Siemens Velaro

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Siemens Velaro

ICE 3 at Frankfurt-Höchst
Power type	electric
Builder	Siemens, Bombardier
Build date	since 2000
Total production	ICE 3: 45 ICE 3M: 22 Velaro E: 26 Velaro RUS: 8 CRH 3: 60
UIC classification	Bo'Bo'+2'2'+Bo'Bo'+2'2' +2'2'+Bo'Bo'+2'2'+Bo'Bo'
Length	200 m
Total weight	409 t (ICE 3) 435 t (ICE 3M) 425 t (Velaro E)
Electric system	15 kV 16.7 Hz AC (ICE 3) 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC 25 kV 50 Hz AC 1.5 kV DC 3 kV DC (ICE 3M) 25 kV 50 Hz (Velaro E)
Top speed	330 km/h 350 km/h (Velaro E)
Power output	8,000 kW 8,800 kW (Velaro E)
Tractive effort	300 kN 283 kN (Velaro E)
Safety systems	Sifa, PZB90, LZB (ICE 3) Sifa, PZB90, LZB80, ZUB121, Integra, Crocodile, TVM430, ATB, Eurobalise (ICE 3M)

Siemens Velaro is a family of high-speed EMUs. It includes Deutsche Bahn's classes 403 and 406, which are known as as ICE 3 and ICE 3M respectively. Four multisystem trains, known as ICE International are owned by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Spanish RENFE has ordered a stronger version, known as Velaro E for their AVE network. Wider versions were ordered from China for the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail (CRH 3) and from Russia for the Moscow - Saint Petersburg and the Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod route (Velaro RUS).

Contents 1 ICE 3 2 ICE 3M 3 Velaro E 4 Velaro RUS 5 CRH 3 6 References

[edit] ICE 3

The ICE 3 (Class 403) is the original version of the Velaro. Its design goal was to create a higher-powered, lighter train than its predecessors. This was achieved by distributing its 16 traction motors underneath the whole train. The train is licensed for 330 km/h and has reached 368 km/h on trial runs. In InterCityExpress service it is limited to 300 km/h, because this is the maximum design speed of German high-speed lines.

Because the train does not have powerheads, the whole length of the train is available for passenger seats, including the first car. The so-called lounge-seats are located directly behind the driver, separated only by a glass wall.

[edit] ICE 3M

The ICE 3M (Class 406; M for multisystem) was developed to operate services Europe wide under the four different Railway electrification systems in use on Europe's main lines and with support for various train security systems. The Deutsche Bahn (DB) ordered 13 of those units in 1994, the NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) four, making sure that the demands of the Netherland rail network are taken care of. As of 2007, the train is licensed for operation in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Currently those trains are used for cross-border runs between Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland.

In Belgium, the train was licenced in 2002 to run on the classic 3 kV DC lines with speeds up to 160 km/h, and from December 2004 on also on the new high speed lines, but initially limited to 250 km/h instead of 300 km/h. Problems with flying gravel and its frictionless electromagnetic brake came up during testing. In order to limit the damage of flying gravel to the train, spoilers have been added under the carriage.

The electromagnetic brake, which is required for higher speeds, cannot yet be used, because it would rip off magnetic covers of some trackside equipement; those covers will have to be replaced by non-magnetic ones according to the EU Technical Specifications Interoperability for international rail traffic in Europe.

As in Belgium, licensing procedures for France took five years to be completed. Trial runs were completed in late 2005. During testing, problems were encountered - loose gravel ripped the covers off trackside equipment, and the ICE's braking system was met with considerable skepticism as well. In France, the ICE 3M will reach speeds of up to 320 km/h in of a joint service with the TGV on the LGV Est starting on June 20, 2007. From December 2007 on, DB will operate the ICE-3M trains from Frankfurt Hbf to Paris Est, with 5 daily runs between both cities. The trains are being modified at DB's maintenance center in Frankfurt-Griesheim for the conditions in France.

In Switzerland, licencing took only six months.

[edit] Velaro E

In 2001, RENFE ordered sixteen Velaro, which will be designated AVE S-103. The order was later added to for a total of 26 trains. The trains will serve the 630 km Barcelona—Madrid line at speeds up to 350 km/h for a travel time of 2:25 hours.

The first units were delivered in July 2005 and completed their first test runs in January 2006.

On 15 July 2006 a train achieved a top speed of 403.7 km/h between Guadalajara and Calatayud on the Madrid—Zaragoza line. This is a Spanish record for railed vehicles and a world record for unmodified commercial service trainsets, as the earlier TGV and ICE records were achieved with specially modified and shortened trainsets, and the Shinkansen (443 km/h, 1996) record was for an test (non-commercial) trainset.

[edit] Velaro RUS

On May 19, 2006 Siemens announced the ordering of 8 Velaro RUS high speed trains by Russian Railways including a 30-year service contract. The contract is in total worth 600 million euro. The trains, connecting Moscow with Saint Petersburg, and later also Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod at a speed of up to 250 km/h, are based on the ICE3 train standard but broadened by 33 cm to fit Russian broad gauge. Some trains will be prepared for both direct current and alternating current operation. The total length of each ten-car train will be 250 m, carrying up to 600 passengers. Development and construction is being carried out in Germany and will be completed with the delivery of the last unit in 2010.

[edit] CRH 3

In November 2005, China ordered 60 Velaro trains for the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail line. The trains will be very similar to the ICE 3, but 30 centimeters wider to fit in additional seats. In the CRH 3 version, a 200 m Velaro train will seat 600 passengers. These train would be manufactured jointly by Siemens and CNR Tangshan.

[edit] References

• Dietrich Möller, Christian Schlegel: "Velaro - Further Development of the ICE 3 for Worldwide Use", in "Elektrische Bahnen", Vol. 104 (2006), No. 5, pages 258-263
• Harmonisierungsdefzizite am Beispiel von Auslandszulassungen des Triebzuges ICE 3, in "Elektrische Bahnen", Vo. 103 (2005), pages 147-149

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