A French Engineer's Railway Dream: From Nanjing to Europe

While speaking with Science and Technology Daily, Adrien Peulvast, a French railway signaling engineer, reached into his pocket, pulled out his business card, and slid it across the table. It read: SilkRail, the name of his company.

Peulvast has spent over two decades in railway signaling research. He holds multiple international safety certifications and was once the youngest member of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers. But rather than rest on his credentials, he has taken a new path. Today, his four-year-old startup in Nanjing in east China builds AI-powered tools that test train control systems.

From robots to railways

Peulvast's interest in his research field started early. "When I was young, I wanted to work in robotics and automation," he said. After university, he joined a railway company almost by chance. "It suited me well. I enjoyed the heavy industry, the complex systems that last for decades, the computers, and the rigorous processes."

One of his early projects, the UK's High Speed 1, the country's first high-speed railway, has now been running for two decades. "It has carried billions of passengers without any problems," he said. "I am proud to have contributed to a system that remains in daily use two decades later."

He also worked on China's Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan high-speed line, which opened in northern China in 2009. "Seeing a system operate reliably for decades gives you a sense of fulfillment."

At the start of his career, the CENELEC safety standards — European electrotechnical standards — were just emerging. He subsequently gained experience in Sweden, Spain, and China, and witnessed how common standards enable cross-border cooperation. "When you speak with Chinese engineering teams, everyone uses the same technical language. That is remarkably powerful."

A sleepless night that changed everything

That technical language became the foundation of his own company. The idea for SilkRail's an important product, an AI-powered testing tool that shortens a typical test cycle from 30 days to just seven, came from a project with China Railway Signal & Communication (CRSC).

"We had an idea: to automate the testing process," Peulvast said. "During the day, they explained their requirements. Through the night, we developed the solution."

His wife Zhang Yu, who handles commercial and translation work for SilkRail, filled in the details. "We did not sleep at all that night," she said. "I translated the Chinese technical data, the requirements. He wrote the code. Within a week, we had a working prototype."

The client was impressed and that initial success led to a formal partnership. SilkRail signed a contract and built the full software incrementally, using an agile approach. "Now the client uses it on many railway lines," Peulvast said. "You simply launch the tool, and it runs the tests automatically."

The company name, SilkRail, reflects a broad ambition. "My dream is that one day we will see trains bearing the SilkRail logo running from China to Europe," he said. "A bridge between two continents."

China's high-speed miracle and the road ahead

That dream is rooted in Peulvast's deep respect for what China has already achieved. Asked about the country's greatest high-speed rail accomplishment, he pointed to the scale and speed of deployment. "More than seventy percent of cities are connected. Trains run at 350 kilometers per hour — the fastest in the world. To have built such a vast network in such a short period of time is remarkable. Taking the train in China is convenient, comfortable, and punctual."

He also noted a key difference between China and Europe. "In Europe, trains cross multiple national borders, so we need a system that functions everywhere. China is a single country, so the technical specifications can be unified. That is very powerful. Every time you build a new line, you know exactly what needs to be done, and every team speaks the same technical language." Looking ahead, the biggest challenge is no longer construction but maintenance.

On the future of railway signaling, Peulvast sees two critical areas. One is the data format. "Our company is the first Chinese member of the RailML consortium. If everyone uses the same data format, we can share data and make train systems more predictable and efficient."

The other is AI reliability. "When you ask AI for an answer, it is not always accurate. The challenge is to ensure that AI-generated answers are reliable enough to analyze systems and solve problems effectively. The models are getting better, and we are learning to use them."

A home in Nanjing

For Peulvast, China is not just a place to do business. It is home. Moving to Nanjing in late 2020 during the pandemic was not an easy decision. "It was a difficult time everywhere," he recalled. "We had to choose: return to France, go somewhere else, or stay in China."

They stayed. "I never had any doubt about settling in China," he said. He had already traveled to China many times before, starting in 2007. "I knew what it was like. The support we received from the local government in Nanjing made the decision easier."

Peulvast and Zhang Yu highlighted both the practical and lifestyle benefits of living in Nanjing. Nanjing is one of China's largest rail hubs, offering convenient transportation. It also has a green environment, which they appreciate.

Their two children attend local Chinese schools. "Our daughter writes Chinese characters very well," Zhang Yu said. "She wants to become a cultural ambassador between China and France. That is her dream."

Having witnessed China's rapid technological transformation and having participated in it through his own work, Science and Technology Daily asked Peulvast to sum up the country's tech development. He offered four words: "Fast. Giant. Flexible. Smart."

After a brief pause, he added a fifth: "Cooperation. China is remarkably open and excels at working with others."

For now, Peulvast continues to write test scripts and run through the forests of Nanjing, hoping that one day a train bearing his company's name will cross the Eurasian continent.

ZHANG Heyan from International Talent Magazine also contributed to this article.

Source: Science and Technology Daily