The S-CODE R&D project funded by the European Commission within the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme and Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking officially begins

The S-CODE (Switch and Crossing Optimal Design and Evaluation) project is an R&D project which brings together companies, universities and other organisations from four European countries.* It is funded by the European Commission, through the Horizon 2020 programme, specifically as part of the “Open Calls” related to the Shift2Rail joint undertaking. Ferrovial Agroman is participating in the initiative through its R&D department, proposing new approaches for the rail sector. The joint Shift2Rail initiative is a public-private partnership (PPP) providing a new platform for driving innovation in the rail sector over the next few years. Research will be carried out within the framework of this platform, with the aim of contributing significantly to solving the challenges facing the sector. The initiative thus proposes a new coordinated approach involving the rail system as a whole and its users. The main aim of S-CODE is the development and validation of new and disruptive concepts for the design of rail devices which will increase capacity, reliability and safety thereof, while at the same time reducing investment in operational costs. It will further identify and apply new technological concepts which, if adequately combined, will allow significant improvements in the performance of rail solutions (such as self-repairing rail devices, super-quick switches, etc.). The project is due to run for 36 months and began officially on 1st November. The launch event will take place on 15th December in London. (*) The consortium of the S-CODE project is made up of the following European companies, universities and organisations: University of Birmingham, Výhybkárna a strojírna a.s., Ferrovial Agroman, Rhomberg-Sersa Rail Group, Rail Safety and Standards Board, COMSA, Loughborough University, Brno University of Technology, and the University of Pardubice.