Alstom expands its Very High Speed portfolio adding a new train platform
08 June 2010
Alstom expands its Very High Speed portfolio adding a new train platform
Alstom unveils a new model of Very High Speed train at the international railway exhibition EXPO Ferroviaria in Turin, Italy. The new platform is added to an already extensive portfolio, ranging from the tilting High Speed trains Pendolino, to the Very High Speed trains Duplex and AGV.
In a market environment where very high speed is growing worldwide, operators in various countries have different needs, strategies, and demands. The very high speed market has reached a level of maturity that drives customers to refine the identification of their passengers needs and hence to fine-tune their technical specifications. Applying a logic of continuous progress for its Very High Speed offer, Alstom keeps on developing new offerings in order to provide its customers with the largest range of options, to allow them to configure their specific train. The operators can then position its business on the most relevant market segment for them and address their own targets more precisely.
As a result, Alstom is further enlarging its portfolio of Very High Speed trains, adding new options that are combined in a third platform: a new very high speed, high capacity, single deck, fully interoperable train. It is based on the best of Alstom technology, which has proved itself over 30 years of experience with the articulated Very High Speed platforms (TGV, TGV Duplex and AGV) and the non-articulated High Speed platforms (Pendolino).
The train, designed to reach a maximum speed of 400 Km/h , relies on 8 traction systems with 8 motors in powered bogies, delivering a total power of 10 MW and is capable of a commercial speed of up to 360 km/h. To free all possible space for passenger, all technical equipments have been placed under the chassis. The interior room for passengers has been maximised thanks to the wide bodyshell and to the positioning of pantographs, so as to keep constant roof height throughout the length of each car. It offers the best ratio in terms of floor surface, number of seats (600) and total train length (8 cars, 200 m). The train will be able to travel across European borders: it can be equipped with 3 redundant pantographs of different kind (1.500 volts DC, 3.000 volts DC, 15.000 volts AC, 25.000 volts AC) and can install on board 10 different signaling systems.
"This new train is the proof of Alstoms continuous leadership and innovation drive in the field of Very High Speed. It attests to Alstoms will and capacity to offer products that can satisfy all the different needs of the market and the most diverse requirements of operators, especially in countries where very high capacity is a requirement, and the wider body shells used in their railways entail a non articulated train." declared Gian Luca Erbacci, Alstom Transport General Manager for South Europe.
The train is targeted at a worldwide market, with the first real opportunity being Italy and the Trenitalia tender for 50 very high speed trains. Alstom has submitted its bid to this tender on May 20 2010, proposing a specially customized version.
About Alstom and Very High Speed Alstom manufactured 50% of the trains that nowadays travel across the whole world at over 300 kph. Since the launching of the first TGV in 1981, Alstom sold 670 high speed trains, which covered more than 2.5 billion kilometres and carried 1.5 billion passengers.
Furthermore, today 400 Pendolino trains operate throughout the world at speed up to 250 kph; they covered more than 200 million kilometres and carried 200 million passengers. The last model of the Pendolino family is ETR600 "Frecciargento", which has been operating on the Italian rail network since more than one year.
Press contact Laurent Gerbet – Tel: + 33 (0)1 57 06 92 83 laurent.gerbet@transport.alstom.com
Website: www.transport.alstom.com
ALSTOM TRANSPORT – 48 rue Albert Dhalenne - 93482 St-Ouen Cedex
ALSTOM TRANSPORT – 48 rue Albert Dhalenne - 93482 St-Ouen Cedex