Rail freight is an international business, especially in Europe and finding a way to efficiently communicate is a challenge for many industry segments. VPI European Rail Service (VERS) is now trying to alleviate the issue, at least when it comes to wagon maintenance, with the introduction of a new online dictionary that translates into 13 languages.
The dictionary is called WagonWords by VPI-EMG and includes 1,474 terms used in freight wagon maintenance, VERS specified. “The dictionary is freely accessible”, the company added, stating that its development will be ongoing, also thanks to the help of users who can suggest new terms via an integrated suggestion function.
The language pickle
Europe is a conglomerate of countries with a vast variety of languages. Unlike air transport, rail was first developed on national bases and much before the European Union became reality. Consequently, there was never a common language that would facilitate international communication. Now that rail (freight) has become a European matter, the debate has sparked up.
Some consider it a vital step for interoperability and the creation of the Single European Railway Area. The main argument is that a common language would allow drivers to work on more routes and be more flexible in case of disruptions and re-routing. Most of them agree that the language should be English.
On the other hand, those against it claim that it would simply pose an additional hurdle. Drivers would have to be trained, which takes time and resources, and would make rail even less competitive with road freight transport. In the digital era, tools that allow for automatic translation might be the way to go, but the path remains a long one.
