LIBERALIZING ACCESS TO RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE

By the order of the CEE Council of 29 July 1991, section 1, common railways have to be adapted to the market's demands and their efficiency must be increased. Section 2 of the same order recommends to railway administrations that they separate infrastructure from transport activity. These directives were adopted by CFR since it was still a National Society, aiming to modernise public transportation for passengers and merchandise. After a time when railway transportation underwent no other modification than those appeared as a consequence of restructuring, a new item appeared in the Romanian transportation industry.
The Railway Transportation Company is the first private operator using CFR's infrastructure with their own freight trains.
Founded in 1999 and including over 5000 employees, the company is the first owner of a licence to transport merchandise (001/2000) with a vast railway activity. The company is working under the motto "Promptitude and quality" in their activity - repairs and construction for wagons and locomotives as well as reparation and construction works for railways.
In CTF atelier freight wagons and even locomotives are built, repaired and modernised. Some of those have been exposed at the National Railway Display in Bucharest this year in May. The appearance of this society was an advantage for Romanian transportation that joined thus the European states that put to good use such development after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Even the strategy of the company is similar to that of such European operators. At first they didn't have enough funds themselves to buy new locomotives and wagons but by repairing those they did have, they put the basis to the private system of railway transportation. In addition, the rolling stock prepared for the new European demands and standards for railway transportation will be loaned to other operators or shipping companies.
In Romania we have rolling stock in surplus. Through their own ateliers in Bucharest triage, Brazi, Timisoara, Calan or through those that will be bought will repair and restore wagons and locomotives to offer a transport at international standards.
Recently, CTF wan at an auction the ownership of CS Rova SA in Rosiorii de Vede. By this acquisition the former construction and repairs company will be turned into a worthy centre for railway transportation activities.
The main activity of this transport company is operating freight trains, composed of wagons and locomotives (LE, LDE and LDH) coming out of its own park, running on the sections that the company has a Safety Cerificate.
On July 14 the first CTF freight train was to be inaugurated, it ran the Bucharest-Ploiesti section. Preparations for this train meant months of tests and certificates to insure the full safety of merchandise belonging to the company clients. Their activities are organised according to SREN ISO 9002/95, quality system requirements that was implemented on all of the companies' units and that, no doubt, in the shortest amount of time will led to the acquisition of the ISO 9002 Transportation Quality Certificate. The equipment and technologies meet also with the terms of regulations imposed by UIC.
Regarding the future development of the company, President Stefan Movila declared his good intentions concerning modernisation of technological fluxes, managerial strategies, and marketing, according to international provisions and creating efficient working conditions for the workers of various qualifications. Thus, a railway transportation system is getting shaped, based on solid and future-oriented development. The good results of this system will be fructified by CTF clients.

Daniel Secarescu