HSR-350x
Encyclopedia
HSR-350x, alternatively called G7, KHST or NG-KTX, and later officially re-named Hanvit 350, is a South Korean experimental high-speed train
. It was developed and built in a joint project of government research institutes, universities and private companies that started in 1996, which aimed to reduce import dependence in high-speed rail technology. New components developed for the HSR-350x included motors, electronics, and the carbody of passenger cars. Test runs were conducted between 2002 and 2008. The experimental train achieved the South Korean rail speed record of 352.4 km/h (219 mph) in 2004. The HSR-350x was the basis for Korail
's KTX-II
(KTX-Sancheon) commercial high-speed trains.
), the main maker of French TGV
high-speed trains, and South Korean companies. The first trains for Korea Train Express
service, the KTX-I
, were derived from the TGV Réseau
, and built both by Alstom and Rotem (today Hyundai Rotem).
(KITECH), and rolling stock manufacturer Rotem.
Due to the strong interdependencies of vehicle and infrastructure parameters in high-speed rail technology, the G7 program first focused on the compatibility with other components like track, catenary, signalling, and train control. Sub-projects dealt with bridge design, improved pantograph
design, and catenary in tunnels. Technologies used in high-speed line construction, including rails and catenary in tunnels, were adapted for use in conventional line upgrades, to enable the operation of KTX trains on such lines. The program also dealt with problems discovered during the operation of KTX-I trains, including a snaking movement of the articulated train around a speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) in winter, which was addressed by increasing wheel conicity.
The main element of the G7 project was the experimental high-speed train HSR-350x, developed on the basis of the technology transferred from GEC-Alsthom. With a design speed of 385 km/h (239 mph), the vehicle was meant as a prototype for commercial trains with a regular service top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph). The basic design and main components, as well as a mock-up of the initial design of the nose, was presented on December 17, 1999.
The costs of the G7 program were 210 billion won
, or about US$208 million. Including testing, the entire development program cost 256.9 billion won.
and Daejeon
, on June 28, 2002, and the first test run took place on August 19, 2002, with a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). In the first twelve months, the train covered 6075 km (3,774.8 mi) in 44 test runs as top speed was increased in increments of 10 km/h (6 mph), until 301.9 km/h (187.6 mph) was achieved at 23:38 on August 1, 2003.
Further progress with the testing programme was slow, because line capacity on the finished test section of the Gyeongbu HSR was limited due to the priority of the commissioning tests of the KTX-I trains. After the launch of regular service on April 1, 2004, the Korea Rail Network Authority
allowed test runs only in the night hours when there was no regular service on the line. The programme was also marred by technical problems, including a slip control problem which led to wheel abrasion, burned motor blocks, signalling troubles, braking system problems, and power car roll which led to the replacement of the suspension system. After test runs focusing on reliability, 310 km/h (193 mph) was passed on May 6, 2004, 324 km/h (201.3 mph) was reached on June 29, 2004.
On the night from October 27 to 28, 2004, the South Korean rail speed record was pushed to 333.3 km/h (207.1 mph). Next, 343.5 km/h (213.4 mph) was achieved at 01:53 on November 23, 2004, between Gwangmyeong
and Sintanjin. The final test run to surpass the originally planned service speed was conducted on the night from December 15 to 16, 2004, between Cheonan-Asan Station and Osong Depot, when the lasting South Korean rail speed record of 352.4 km/h (219 mph) was achieved at 01:24 on December 16, 2004.
After the incremental speed runs, on February 2, 2005, a Test Team was established, to conduct intense reliability testing by shadow running at 300 km/h (186 mph) in timetable slots between regular trains. By June 2005, the train accumulated a mileage of 93000 km (57,787.7 mi) in 209 test runs. In these tests, the ride comfort, running safety and current collection of the vehicle were evaluated according to European standards. The original test program was officially concluded on December 27, 2007, after the train ran more than 200000 km (124,274.5 mi) at a cost of 46.9 billion won. The train was used for some more tests next year, and by February 2008, it ran a cumulative 207000 km (128,624.2 mi).
, underlining South Korea's ambition to pull level with the most advanced industrialised nations in the field of technology. In the planning phase, the developed high-speed train itself was referred to by various names, including the project name G7, Korean High Speed Train (KHST), and Next Generation Korea Train eXpress (NG-KTX). Once completed, for international presentation, the prototype was named HSR-350x, an acronym for High Speed Rail - 350 km/h experimental.
In April 2006, Nam-Hee Chae, the president of KRRI, called for a generic name for Korean-made high-speed trains, one to match recognised high-speed train brand names like Shinkansen
for ones made in Japan, TGV for ones made in France, and ICE for ones made in Germany. Chae argued that G7 is difficult to explain to foreigners, HSR-350x is not a proper name for series trains, and KTX is already associated with trains with technology imported from France. After collecting and discussing proposals, one year later, on April 5, 2007, Chae announced the name Hanvit (Hangul
: 한빛), which means a streak of intense light in Korean
. Under the new naming scheme, HSR-350x became Hanvit 350, KRRI's new distributed power high-speed train project HEMU-400X became Hanvit 400, and its tilting train TTX
became Hanvit 200.
bogies under the cars next to the traction heads.
The main new developments compared to the KTX-I are in the traction equipment and the carbody. The motors are newly developed three-phase asynchronous induction motor
s, rather than synchronous motor
s as in the KTX-I. The motors are supplied by traction converters with integrated gate-commutated thyristor (IGCT) rather than silicon-controlled rectifier
(SCR) components as in the KTX-I. IGCT was the most advanced version of the Gate turn-off thyristor
(GTO) used for control of high-power applications at the time, and the use of ABB-supplied IGCTs as the switching element in the rectifier and inverter modules of HSR-350x converters was a world's first in rail vehicles. However, testing found limited improvements in efficiency and noise levels, and problems with reliability. Each traction converter consists of two parallel-switched four-quadrant converters, which function as rectifier
modules by converting single-phase alternating current
(AC) from one main transformer winding
each to direct current
(DC), a 2,800 V DC intermediate circuit, one inverter
module converting the DC supply to the three-phase AC supply for traction motors, an auxiliary inverter for the supply of motor and converter cooling fans, and resistor
s for rheostatic braking that are also connected to the DC circuit. The variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) inverters are voltage-sourced with pulse-width modulation
(PWM) control, rather than current-sourced with phase fired control
(PFC) as in the KTX-I. Each converter supplies the motors on two axles of a bogie, providing for individual bogie control. New main transformer
s with a 15% weight reduction and a 20% power increase were also developed. The single-arm pantograph
is a new development for the planned higher speed. The redesigned bogies and suspensions were tested on the roller rig of Southwest Jiaotong University
in China
at simulated speeds of up to 402 km/h (249.8 mph).
The intended commercial version of the train would have had powered passenger cars in the middle of the train, too, thus the back-end extreme passenger car of HSR-350x was built as the prototype of the middle powered passenger cars. The traction power system of this car has its own main transformer, supplied by high voltage from the first traction head, rather than the second that is next to it. The resulting asymmetry in the traction heads is used for maximising the capacity of the head end power
, which supplies on-board electric equipment and measuring devices: while six of the eight windings of the main transformer on the first traction head supply traction converters and two supply a 0.7 MW auxiliary converter for 670 V DC head end power, in the second traction head, traction converters need only four main transformer windings and the other four windings supply a 1.4 MW auxiliary converter.
Newly developed eddy current brakes were installed on the unpowered bogies. Other components were designed for compatibility with the KTX-I, including the emergency coupler. For testing, 420 measuring points were installed throughout the train, with data acquisition concentrated in three intermediate cars.
The nose shape was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag by 15% compared to the KTX-I. The carbody of intermediate cars is made of aluminum rather than mild steel, saving about 30% in weight. Passenger car width was increased from 2904 to 2970 mm (114.3 to 116.9 in). The design was reviewed by Bombardier Talbot
and DE-Consult from Germany and Alu-Swiss from Switzerland. For improved protection of passengers against air pressure variations during tunnel passages, the HSR-350x was equipped with an active passenger compartment pressure control system.
Following the project goal to localise design and production, 92% of the parts and 87% of the added value came from domestic manufacturers or researchers.
Already before the prototype was finished, in 2001, a study focusing on the needs of the less frequented Honam Line
proposed a modified, modular train that allows shorter configurations by removing traction equipment from the extreme intermediate cars, while reducing top speed to 300 km/h (186 mph). Possible configurations would have been 12-car, 10-car and 8-car versions with two traction heads giving a total power of 8.8 MW, another 8-car version with one traction head at one end and a driving trailer with powered end bogie at the other end giving a total power of 6.6 MW, and a 6-car "mini" version with one traction head driving a power of 4.4 MW. The 12-car version would have been 245 m (804 ft) long. The versions with two traction heads would have offered 500, 384 and 268 seats respectively, the versions with one traction head 323 and 207 seats. The active passenger compartment pressure control system of the HSR-350x wasn't deemed necessary for the proposed Honam high-speed train, only pressure isolation as in the KTX-I.
In July 2005, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation earmarked 80 billion won
for two 10-car commercial trains for 300 km/h (186 mph), destined for planned KTX services on the Jeolla Line
from 2008. In October 2005, however, Korail called competitive bids. Rotem, offering a commercial version of the HSR-350x, was chosen over Alstom as preferred bidder in December 2005, and finalised the order for 10 trains on June 6, 2006. In 2007, the order was increased by an additional nine trains, to be delivered by December 2010. In addition to the lack of a powered bogie under the extreme intermediate cars, the main differences between the KTX-II and HSR-350x designs were converters using IGBTs rather than the HSR-350x's converters with IGCTs, a new nose design, and the lack of bogie shrouding.
In 2007, another government-led project was started with the aim to build the HEMU-400X, a second experimental train with distributed traction and a planned test speed of 400 km/h (249 mph), as the basis for the development of commercial trains with a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
. It was developed and built in a joint project of government research institutes, universities and private companies that started in 1996, which aimed to reduce import dependence in high-speed rail technology. New components developed for the HSR-350x included motors, electronics, and the carbody of passenger cars. Test runs were conducted between 2002 and 2008. The experimental train achieved the South Korean rail speed record of 352.4 km/h (219 mph) in 2004. The HSR-350x was the basis for Korail
Korail
Korea Railroad Corporation , promoted as Korail , is the national railroad operator in South Korea.Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea...
's KTX-II
KTX-II
KTX-II, or KTX-Sancheon, is a South Korean high-speed train built by Hyundai Rotem in the second half of the 2000s and operated by Korail since March 2009...
(KTX-Sancheon) commercial high-speed trains.
History
When South Korea started its high-speed rail project, rolling stock and infrastructure was built in the framework of a technology transfer agreement between GEC-Alsthom (today AlstomAlstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
), the main maker of French TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
high-speed trains, and South Korean companies. The first trains for Korea Train Express
Korea Train Express
Korea Train eXpress is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the first section of the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. The project was later split into two phases and combined with conventional line upgrades, adding a second route from Seoul to...
service, the KTX-I
KTX-I
The KTX-I or simply KTX, also known as TGV-K, is a South Korean high speed train class based on the French TGV Réseau. The 20-car formation of the trainsets without restaurant car is optimized for high capacity...
, were derived from the TGV Réseau
SNCF TGV Réseau
The SNCF TGV Réseau trains were built by Alstom between 1992 and 1996. These TGV trainsets are based on the earlier TGV Atlantique.The first Réseau sets entered service in 1993. Fifty dual-voltage trainsets were built in 1992-1994, numbered 501-550. A further 40 triple-voltage trainsets, numbered...
, and built both by Alstom and Rotem (today Hyundai Rotem).
The G7 project
The technology transfer agreement did not provide for a complete control of manufacturing processes, and construction involved the import of parts. To increase the domestic added value, and to further improve the technology, in December 1996, South Korea's Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MOCT) started a project named G7 to develop domestic high-speed rail technology. The project involved 10 government research agencies, 16 universities and 35 private companies, and employed over a thousand people. The main partners were the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), the Korea Institute of Industrial TechnologyKITECH
Korea Institute of Industrial Technology is a South Korean government research institute, established in 1989 to help develop technologies for the domestic industry, with focus on export competitiveness and SMEs....
(KITECH), and rolling stock manufacturer Rotem.
Due to the strong interdependencies of vehicle and infrastructure parameters in high-speed rail technology, the G7 program first focused on the compatibility with other components like track, catenary, signalling, and train control. Sub-projects dealt with bridge design, improved pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
design, and catenary in tunnels. Technologies used in high-speed line construction, including rails and catenary in tunnels, were adapted for use in conventional line upgrades, to enable the operation of KTX trains on such lines. The program also dealt with problems discovered during the operation of KTX-I trains, including a snaking movement of the articulated train around a speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) in winter, which was addressed by increasing wheel conicity.
The main element of the G7 project was the experimental high-speed train HSR-350x, developed on the basis of the technology transferred from GEC-Alsthom. With a design speed of 385 km/h (239 mph), the vehicle was meant as a prototype for commercial trains with a regular service top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph). The basic design and main components, as well as a mock-up of the initial design of the nose, was presented on December 17, 1999.
The costs of the G7 program were 210 billion won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
, or about US$208 million. Including testing, the entire development program cost 256.9 billion won.
Test runs
The first running tests with HSR-350x were conducted in May 2002 up to a speed of 60 km/h (37 mph). The vehicle was then transported to Osong depot, on the finished test section of the Gyeongbu High Speed Railway (Gyeongbu HSR) between Cheonan-AsanCheonan-Asan Station
Cheonan-Asan Station is a ground-level train station located mostly in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, although part of it lies in the neighboring city of Cheonan. This station serves high-speed KTX trains that run from Seoul to either Busan or Mokpo...
and Daejeon
Daejeon Station
Daejeon Station is on South Korea's high-speed KTX railway network, 166.6 km south of Seoul Station.-History:The station opened on January 1, 1905 and KTX trains on the Gyeongbu Line began services on April 1, 2004. The station inspired a romanic blues ballad entitled "Daejeon Blues" that has...
, on June 28, 2002, and the first test run took place on August 19, 2002, with a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). In the first twelve months, the train covered 6075 km (3,774.8 mi) in 44 test runs as top speed was increased in increments of 10 km/h (6 mph), until 301.9 km/h (187.6 mph) was achieved at 23:38 on August 1, 2003.
Further progress with the testing programme was slow, because line capacity on the finished test section of the Gyeongbu HSR was limited due to the priority of the commissioning tests of the KTX-I trains. After the launch of regular service on April 1, 2004, the Korea Rail Network Authority
Korea Rail Network Authority
Korea Rail Network Authority is a railroad construction and management company in South Korea formed by the merger of KNR Construction Headquarter and Korean Express Railroad Construction Corporation. Its main clients are Korail and Seoul Metro....
allowed test runs only in the night hours when there was no regular service on the line. The programme was also marred by technical problems, including a slip control problem which led to wheel abrasion, burned motor blocks, signalling troubles, braking system problems, and power car roll which led to the replacement of the suspension system. After test runs focusing on reliability, 310 km/h (193 mph) was passed on May 6, 2004, 324 km/h (201.3 mph) was reached on June 29, 2004.
On the night from October 27 to 28, 2004, the South Korean rail speed record was pushed to 333.3 km/h (207.1 mph). Next, 343.5 km/h (213.4 mph) was achieved at 01:53 on November 23, 2004, between Gwangmyeong
Gwangmyeong Station
Gwangmyeong Station is a train station in Gwangmyeong, South Korea. The station was newly built as a stop of national railway operator Korail's KTX high-speed service, south of Seoul Station.-Disambiguation:...
and Sintanjin. The final test run to surpass the originally planned service speed was conducted on the night from December 15 to 16, 2004, between Cheonan-Asan Station and Osong Depot, when the lasting South Korean rail speed record of 352.4 km/h (219 mph) was achieved at 01:24 on December 16, 2004.
After the incremental speed runs, on February 2, 2005, a Test Team was established, to conduct intense reliability testing by shadow running at 300 km/h (186 mph) in timetable slots between regular trains. By June 2005, the train accumulated a mileage of 93000 km (57,787.7 mi) in 209 test runs. In these tests, the ride comfort, running safety and current collection of the vehicle were evaluated according to European standards. The original test program was officially concluded on December 27, 2007, after the train ran more than 200000 km (124,274.5 mi) at a cost of 46.9 billion won. The train was used for some more tests next year, and by February 2008, it ran a cumulative 207000 km (128,624.2 mi).
Naming
The high-speed rail development project name G7 was an allusion to the Group of SevenG8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
, underlining South Korea's ambition to pull level with the most advanced industrialised nations in the field of technology. In the planning phase, the developed high-speed train itself was referred to by various names, including the project name G7, Korean High Speed Train (KHST), and Next Generation Korea Train eXpress (NG-KTX). Once completed, for international presentation, the prototype was named HSR-350x, an acronym for High Speed Rail - 350 km/h experimental.
In April 2006, Nam-Hee Chae, the president of KRRI, called for a generic name for Korean-made high-speed trains, one to match recognised high-speed train brand names like Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
for ones made in Japan, TGV for ones made in France, and ICE for ones made in Germany. Chae argued that G7 is difficult to explain to foreigners, HSR-350x is not a proper name for series trains, and KTX is already associated with trains with technology imported from France. After collecting and discussing proposals, one year later, on April 5, 2007, Chae announced the name Hanvit (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 한빛), which means a streak of intense light in Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
. Under the new naming scheme, HSR-350x became Hanvit 350, KRRI's new distributed power high-speed train project HEMU-400X became Hanvit 400, and its tilting train TTX
Tilting Train Express
Tilting Train Express or Hanvit 200 is a South Korean experimental high-speed tilting train, which is currently being tested by the Korea Railroad Research Institute .-Technical details:...
became Hanvit 200.
Technical details
The train was developed on the basis of the transferred TGV technology. Like the KTX-I, the HSR-350x consists of traction heads with powered bogies and traction equipment at either end, and an articulated set of intermediate cars with passenger compartment in-between, with powered non-JacobsJacobs bogie
Jacobs bogies are a type of rail vehicle bogie commonly found on articulated railcars and tramway vehicles....
bogies under the cars next to the traction heads.
The main new developments compared to the KTX-I are in the traction equipment and the carbody. The motors are newly developed three-phase asynchronous induction motor
Induction motor
An induction or asynchronous motor is a type of AC motor where power is supplied to the rotor by means of electromagnetic induction. These motors are widely used in industrial drives, particularly polyphase induction motors, because they are robust and have no brushes...
s, rather than synchronous motor
Synchronous motor
A synchronous electric motor is an AC motor distinguished by a rotor spinning with coils passing magnets at the same rate as the power supply frequency and resulting rotating magnetic field which drives it....
s as in the KTX-I. The motors are supplied by traction converters with integrated gate-commutated thyristor (IGCT) rather than silicon-controlled rectifier
Silicon-controlled rectifier
A silicon-controlled rectifier is a four-layer solid state device that controls current. The name "silicon controlled rectifier" or SCR is General Electric's trade name for a type of thyristor. The SCR was developed by a team of power engineers led by Gordon Hall and commercialized by Frank W...
(SCR) components as in the KTX-I. IGCT was the most advanced version of the Gate turn-off thyristor
Gate turn-off thyristor
A gate turn-off thyristor is a special type of thyristor, a high-power semiconductor device. GTOs, as opposed to normal thyristors, are fully controllable switches which can be turned on and off by their third lead, the GATE lead.-Device description:...
(GTO) used for control of high-power applications at the time, and the use of ABB-supplied IGCTs as the switching element in the rectifier and inverter modules of HSR-350x converters was a world's first in rail vehicles. However, testing found limited improvements in efficiency and noise levels, and problems with reliability. Each traction converter consists of two parallel-switched four-quadrant converters, which function as rectifier
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current , which periodically reverses direction, to direct current , which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification...
modules by converting single-phase alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) from one main transformer winding
Coil
A coil is a series of loops. A coiled coil is a structure in which the coil itself is in turn also looping.-Electromagnetic coils:An electromagnetic coil is formed when a conductor is wound around a core or form to create an inductor or electromagnet...
each to direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC), a 2,800 V DC intermediate circuit, one inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
module converting the DC supply to the three-phase AC supply for traction motors, an auxiliary inverter for the supply of motor and converter cooling fans, and resistor
Resistor
A linear resistor is a linear, passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element.The current through a resistor is in direct proportion to the voltage across the resistor's terminals. Thus, the ratio of the voltage applied across a resistor's...
s for rheostatic braking that are also connected to the DC circuit. The variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) inverters are voltage-sourced with pulse-width modulation
Pulse-width modulation
Pulse-width modulation , or pulse-duration modulation , is a commonly used technique for controlling power to inertial electrical devices, made practical by modern electronic power switches....
(PWM) control, rather than current-sourced with phase fired control
Phase fired controllers
Phase control , also called phase cutting, is a method of pulse width modulation for power limiting, applied to AC voltages...
(PFC) as in the KTX-I. Each converter supplies the motors on two axles of a bogie, providing for individual bogie control. New main transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s with a 15% weight reduction and a 20% power increase were also developed. The single-arm pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
is a new development for the planned higher speed. The redesigned bogies and suspensions were tested on the roller rig of Southwest Jiaotong University
Southwest Jiaotong University
Southwest Jiaotong University is one of the oldest universities in mainland China.-About SWJTU:The university was originally founded at Shanhaiguan, Hebei in 1896, and it is currently located in Chengdu, Sichuan, a major city in the southwest part of the country...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
at simulated speeds of up to 402 km/h (249.8 mph).
The intended commercial version of the train would have had powered passenger cars in the middle of the train, too, thus the back-end extreme passenger car of HSR-350x was built as the prototype of the middle powered passenger cars. The traction power system of this car has its own main transformer, supplied by high voltage from the first traction head, rather than the second that is next to it. The resulting asymmetry in the traction heads is used for maximising the capacity of the head end power
Head end power
Head end power or electric train supply is a rail transport term for the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or “head” of a train or a generator car, generates all the electricity used for lighting, electrical and other...
, which supplies on-board electric equipment and measuring devices: while six of the eight windings of the main transformer on the first traction head supply traction converters and two supply a 0.7 MW auxiliary converter for 670 V DC head end power, in the second traction head, traction converters need only four main transformer windings and the other four windings supply a 1.4 MW auxiliary converter.
Newly developed eddy current brakes were installed on the unpowered bogies. Other components were designed for compatibility with the KTX-I, including the emergency coupler. For testing, 420 measuring points were installed throughout the train, with data acquisition concentrated in three intermediate cars.
The nose shape was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag by 15% compared to the KTX-I. The carbody of intermediate cars is made of aluminum rather than mild steel, saving about 30% in weight. Passenger car width was increased from 2904 to 2970 mm (114.3 to 116.9 in). The design was reviewed by Bombardier Talbot
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
and DE-Consult from Germany and Alu-Swiss from Switzerland. For improved protection of passengers against air pressure variations during tunnel passages, the HSR-350x was equipped with an active passenger compartment pressure control system.
Following the project goal to localise design and production, 92% of the parts and 87% of the added value came from domestic manufacturers or researchers.
Commercialisation, later developments
For series production, original plans foresaw the addition of four more cars to the articulated set of intermediate cars, enabling two configurations: an 11-car train consisting of two traction heads and one articulated set of nine passenger cars, and a 20-car train consisting of two traction heads and two articulated sets of nine passenger cars each. The 11-car version would have had the same power output as the HSR-350x, the 20-car version, due to the extra two powered bogies in the middle, would have had a power of 17.6 MW. The 20-car version would have been 395 m (1,296 ft) long and would have offered 871 seats.Already before the prototype was finished, in 2001, a study focusing on the needs of the less frequented Honam Line
Honam Line
The Honam Line is a major railway line serving the Honam region in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Gwangju and Mokpo.-History:...
proposed a modified, modular train that allows shorter configurations by removing traction equipment from the extreme intermediate cars, while reducing top speed to 300 km/h (186 mph). Possible configurations would have been 12-car, 10-car and 8-car versions with two traction heads giving a total power of 8.8 MW, another 8-car version with one traction head at one end and a driving trailer with powered end bogie at the other end giving a total power of 6.6 MW, and a 6-car "mini" version with one traction head driving a power of 4.4 MW. The 12-car version would have been 245 m (804 ft) long. The versions with two traction heads would have offered 500, 384 and 268 seats respectively, the versions with one traction head 323 and 207 seats. The active passenger compartment pressure control system of the HSR-350x wasn't deemed necessary for the proposed Honam high-speed train, only pressure isolation as in the KTX-I.
In July 2005, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation earmarked 80 billion won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
for two 10-car commercial trains for 300 km/h (186 mph), destined for planned KTX services on the Jeolla Line
Jeolla Line
The Jeolla Line is a railway line in North and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Yeosu...
from 2008. In October 2005, however, Korail called competitive bids. Rotem, offering a commercial version of the HSR-350x, was chosen over Alstom as preferred bidder in December 2005, and finalised the order for 10 trains on June 6, 2006. In 2007, the order was increased by an additional nine trains, to be delivered by December 2010. In addition to the lack of a powered bogie under the extreme intermediate cars, the main differences between the KTX-II and HSR-350x designs were converters using IGBTs rather than the HSR-350x's converters with IGCTs, a new nose design, and the lack of bogie shrouding.
In 2007, another government-led project was started with the aim to build the HEMU-400X, a second experimental train with distributed traction and a planned test speed of 400 km/h (249 mph), as the basis for the development of commercial trains with a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).