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Today, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)  and Bombardier Transportation signed an agreement to collaborate on railway vehicle research. The contract — which extends through 2014 — calls for regular professional exchanges and simpler commissioning of joint research and development work.

The aim? To jointly promote research and development for next-generation high-speed trains and “optimize each party’s expertise,” according to a prepared statement. Collaborative efforts could include rail vehicle aerodynamics and aeroacoustics, dynamic stability, interior airflows and acoustics, lightweight vehicle construction, energy systems and management, homologation, and rail control and safety systems.

“In the medium term, we expect the creation of express trains that are more climate-friendly, more efficient, lighter and more comfortable,” said Professor Johann-Dietrich Worner, chairman of DLR’s Executive Board, at the signing ceremony. “We are developing technologies for tomorrow’s trains and identifying what could be technically feasible. However, only with a strong partner from the private industry … can we determine whether and how our ideas can actually be implemented in practice.”

DLR’s test facility features five wind tunnels related to high-speed vehicle construction.