Why the WCRR is for Everyone in the Railway
The first WCRR event was held in 1994, initiated by six railway organisations from different countries - SNCF (France), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), Trenitalia (Italy), Railway Technical Research Institute (Japan), RSSB (UK), Transportation Technology Center and UIC - International union of railways. Collectively, these organisations had realised that considerable opportunities were being missed by the lack of a railway-specific event for all members of the railway family to share knowledge and discuss and network, wherever in the world they were based.
Providing a forum for all railway colleagues helps to bridge gaps between research and industry practice, enabling the latest research to be showcased and discussed throughout the industry. In turn, this improves the application of lab-based research to the real-world railway, as well as the transfer of real-world railway challenges to research.
The congress’ mission is threefold:
- promote the value of railway research
- recognise excellence in research and technology development
- foster worldwide collaboration and the sharing of technical knowledge.
The need for such a congress is especially strong now in the post-pandemic period, with the railway facing many challenges especially reducing passenger numbers and the increasing pressures of decarbonisation.
The congress has been held every three years since 1994, hosted by a different nation, and lasting several days. This aims to balance different factors—the timeliness of research, event duration and global location—so that delegates gain the optimum benefit from their participation.
2022 is the year of the 13th WCRR, and will be held over five days in Birmingham, UK, with RSSB and the University of Birmingham as joint hosts. The UK Railway Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) and the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) will be included, as well as backing from the UK government, the City of Birmingham, and the whole UK research and innovation community.
In addition to research excellence, the location of the 2022 WCRR provides access to sites of practical interest, since Birmingham is the hub for the national rail network and the developing high speed network. So WCRR in Birmingham will include technical site visits that showcase highly relevant rail sites, including major infrastructure sites, as well as research facilities.
Whatever your role in the railway, you can be sure of a very warm welcome to the 13th WCRR in Birmingham, and the opportunities to learn, discuss and network as part of the global rail family. We look forward to seeing you there!
