 10,000 km of successful operation in Austria.

After the return, the measurements of wheels and brake blocks were carried out as usual. Before the next run, the “EuropeTrain”’s International Analysis Team (IAT) will discuss the results, define further activities and in particular decide on the wagons that will participate in the next run. This will be the second run of the Eastern Loop, this time running in Poland with a short trip to Slovakia, starting on 14 October. The return is planned for the beginning of November.

Pictures and current information on the EuropeTrain project can be found at: http://EuropeTrain.uic.org