Project product will be the "Train for EUROPE - RELOADED"

The "Train for EUROPE - RELOADED" is meant to be a follow-up of our successful COMENIUS School Partnership
"European CNC-Network - Train for EUROPE", which was the winning project of the EUROPEAN CHARLEMAGNE YOUTH PRIZE 2010.
The main goal of the partnership will be to initiate a long lasting and sustainable development of a „European CNC-Network“.
With the help of CNC, precise work pieces and components could be produced by programming and controlling machine tools.
Essential features of this new partnership have already been determined by the resolution we made during our preparatory visit in Dunaújváros in December 2009.

But the new project adventure "Train for EUROPE - RELOADED" is certainly not just simply a copy of the forerunning school partnership.
As the framework of the project and demands on participants have consciously been changed and adopted, the planned school partnership
will have a completely different structure and new organisation. Moreover, new impulses are expected because some partners left the project
and new ones have joined.

The motor-driven locomotive and the wagons will be improved in order to fit into the new concept of the project. The locomotive and the wagons
should have a gauge of 90 mm and a length of 300 up to 400 mm. The students will have to decide, if the already existing locomotives should be
technically improved or if a completly new construction is of advantage.

The wagons will consist of standardized undercarriages and specific upper parts connected by a common clicking system. The individual upper parts
will have to be designed under a common motto, which also have to be defined at the first meeting. We have thought about depicting a famous
technical invention of each country. For example, the British wagon could carry a telephone (also produced by CNC-technology), because the
Englishman Graham Bell is supposed to be the inventor.

This time the new partnership will also include electro-technical challenges. Therefore a "European Electronic Map" shall be developed.
The "European Electronic Map" is a map meant to display the geographical outlines of the different European countries and is manufactured as a
large puzzle on the basis of CNC-technology. Each wagon will be equipped with electronic devices in order to communicate with the "European Electronic Map"
and will be able to switch on a lamp for example.

This partnership will be supported by a large number of accompanying activities. The partners will develop a CNC-based course in order to be used in lessons.
The course will deal with the production of a wagon undercarriage. The participants will also cooperate in exchanging and developing teaching methods and materials,
in developing the existing internet platform as a basis for a long-lasting communication and in enlarging the internet-based multilingual technical dictionary
including a new final online test.

Each step of the project requires the continuous engagement of the students. The project is integrated in the targets and goals of the curricula for the
training programs of the different metal-working and electro-oriented professions. Communication among project partners will mainly be internet-based.
Therefore, the partners and especially the students should be provided with the technical equipment and methods needed for internet-based communication.
The trainees involved will get a lot of authentic experiences in CNC technology by working hand in hand together. Associated partners are also welcome
to take part in this school partnership.

• The partners are convinced that this project is perfectly suited
  to work out another successful project supported by the “European CNC-Network”.

• The result of our efforts symbolizes the successful cooperation
  of the different European educational institutes.

• The participants are confident that we have found with this project an excellent example
  that will increase the “European spirit”.

The participants of the preparatory visit for the "European CNC-Network - Train for EUROPE - RELOADED" have agreed to the common resolution:

1. The participants will work on the basis of the established European CNC-network as it was
   developed in the COMENIUS school partnership “European CNC-Network - Train for EUROPE” and
   is therefore based on the continuation of the previous one.

2. The school partnership is meant to be open for new members as well as for experienced partners,
   who have already been participating in the COMENIUS Project “European CNC-Network - Train for EUROPE”.

3. The project is going to begin in 2011 as part of the European COMENIUS programme “Lifelong
   Learning” (COMENIUS School Partnerships) and will run for two years.

4. The participants have selected English as working language.

5. The participants have agreed on a common product named “European CNC- Network - Train for EUROPE - RELOADED”.

6. The locomotive and the wagons will be improved in order to fit into the new concept of the project.

7. The locomotive and each wagon should have the same measurements as already defined in the
   “Train for EUROPE” – project (width of 100 mm and a maximum length of 400 mm for the
   locomotive and 300 mm for the wagons).

8. The different parts of the locomotive will either be the result of common planning and
   manufacturing based on work groups or planned and manufactured by schools or partners
   individually.

9. The different locomotives will have to be designed with special focus on speed, power, design and cost efficiency.

10. The undercarriage of the wagons will be improved and optimized in several ways in terms of
    weight and possibilities in CNC- production as realized in the concept of compatibility in the major
    train building companies (standardized undercarriage + specific upper parts).

11. Each partner will have to produce at least one undercarriage for a wagon.

12. The upper parts of the wagons will have to be designed under a common motto, which must be
    defined in the first meeting.

13. Each participant will build at least 10 (ten) upper parts of the wagons designed according to the
    common motto – one for school’s own use and the other ones in order to allow exchange
    between project partners. The rule of “K.I.S.S.” (“Keep it smart and simple”) should therefore be
    obeyed when designing and constructing the upper parts of the wagons.

14. Each wagon will be equipped with electronic devices in order to communicate with the
    “European Electronic Map”. The electronic devices and communication will be powered by solar
    energy or other alternative sources of energy.

15. The ”European Electronic Map” is a map meant to display the geographical shape (outlines) of the
    different European countries and is manufactured on the basis of CNC-technology. The “European
    Electronic Map” will be designed as a puzzle.

16. The partners will develop a CNC-based course in order to be used in lessons, for example for CLIL
    (content and language integrated learning). The course will deal with the production of a wagon.

17. The partners will improve the railway tracks and integrate the electronic devices which will make
    communication with the “European Electronic Map” possible.

18. The partners will come to an agreement regarding costs, manufacturing options and the designs.

19. Associated partners are also welcome to take part in this school partnership.

20. The participants plan to meet four (later we've decided for "six meetings") times during the project:
    - Oct 2011: Coordination and distribution of the different tasks, esp. communication.
    - Mar 2012: Assessment and agreement on the technical designs and drawings as well as planning
      and coordination of the production and other planned tasks.
    - Sep / Oct 2012: Testing and troubleshooting.
    - Apr 2013: Final assembly and presentation of our project “Train for EUROPE - RELOADED“.

21. The participants will cooperate in
    - exchanging and developing teaching and training methods and materials.
    - equalizing the differences in teaching, training methods and equipment.
    - developing the existing multilingual internet platform as a basis for a long-lasting communication.
    - enlarging the internet- based multilingual technical dictionary.

22. Each step of the project requires the continuous engagement of the students.

23. The project is integrated in the targets and goals of the curricula for the training programs of the
    different metal-working and electrical professions.

24. Students and teachers should benefit from the exchange of experience by mutual visits.

25. Communication among project partners will mainly be internet-based. Therefore, the partners and
    especially the students should be provided with the technical equipment and methods needed for
    internet-based communication. Students therefore will have to be enabled to use the different
    media continuously.

26. An agreement on the coordination of the project is still left open in order to allow any
    participating school to take over.

27. Prior to the beginning of the project the participants will try to recruit additional participating
    partners. The school partnership is open to any educational institution, so as many European
    countries as possible should be involved in the project.