KORAIL has become a research partner for the French national railroad, which operates the TGV, a high-speed train that is the parent of KTX.
KORAIL announced on July 9 that it will conduct joint research on the French high-speed railway track at the request of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF).
KORAIL, which introduced the high-speed railway technology from France when it opened the Seoul-Busan High Speed Railway in 2004, has been conducting regular technical training and exchanges with SNCF, and this joint study has been proposed first by SNCF.
The study calls for enhancing the efficiency of facilities and maintenance, including a review of changing the existing gravel track to a concrete track operated by Korea, for a project to improve the old high-speed railway track between Paris and Lyon (573 kilometers), about 40 years old.
The first phase of the Seoul-Busan High Speed Railway (Seoul-Dongdaegu) has been constructed with gravel tracks like France. The second phase of the Seoul-Busan High Speed Railway (Dongdaegu-Busan), which opened in 2010, was constructed and operated as a concrete track, which France has never operated.
SNCF highly values the KORAIL’s efficiency of train operation and maintenance, including KTX, and hopes to share information and experience on the improvement of gravel tracks into concrete tracks such as subway Gwacheon Line and some tunnel sections of general railways.
In particular, SNCF is known to be deeply interested in carrying out track work without any disruption to train operations. The joint research will include Korea Rail Network Authority and Korea Railroad Research Institute.
In order to promote joint research, the agencies of the two countries have discussed details such as research topics and methods through three video conferences. It plans to sign a formal MOU for joint research and speed up its research.
Sohn Byung-seok, president of KORAIL, said, "It is very meaningful that the country that used to import high-speed railway technology has developed enough to be proposed as a confident partner," adding, "We will successfully carry out the project and use it as an opportunity to let the world know about the excellent operational capabilities of KORAIL."
