European Urban Track Project
The Urban Track project, in which a total of 38 European companies participate, forms part of
the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme for Research and Development Projects. The
aim of this project is to develop new railway track infrastructure technologies for the urban
environment that improve the performances of current track systems from a constructive, functional,
economic and environmental point of view.
To make it easier to manage this complex project, it has been necessary to divide it into six
main parts: Specification of design parameters, Definition of modular systems, Development of
low-cost implementation and renovation technologies, Real scale evaluation of prototypes, New LCC
(Life Cycle Cost) calculation method and Dissemination of results.
In short, by the time the project is completed at the end of 2009, different types of track
whose conceptual design has been based on technical, economic and environmental efficiency and
effectiveness will have been developed and tested, and their LCC will have been calculated.
Metro de Madrid, and in particular the Civil Engineering Unit and the R+D+i Projects Office,
actively participates in this project, being responsible for the definition, implementation and
evaluation of a track system prototype called R.E.M.S. (Removable Embedded Metro System). The REMS
system belongs to the group of embedded rail track systems, its special characteristic being that
the rail can be renovated without needing to demolish the elastomeric system that envelops it.
Furthermore, special emphasis has been placed on the design phase in order to ensure a high
vibration attenuation capacity. It is worth highlighting that the various mechanical and dynamic
tests that will be performed to evaluate the REMS system will include a Hammer Test, which will be
carried out with Metro de Madrid’s own resources and personnel.
