Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications;
All students, both Slovakian and international ones, who listen lectures in Slovakian language, do not pay tuition fees. Our teachers told us that there were only a few colleges in Western Europe where international students can study for free.
We visited two laboratories at the Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications. The first one contains a railway model with several stations and model of trains, which can move along the railway. The Railway and stations are equipped with permissive signals, which display "Stop & Proceed" aspect. These signals permit or forbid either entry or exit to and from the station. Railway signals also regulate train traffic between two station. Trains cannot collide with each other if they are not permitted to occupy the same section of track at the same time, since railway lines are divided into sections known as blocks. Each block is operated by a particular group of students, who practice the use railway safety systems that include setting the crossover to the appropriate position and setting appropriate signs on railway signals.
We found out that this method of learning was much easier and more fun than learning about these processes theoretically, by reading books or listening to lectures, no matter how good and interesting they were.
Although we are awere that such models are not cheep, it would be great if the our school could provide similar models for future generations.
We also visited a laboratory for testing train brakes and axle assemblies. Again we have to note that the laboratory is more modern and better equipped than our cabinet in which we learn practically about brakes and braking.
Branka Jovanović 4/2-2
Stefan Vučković 4/2-1