Rail Skills Centre (SNCF – CER)

The Rail Skills Centre (CER) located in the inner suburbs of Paris at Saint-Ouen specialises in tests and expert analyses of rails and infrastructure equipment. The laboratory, which reports to the Engineering & Projects Division of SNCF Réseau, can boast major experience and unparalleled skills and has built up a tradition of conducting expert analyses in the rail sector since 1938, the date when the original “Rail Laboratory” was founded.

The Rail Skills Centre operates in three main fields: product qualification, expert appraisals and R&D.

Product qualification tests:

• Type approval of fixed or mobile flash butt welding machines according to EN 14587-1, EN 14587-2;
• Type approval of fixed welding machines for crossings according to EN 14587-3;
• Type approval of aluminothermic welding procedures according to EN 14730-1;
• Type approval of arc welding consumables according to EN 15594.
• Type approval of track components (fishplates, cutting discs, etc.) in accordance with the reference documents in force.

Expert appraisals:

• Rail, crossing and weld failure analyses.
• Track component failure analyses: joints, fishplates, switch components, bolts, etc.
• Expert appraisals on site and on the track.

R&D:

• Prototype development monitoring.
• Assistance in developing NDT inspection methods.

• Specialisation in rails
• Ability to conduct in-situ analyses
• Ultra-responsiveness

The laboratory is compliant with the requirements of the ISO 17025 standard.