Presentation of the TrainDy Project The TrainDy project was launched to develop a system to calculate longitudinal dynamics in trains. This new tool is designed for widespread use and should be applicable worldwide.

1. The first step is for the system to respond to the present demand of the railways supporting its development
2. The second step is to develop the legal framework which will allow other users and promoters to access this system
3. The third step is to make the system available for other users

The first stage is divided into three phases of verification to be carried out by UIC:

• Determine the requirements to be met in simulation by pneumatic (brake pipes, distributors, etc.) and dynamic (buffers, coupling hooks, suspension springs, etc.) components.
• Incorporate input data as well as potential optimisations of individual functions into the programme.
• Validate the entire TrainDy system on the basis of the pneumatic and dynamic components to be replicated. The UIC-approved version of the programme should thus be available by late 2008.

In the medium term TrainDy should not only be able to calculate longitudinal dynamics for the European market, but also for the railways of Asia, North and South America, Africa and Oceania, and their specific equipment.

The long term prospect is to implement a complete three-dimensional model for rolling stock, with pantograph and wheel/rail interfaces.

This implies investigating the interaction between wheel and rail, in order better to understand the forces arising between the two and the resulting train behaviour, for example in the case of reduced friction in autumn. In addition, the vertical forces in freight wagons must be taken into account in order to predict abnormal wear of components.