The Welsh Government’s flagship Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with US venture MxV Rail to work together to advance rail technology and global rail research.
The agreement will enable both organisations to collaborate and share technical expertise relating to design and engineering, commercial planning, procurement processes, safety requirements and operational best practice.
Chief executive of GCRE Simon Jones said: “We share a common ambition to support clients in the global rail industry through the development and operation of purpose-built railway testing centres. Our collaboration will enable these clients to accelerate innovation and improve their own customer’s experience, reduce costs and accelerate decarbonisation.”
Mr Jones added: “This isn’t an exclusive agreement, but it signals our intention to work together in to exchange information, compare knowledge and support our clients with access to our facilities and expertise. It’s a really important step forward for the development of GCRE and our own high tonnage infrastructure test loop — we’re delighted to have the support of the MxV Rail team.”
The GCRE £200m global rail test and innovation hub in South Wales is track for completion by 2025.
The hub will have rolling stock and infrastructure testing, innovation, storage and maintenance at the site of the former Nant Helen opencast mine and Onllwyn coal washer at the head of the Dulais and Tawe Valleys.
It will be used by the UK and international rail industry and is expected to create over 100 direct jobs, as well as being a catalyst for creating many more as academic and industrial partners are attracted to the site.
It will also feature the UK’s first net zero railway and become the ‘one stop shop’ for railway innovation, from research and development, through testing, verification and certification, to applied innovation on mainline passenger and freight railways.
The Welsh Government launched the project with an initial commitment of £50m. The UK Government is expected to confirm a further £10m for research and development along with capital funding of £20m.
An investment prospectus to attract private funding for the project is also in development ready for launch in the autumn of 2022.
Based in Colorado, MxV Rail is a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads which conducts railroad equipment testing and training for member railroads. It has a team of more than 300 rail specialists.
The organisation announced it was moving to a new independent, multi-campus operation in Pueblo at the end of last year which is due to be completed by October 2022.
The new on-track test facility will serve as the centre of MxV Rail’s research, testing and training services and will feature the only high-tonnage infrastructure test bed in the world.
The high-tonnage loop will support a vast array of freight and passenger rail programs, including Association of American Railroads (AAR) M-976 truck testing, performance testing for new rail technologies, and qualification testing for rolling stock.
MxV Rail chief executive Kari Gonzales said: “This is an exiting opportunity for both organisations to grow railway research globally. After visiting the expansive facility in South Wales, we look forward to supporting GCRE in their efforts to advance rail research in the UK.
