Výzkumný Ústav Železniční, a.s. (VUZ)

This autumn was held ninth railway fair trade in Poland called TRAKO and it was very successful. VUZ was participated for the second time within the frame of the Czech Republic and ACRI stand. On the afir was also presented large company as Bombardier, Knorr, PKP Holding, Pojazdy Szynowe [Rail Vehicles], PESA Bydgoszcz SA, Siemens, Vossloh and many others. This fair is one of the most important fairs for VUZ. It is opportunity to meet with business partners who had headquarters in Poland or are interested in Polish market.

VUZ is continuing with the modernization of the Test Centre VUZ Velim by building up a new multifunction hall for test preparation. The beginning of the building up the hall was in July and it will be finished at the end of the October 2011. The hall will be double track of size 144 m and will be used by VUZ clients.

Výzkumný Ústav Železniční, a.s. (VUZ) was issued by Drážní úřad (national safety authority) on 25 July 2011 as external assessment body for safety assessment.

1.7.2011 was opening ceremony for reconstructed large test circuit. There were reconstruction of rails from 6,8 km to 13,17 km during June. The reconstruction of whole large test circuit was totally finished by finishing reconstruction the rails. It began at 2005 and was finished nowadays. The infrastructure of large test circuit matches parameters of interoperapility of high speed rail system. On the picture you can see investor – VUZ and contractor - Chládek a Tintěra during opening ceremony.

In October and November 2009 Testing Laboratory tested the bistro car ARmpee with first class compartment for Czech Railways. This car war rebuilt from the original car BRcm by ŽOS Vrútky. In November 2009 the locomotive 741 701 modernized in a newa way by CZ Loko was tested. At the end of 2009 tests of the tank car Zaens (Lostr) for transportation of liquid sulfur were carried out. In January 2010 Testing Laboratory tested following vehicles: the tank car Zacens 75 (Lostr) for transportation of phenol, the freight car Eanos (ŽOS Trnava) and the Siemens locomotive 1818 for SNCB - aerodynamic panthograph test.

On 23 November, 2009, VUZ officially received a modernized substation. Along with the major subcontractors, Elektrizace železnic, Elektromont servis Brno and PEG, the general construction contractor, Chládek a Tintěra Pardubice, handed over the work to the investor, Railway Research Institute, about a month in advance. The substation´s functional test operation commenced as early as on 16 October, 2009. The substation is once again fully ready to provide the VUZ customers with services. It can operate at all common traction systems and its performance has increased to 10 MW/25 kV, 9 MW/15 kV in the alternating rail set and to 10 MW/3 kV and 5 MW/1.5 kV or 750 V in a direct rail set. In all traction systems, recovery and deep regulation are possible (for details see our website, the VUZ Test Centre Velim).

At present, an electric six-axle locomotive made by the French company ALSTOM and intended for China is being tested at the VUZ Test Centre Velim. A rarity on the Czech rails, this locomotive features a Co-Co axle arrangement and is therefore internally called CoCo China. With its dimensions and weight of 25 t per axle it surpasses other vehicles operated around Europe. That is why it could not be transported from its home factory in Belfort, France to the Test Centre by railway but, instead, it travelled by ship to Mělník and then continued in a lorry to the Velim Test Centre. Based on the ALSTOM PRIMA I type series with the corresponding panel, the locomotive is designed for the 25 kV 50 Hz system and its power is 10 MW. Its maximum speed is 120 km/h and total weight 150 t. The ALSTOM representatives will perform most of the tests required to launch the locomotive in operation, such as measuring the derailment safety, a brake test, noise level measurement, traction tests, and EDB and EMC tests in the Velim Test Centre. For traction tests and the EDB tests, a load train weighing 3000 t and consisting of 41 Fals cars loaded with coal will be used.

From 14 to 16 October, the 8th annual international fair TRAKO 2009 was held in Gdansk, Poland, focusing mainly on the rail transport, logistics, shipping services, and wheel technology. Held every two years in Poland, TRAKO is the largest railway fair where all representatives of the "railway world" meet. VUZ showed here at a joint two-floor stand presenting the display of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Czech companies representatives. For VUZ, the TRAKO fair was very successful because we were able to hold a number of business meetings here that could mean increased cooperation and a greater amount of business on the Polish market in the near future for us.

The next fair where VUZ presented itself to customers and business partners was the ŽEL RAIL fair, which took place in Vrútky (Slovakia) from 29 September to 2 October, 2009. Together with other representatives of the Czech railway industry, for example ŠKODA Transportation and DAKO CZ, VUZ showed that we have plenty to offer to the Slovak market. Conducted every two years, the ŽEL RAIL exhibiton is one of the most important railway events in Slovakia. It features a great number of seminars and side events.

We would like to inform you about a new, fully functional railway model of our Test Centre VUZ in Velim which is located in the conference room of the main building. It is a unique model which gives a true and precise picture of the Test Centre VUZ and its surroundings with all details. This model was made to order in the model scale of TT (1:120) and is available for all our customers and guests who will have the chance to go for a test drive on the small or big test circuit on various models of tested units, locos or truck sets.