Railroads are nowadays an indispensable part of the transportation industry. In recent years, Iran has witnessed substantial investments for the expansion of this mode of transportation. With the stabilization of energy prices in Iran and a similar trend worldwide, trains are set to gain greater ground in Iran’s economic landscape.

The introduction of 100 modern locomotives, co-produced by Iran’s Railroad Company and the French Alstom Company, are set to modernize Iran’s railroad industry. Refurbishing railroad tracks and utilizing new locomotives and trains are the prerequisites of training an expert workforce.

Iran has been trying to acquire a locomotive training simulator (LDSAD43C) in an international auction, in which French, Belgium and Spanish companies placed bids. The only Iranian company partaking in this close race was Bashir Industrial Complex (BIC). Amid intense competition, especially over the technical features of the new Altsom locomotives, BIC’s bid placed neck and neck with those of the French and Belgium companies, and well over the Spanish. BIC eventually won the auction and this testifies to its simultaneous advancement in expenditure management, while upholding international standards to make it a competitive company with plenty of bargaining power.

Today the dire need for training can only be met in the virtual environment. The first locomotive simulator is up and running in Iran, and with the ever-expanding need for education, many more will surely be on their way. There are a limited few who have the technological know-how for simulator design and manufacture and thus it is probable that BIC will soon be offering its services to regional markets such as the Middle East, India and North Africa.

On the other hand, flight simulators have become so essential to national and international aviation industries that pilots may be denied flying certificates if they have not undergone simulator training. Training with flight simulators has many benefits – an example of which is the IL-86’s “successful management” of an “incident in progress” over Mashhad airport. Aviation experts praised the pilot for how masterfully he saved the aircraft from the “incident in progress”. Little did they know, the pilot – shortly before the incident – had sat through a simulated version of it.