The Locomotives of the World…

Electric motorcar endowed with engine 
assemblies under the coach floors

Japan
· The first electric Shinkansen train sets, series 100, of the Railway Company from the Central Japan use the power system of 25 kV - 60 Hz and have in composition of the train set 16 vehicles, operating with 210 km/h speed.
· The same company has achieved, in 1968, the new electric high speed train set, series 300, with the same power system and operating with the speed of 260 km/h, still having in composition 16 vehicles, using GTO thriristors.
· At East Japan Railway Company it is used the power of 25 kV 0 50 Hz for the electric train sets Shinkansen series 200, the train being compound of 12 vehicle, the speed of 240 km/h, for a gauge of 1,435 mm.
· Recently, the electric train set Shinkansen series 700 has appeared, including 12 vehicles, on normal gauge, using IGBT technology and develops a speed of 260 km/h.
· At Kyushu Railway Company are used electric train sets with several units, series 783, using power of 20 kV - 60 Hz, for a gauge of 1,067 mm, compound of eight vehicles, with 666 seats and the power of 4,000kW, developing the maximal speed of 130 km/g.
· At Hokkaido Railway Company are used electrical train sets of series 785, in power system of 20 kV -50 Hz, for a gauge of 1,067 mm, the train having in composition four vehicles with 333 seat, having a power of 3,000 kW, and the speed of 130 km/h.
From here emerges that in Japan the basic gauge at the railways is of 1,067 mm, used at the three series of locomotives for the freight transport, as well as electrical multi - unit train sets series 783 and 785, which can operate as passengers trains with a maximal speed of 130 km/h, and as freight trains with 120 km/h, having powers of 6,000 kW.
By modernizing the rolling ways, the two railway companies from Central and Eastern Japan have achieved the gauge of 1,435 mm for Shinkansen train sets, where can be reached high speeds, up to 260 km/h, being electrified in alternative power of 25 kV - 50 Hz or 60 Hz and even greater powers, up to 13,000 kW.

Untied States of America
No matter the states from this union, the railways have been electrified in alternative power of 25 kV - 60 Hz, using electrical train sets, especially with two ending locomotives, purchased from the Europeans. After the advantages that are stipulated to be provided with the modern electrical train sets, there could be taken future decisions.

General Conclusions

From the what we have presented above is also emerging that the countries with a more developed economy can achieve a railway infrastructure for the high speed trains using the last performant technologies in the field of rolling stock.
In this general framework, there can be alleged that Romania does not have available sufficient financial possibilities in order to purchase motorcar electric high speed train sets, yet, through their large incidence, ICE -3 train sets can also operate in our country. For example, from Munchen to Wien West - Budapest, Keleti - Arad, mostly up to Brasov (not to Bucharest, because the Carpatians Mountain crossing needs specialized engine drivers for long slopes, that Romania has available, yet the engine drivers from Hungary, Austria and Germany are not specialized to such slopes and that is why they can not cross Predeal section).
In Romania the future railway problems can be solved similarly to Austria - using classical trains with electric BoBo and CoCo locomotives, and in addition the coaches for 160 km/h speeds.
If there is wanted the operation of the German ICE -3 trains in Romania (which will bring European investors), there would be necessary the adaptation of the tracks and, especially the electrification of the line on route Vintu de Jos, Sibiu - Rm. Valcea - Ionesti - Pitesti Sud - Golesti - Chitila, of 475 km (crossing the Carpatians Mountains where there are large slopes, but there are beautiful sights, and the trains can be used at constructive possibilities), to which there is added the achievement of the line of 50 km from Ionesti and Pitesti Sud, on the soft sub-Carpatic hills.
A direct railway network between Germany and Romania, as there is with austriam can be the following:
- departure of an ICE-3 train from Munchen to Salzburg - Linz - Wien West, then to Hegyeshalom - Budapest Keleti and then to Szolnok - Bekekcsaba - Arad - Deva - Sibiu - Rm. Valcea - Pitesti Sud (on the new version Ionesti - Pitesti Sud, we will have a direct line, without setting back), up to Bucharest Nord, route that would have the length of 1,567 km (instead of 1,615 km, through Brasov) and which can be crossed by an ICE-3 train in maximum 12 hours, fact that would be quite advantageous for Romania - once with the entrance in the European Union, this could help CFR for the achievement of an important European route of the Corridor IV.
In case of achieving the line between Valcele - Bujoreni Valcea, the train could stop in Rm. Valcea (the district capital), because such a train could stop only in the district capitals of the country.
Finally, there should be also underlined the fact that there are necessary sustained efforts in order to continue the railway electrification on the routes where the future high speed trains will operate (350 km/h) who will transit Romania either to Bucharest, or to Constanta.

Magdalena Fedeles
eng. Dumitru Ciocoreanu