Railway Forum Sofia

8-9 November 2024

The call for papers is open. We are looking forward to receive your abstracts.

RAILWAY FORUM 2024

THE FUTURE OF RAILWAY INTEROPERABILITY:

25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES WITH TSI

Dates: 8 – 9 November 2024

Location: Sofia, Bulgaria

Organizers:

Union of European Railway Engineer Associations (UEEIV)

Scientific and Technical Union for Transport (WTVV)

National Guild Society of Railway Track Engineers (NGSRTE)

TOPICS

  • next steps of optimization of ECTS, optimization of radio communication
  • Interoperability throughout different countries
  • night trains, train operation
  • how to meet the expectation for sustainability
  • solutions to increase capacity:
    • build new lines
    • add a second track
    • double decker trains
    • improve signalling systems
    • ERTMS, ECTS
    • Night trains

MOTIVATION AND GOAL OF THE CONFERENCE

We invite you to participate in the RAILWAY FORUM 2024 which is organized by the Union of European Railway Engineer Associations (UEEIV) in cooperation with our Bulgarian Member Associations, the Scientific and Technical Union for Transport (WTVV) and the National Guild Society of Railway Track Engineers (NGSRTE).

We have deliberately chosen Sofia as a location to widen our horizon and improve international networking.

The topic is very relevant on a European level: The future of Railway Interoperability.

Working together on commons solutions for all European countries will be the key to meet the young generations wish for sustainable travel throughout Europe and there is still a long way to go.

As modern Railway engineers we have a great responsibility to make the expansion of the route network and interoperability possible with our technical innovations and solutions.

In the UEEIV, we have accepted this challenge and made it our goal to move a step forward at the Railway Forum 2024.

We will give you an overview of what has been done so far in the past decades to improve the interoperability and what future strategies may be.

You are invited you to take part in this task and present your experiences, views and innovative strategies at the Railway Forum 2024.

Please submit your papers on the bottom of the page. We are looking forward to captivating and interesting presentations.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME

Download PDF Programme here

8 November:
9:00 -10:00 Registration
10:00 -10:10 OPENING CEREMONY
Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Scholtz-Knobloch – UEEIV President
Dipl. Eng. Antoaneta Georgieva – NGSRTE Chairman
Dipl. Eng. Yasen Ishev – STUT Chairman
10.10 – 10.З0 WELCOMING​
Georgi Gvozdeikov – Minister of Transport and Communications
Halil Letifov  – Parliament committee on transport and communications Chairman
Dipl. Eng. Olaf Scholtz-Knobloch – UEEIV President
Dipl. Eng. Prof. Ivan Iachev – FSTUB Chairman
 10.30 – 12.00    FIRST SESSION
Moderators:       
Dipl. Eng. Yasen Ishev
Dipl. Eng. Antoaneta Georgieva
10.30 – 11.00 Railway interoperability – from the past to the present
Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf KOLLER
11.00 – 11.30  Modernization and restructuring strategy of Holding BDZ as the national railway operator
Dipl. Eng. Georgi Drumev
HOLDING BDZ INC Managing Director
11.30 – 12.00 Presentation Title tbc
Michael Walter (ÖBB), Member of ERA working group
12.00 – 12.30 Railway infrastructure projects – 2030 horizon
Dipl. Eng. Maria Genova
SE NRIC Director general
12:30 – 13:00 Q&A Session and podium discussion
13.00 – 14.00    LUNCH BREAK & NETWORKING
14.00  – 16.00   SECOND SESSION
Moderators:       
Dipl. Eng. Olaf Scholtz-Knobloch
Ass. Prof. Dr. Eng Mario Galabov
14.00 – 14.30 Railway interoperability – problems, solutions development
Gergana Karaalanova
TINSA – General Manager 
14.30 – 15.00 Railway transport in Bulgaria – development priorities
Dimitar Savov
Director of direction in Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications
15.00 – 15.30 Presentation title tbc
Markus Bolli
15.30 – 16.00      COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING
16.00  – 18.00 THIRD SESSION
Moderators:       
Dr. Dipl. Eng. Bernhard Knoll
Dipl. Eng. Ivo Yanakiev
16.00 – 16.30 Presentation title tbc
Georg Brügger
16.30 ­-  17.00 Presentation on night trains
Speaker tbc
17:00-17:30 Q&A Session and podium discussion for sessions 2 & 3

9 November:
9:30 – 12:00 Excursion
12:00 -13:00 Lunch
13:00 -14:00 Travel back to Sofia

CALL FOR PAPERS

Deadline for submission: 15 May 2024

max. duration of presentation: 20 min

TOPICS

  • next steps of optimization of ECTS, optimization of radio communication
  • Interoperability throughout different countries
  • night trains, train operation
  • how to meet the expectation for sustainability
  • solutions to increase capacity

Please fill in the form below with the details of your presentation and attach the pdf or word version.

You will receive feedback whether your presentation was included in the programme until 1 June 2024.

Once your presentation has been accepted, please transmit your powerpoint presentation via cloud or wetransfer. Movies you include in your presentation need to be sent separately.

The language of the Conference will be English. Interpretation for our Bulgarian colleagues will be provided and therefore presentations need to be received by latest 15 September 2024.

 

Submit your abstract

    CALL FOR PAPERS - RAILWAY FORUM 2024
    Dates: 8-9 November 2024
    Location: Sofia

    The fields marked with(*) are mandatory fields.








    REGISTRATION FEES

    UEEIV Member* Non-Member
    Onsite Online Onsite Online
    Regular 175 € 100 € 245 € 150 €
    Students under 27* 150 € 80 € 175 € 100 €
    Delegate of Government Institution* 150 € 80 € 175 € 100 €

    including coffee break and lunch during conference and one networking dinner

    *UEEIV Members need to submit proof of membership from their Association

    *Students are required to submit proof of affiliation with a University

    *Delegate of Government Insitutions are required to submit proof of employment with a Government Institution

    The above mentioned fees are exclusive of VAT. The UEEIV is an association and organizes this conference without any intention of profit. VAT does not apply.

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      Railway Forum 2024 registration form

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      Copyright information

      Fotos left side:
      Gotthard tunnel – © Alptransit
      Switches – © Bernhard Knoll
      Railtrack workers – © Bernhard Knoll
      Overlooking Channel tunnel entrance – panoramio.jpg © Wikimedia commons

      Fotos right side:
      Nightjet – © Harald Eisenberger
      Signalling Lötschberg tunnel – © Daniel Wirth
      Tracks and tunnel – © Bernhard Knoll
      Royal Border Bridge – © 2024 Network Rail
      Brenner base tunnel, Isarco river underpass construction – © 2024 – Galleria di Base del Brennero – Brenner Basistunnel BBT SE

      Bottom:
      ÖBB Rail Checker – © Bernhard Knoll

      Background:
      High Speed Railroad Map of Europe – @ Wikimedia commons