The Seventh World Congress on Railway Research drew more than 750 representatives from industry, government, and research centres from around the world to Montreal from June 4 to 8, 2006. The conference is the world’s largest meeting of experts in railway research and innovation.

Transport Canada was one of the host organizations, along with CN, Canadian Pacific Railway, National Research Council Canada, the Railway Association of Canada, VIA Rail Canada, CANAC Inc., and the Transportation Technology Centre Inc.

TDC’s Chief of Technology Applications, Sesto Vespa, served on the Montreal Planning Committee and made a presentation on intelligent transportation systems technologies being explored by the rail industry in Canada. Mr. Vespa’s presentation, titled Intelligent Transportation Systems and Rail Technology in Canada, provided an overview of the areas in which Transport Canada is involved in promoting and supporting research and development of ITS-based systems.

The Ground Hazard Research Program, a five-year joint research initiative developed by TDC, Canadian railways, federal agencies, universities, and other stakeholders, was also presented during the congress.

The next edition of the congress will be held in Seoul, South Korea in 2008. For more information, please visit the Web site.

View a pdf version [511 kB] of Mr. Vespa’s presentation. For more details on TDC’s rail research, please see the Project Directory.