Educational Activities

The Learning Train

Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) offers an educational program to teach about and promote public transportation amongst kindergarten, primary, secondary, high school and vocational students in collaboration with teachers. This program works to show students that railway transportation is a sustainable transport model; you can only care for what you appreciate, and you can only appreciate what you really know.

The Why behind the Program
The increased movement of people and goods arising from economic development, the current lifestyles and the abuse of private transportation is causing the environment a series of detrimental affects: congestion, environmental, acoustic and visual pollution, the wasting of power, as well as serious health and safety problems and the indiscriminate occupation of the land. Therefore, it is essential that young people be award of these problems and have the knowledge to seek sustainable transportation as the only alternative to solve a problem that affects everyone. Railways play an extremely important role as it is the public transportation that offers the greatest capacity at minimal consumption, both in terms of passengers, as well as goods: This means has an almost zero pollution index, matched by low power consumption. Being fully aware of the important role that education plays in the future of the country, "The Learning Train" was launched to show that rail transport is a sustainable means of transportation. The educational program has been launched to provide students with greater knowledge of the surrounding area by going into the classrooms in an effort to work together with teachers and cooperate in the educational task.

Who is the program for?
The program has been designed for a number of educational groups: pre-schoolers, primary and secondary students, high school and vocational students, and in the near future, the program will be extended to include university students.

How is the program organised?
There are five subjects in the program. Each one has several sections that show the itineraries and routes respectively, using railway terms.

Itineraries included in the program:
Itinerary A: Public transport, sustainable transport.
Itinerary B: Trains and history.
Itinerary C: Introduction to technological diversity.
Itinerary D: Trains and nature (Vall de Núria)
Itinerary E: Trains and industry (itinerary currently underdevelopment)

The first four itineraries (A, B, C and D) will be launched for the 2005-06 course. Itinerary E (the fifth) is expected to be ready for the following course.

In October of 2005, the following itineraries will be launched:

Itinerary A: Public transport, sustainable transport

This itinerary has three routes, and is for pre-school, primary and secondary education.

Route A1: Promoting public transportation: Trains With audiovisual materials, and student participation, children will become aware of the important of using public transportation in long and medium term. Three different aspects will be covered: ecology, safety and economics.

Route A2: ravelling safely The objective of this route is to teach students the importance of complying with safety standards, to then travel at ease and enjoy the journey. Civic behaviour is also covered, including respect for public spaces and the actual train. Likewise, children are taught how public transportation is financed and the responsibility we all have in the conservation of trains.

To work on this Project, schools will be sent specific educational material that is adapted to each age group.

Route A3: Travelling by Train. Travelling is fun. This route builds on the previous ones and shows students how to organise a journey: orientation, and knowledge of the surroundings. Students will be taught how to read maps, learn basic information about the destination area, and learn how to find the best itinerary. They will also be introduced to economics. Children will learn about the different fares, and seek out the best one for them, compare real costs between the various transportation methods; they will be taught how to organise a timetable, thus teaching them calculations and how to organise their time.

A journey by train will be organised. The destination is optional, depending on the location of the school, and the ages and interests of the pupils. Prior to the trip, in the classroom, specific educational material will be provided about the subject, adapted to each level.

Itinerary B: Trains and history

The route is the Evolution and History of Trains for pre-school and primary school.

From the very beginning of trains to today; students will travel in a steam engine so that they can re-live the past, and think about the fact that not so long ago, this was a major means of transportation. At the Martorell station, prior to boarding the stream engine train, pupils will visit the exhibit "FGC: A century and a half of history" where they will receive information, explanations and material about steam engines, their history, evolution and later substitution for other more modern locomotive systems, which, with the passing of time, also become outdated.

All of these activities are undertaken with the guiding assistance of teachers. There will be specific educational material for each educational level.

Itinerary C- Introduction to technological diversity

Route C1: Control, safety and maintenance systems The target audience is secondary, high school and vocational students.

Students will visit the Rubi Operational Centre (COR) and the Sarriá Control Centre. During the visit, students will participate in a COR workshop where they will learn about the various types of maintenance and repairs performed daily so that the trains are always in optimal travelling conditions. One of the objectives is for youngsters to know, and therefore respect and appreciate, the work and efforts that this maintenance demands. At the Control Centre, the students will see how the del Valles railway network is planned, organised and controlled. Also, they will learn about safety, information and customer service systems.

All activities are guided by an instructor. Educational material will be provided that is related to the workshop tasks as well as the visits.

Itinerary D: Trains and nature (Vall de Núria)

Throughout the year, FGC will continue to organise nature related activities, which will be carried out in the Vall de Núria (valley) with the Itinerary D: Trains and nature,during school or summer camps or by means of another alternative, A day at Vall de Núria. Climbing the Nuria on the rack train is an experience in itself. It is a clear example of integration, adaptation and respect for Mother Nature. Students will discover the importance of respecting nature first hand and will be able to enjoy their surroundings with out destroying them.

During these visits, a number of educational activities will be performed that are base don the preservation, conservation, improvement and respect for the environment and heritage. Along this same line, an Environmental Learning Museum has been created to teach bout renewable and non-renewable energies.

Montserrat

Another activity for schools is to travel up the Montserrat (mountain) on the new rack train, to discover a different type of travel, on a unique means of transportation that is respectful with the environment. Once you have reached the mountain top, you can enjoy the mountainous area, learn about its history and visit the Nature Centre on the Sant Joan funicular.