Press releases

2013/10/02

CAF Participates in the European Initiative Shift2RAIL

CAF is part of the “Shift2Rail” strategic alliance since its inception. Its objective has always been to contribute to the development and implementation of new technologies in train manufacture, together with the main players in the sector.

Shift2RAIL aims at bringing together the knowledge and effort in R&D of the different European rail organizations and companies to meet future mobility challenges. In addition, it also aims at improving the role of railways as the main mode of transport.

To this end, five Strategic Research Agendas (SRAs) have been created. They will focus on different strategic areas (rolling stock, traffic management and control systems, infrastructure, information technology, and freight transport). In all these fields, the goal is the introduction of new technologies and innovative solutions to increase by 100% the current rail capacity in Europe, and service reliability and quality by 50%. These programs also aim at reducing by 50% the life cycle cost to achieve a higher competitiveness of the rail system.

In this direction towards future transport, CAF's technological activity in Shift2RAIL consists of its participation in the research programs P1 and P2. Working groups want to strengthen the innovation chain and provide joint solutions to the objectives suggested by this initiative.

In the first one, IP1, CAF participates in the development of a new generation of lighter, more efficient and modern trains, with shorter journeys and the latest environmentally-friendly technology. In the second innovation program, IP2, the company collaborates with the implementation of signaling and control systems that optimize the European network's capacity and reliability.

As a fundamental part of the 2020 Horizont Framework program, and supported by UNIFE, Shift2RAIL counts on an estimated budget of 800 million euros. During the following seven years, such budget will be directed at improving its industrial leadership position and establishing a smart and integral growth strategy for European railways.

CAF's participation in this original initiative represents a unique opportunity to contribute to the joint development of a sustainable, competitive, and innovative rail transport system.