The Locomotive of the World…

Motorcar electric trains having engine 
assemblies under the floors of the coaches

With respect to the operation of these new types of rolling stock the general situation is not too different from the one of the trains that are hauled by streamlines body locomotives, BoBo type. While to these trains the power on the hauling engines is increased, being endowed with a fixed number of engines (four or six), in the case of the motorcar electric train sets the power is distributed on a bigger number of hauling engines, located under the floor of the coaches (trailers), along the train (compound of 4-6-8-10-12-14 coaches, according to the requirements during the exploitation), so that half of the bogies can haul, and the other half can carry.
According to the European standards, it is important not to be exceeded the 17 tons/axle, in case of these trains; at these vehicles, the load on axle is situated under 14 tons, so that, at the transition of the train set with the established speed, the maximum of 350 km/h, the maximal effort tension in the track head from the ground to be demitted according to the instructions of the railway administrations.
At these trains, which are exceeding the speed of 300 km/h, the traffic lines and the electric contact line should be appropriate, from the technical point of view, for such trains.
Concomitantly, the rolling stock should be achieved with a high, modern technology, at the three-phased asynchronous hauling engines (which at these trains have smaller powers - of almost 600 kW), and the hauling engines adjustment is performed with the new IGBT technology (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor). All these motorcar electric train sets are constructively achieved with a level, not duplex; in exchange, they can be coupled in two or three train sets, according to the requirements during the railway exploitation.
There where the railway passengers' traffic is increasing - this being the requirement in point of safety and comfort of the people of the future (comfortable, and more and more numerous), due to various reasons, especially economical, in the new conditions that are offered, the future belongs to the high-speed trains and especially to those without locomotive, where the passengers can join the engine driver to see the line and the sights, without including in the train panorama coaches.
When they are produced in tubular system (as in France), these electric motorcars are articulately built, up to the speed of 320 km/h being capable to operate with an eight-degree inclination, and when they are not tilting can reach the speed of 350 km/h.
In Germany, these trains are produced after the known classic system -the coach box is supported on two bogies.

Italy
On the main railway sections from this country although the railway electrification is achieved in continuous power of 3 kV, the motorcar train sets operate almost for a decade.
Therefore, in 1994, the Pendolino ETR -450 trains has appeared, made of eight tilting coaches at 8 degrees, with 12.5 tons /axle and the speed of 250 km/h. the train operate on the distance Salerno - Napoli - Rome - Florence (on Direttissimo), then from Bologna to Milan - Torino or to Padova- Venice - Trieste.
In 1996, the ETR -460 trains has appeared, compound of four coaches, and in 2000 there has been produced the train ETR - 470, Cisalpino, compound of eight coaches with two power system (namely of 3 kV c.c. and 15 kV - 16.7 Hz c.a.). It has a 200 km/h speed, it is titling and operates on Milan - Bellinzona - Zurich - Stuttgart, crossing the Alps Mountains.

Germany
The German railway specialists have achieved, in 1999, the motorcar electric train set Intrecityexpres ICE-3, compound of eight vehicles, quad-power, having the power of 8,000 kW, and the adjusting of the hauling engines achieved by GTO thiristors. This could operate all over Europe, with a 330 km/h speed.
The putting into operation of this train has been performed on the new line along the bank of the Rhin river, for 225 km, which includes the railway section between Frankfurt/Main and Koln, as "commuting train" between these important towns, starting with August 2002. It can be used on the international railway routes, after the organization that is imposed to such a traffic: it can operate, for example, from Munich to Wien West, then to Budapest Keletti and further on, even to Arad, and then to Brasov or Timisoara, only after the doubling of the line between Bekekcsaba and Curtici, in a length of 40 km, Romania being assigned with 10 km.
Another motorcar electric train set Intercityexpres, which is also a tilting ICE-T has appeared in 1998. It is mono-power, in system 15 kV - 16.7 Hz, compound of seven coaches, having the speed of 230 km/h and the power of 4,000 kW, being used on the routes in the areas with many curves from Germany.

Switzerland
Because the majority of the Swiss trains operate on the railway main section Geneva - Lausanne - Bern - Zurich, a less demanded railway section is Geneva - Lausanne - Neuchatel - Biel - Olten - Zurich - St. Gallen, where, starting with May 28, 2002, the ICN (Intercity New) motorcar electric train set operates, being compound of seven vehicles, with two bogies on coach. This is derived from the German trains ICE-T, coupled in two train sets, having the speed of 200 km/h; it has another frontal format and an ICE-T general face; presently in the SBB - CFF - FFS fleet existing 14 sets, dual-power, of 15 kV - 16.7 Hz and 25 kV - 50 Hz.
These electric train sets are tilting and can be used as trains that operate in France, as well as in Germany.

France
After the success registered by the high speed trains, presently the Alstom company is working at motorcar electric train set AGV (automotrice grande vitesse), which is the first articulated high-speed train, having the distribution of the power on the hauling engines located all along the train set, being produced according to the system of tubular train, with three-phased asynchronous hauling engines, adjusted through the new (above mentioned) IGBT technology . The new electric train set is quad-power, it has the power of 7,000 kW and operates all over the Europe, with a 350 km/h speed, being compound of 6-7-9-10-12 vehicles.
If it is tilted at 8 degrees, this type of train set operates with a 320 km/h speed, at a 7,200 kW power, in the same composition of trailers, which have the box made of aluminum, in order to be lighter.
The new electric train sets proposed by Alstom have the same number of seats as the TGV Network trains and have under 17 tons/axle, being able to operate in France, as well as in the neighbor countries: to Berlin, Hamburg, Wien West or in the future (through the Modane - Bussoleno tunnel), to Torino - Milan - Verona - Venice Mestre - Triete.

Russia
In this country with extended lands, the 650 km distance between Moscow and Sankt Petersburg is performed with the newest and most modern high-speed trains, which can operate in continuous power of 3 kV, using the motorcar electric train set of large gauge, compound of 10 vehicles on bogies and having a 250 km/h speed. There are no other data in this respect.
Within the Russian Federation and in the CSI states there are not used any high-speed motorcar electric train sets on other railway sections.

Japan
In the Sunset Country there is a special railway organization. While the classical trains, hauled by locomotives, operate on 1,067 mm gauge, the motorcar electric train sets Shinkasen operate in central Japan on normal gauge, 1435 mm. It is the only extra-European country which uses (since 1965) the high-speed motorcar electric train sets. Presently, the new generations of electric train sets have been modernized, and by using the various streamline bodies, more and more aerodynamic, the speed has reached to 260 km/h.

to be continued in the next number

Magdalena Fedeles
Eng. Dumitru Ciocoreanu