Tilting Train Express

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Tilting Train Express
standard gauge

Tilting Train Express (TTX) or Hanvit 200 is a South Korean experimental high-speed tilting train, which is currently[when?] being tested by the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI).

Technical details

The six-car train has distributed power and a design speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) and a planned service speed of 180 km/h (112 mph).[1] The carbody is made on an aluminum honeycomb structure sandwiched between a carbon/epoxy composite material, reducing carbody mass by 40%.[1] The interior design of two of the powered cars provides for 29 First Class seats in 2+1 configuration, that of the other two powered cars 56 Standard Class seats in 2+2 configuration, that of unpowered end cars 54 Standard Class seats.[1]

History

TTX was presented to the public on January 16, 2007, when the first test run was planned for the next month.[2] The actual first test was conducted on April 2, 2007, on the Chungbuk Line.[3]

Following a call by Nam-Hee Chae, the president of the Korea Railroad Research Institute, for proposals for a generic name for Korean-made high-speed trains,[4] on April 5, 2007, Chae announced the name Hanvit (Hangul: 한빛),[5] which means a streak of intense light in Korean.[6] Under the new naming scheme, TTX became Hanvit 200.[5]

The first test run with active tilting was conducted in the presence of the media on May 22, 2007, between

Busan, the train achieved 222 km/h (138 mph).[10]

Series version

By the end of 2009, the series version of the train was expected to enter regular service in 2013, starting on the Jungang Line.

Yeongju from the current Mugunghwa-ho travel time of 3 hours 25 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes, further reducing to 1 hour 55 minutes after the upgrade of the Jungang Line.[10] Further services are planned on the Taebaek and Yeongdong Lines.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 한국형 복합소재 틸팅열차(한빛 200) (PDF) (in Korean). KRRI. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  2. ^ "TTX unveiled to public". KRRI. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  3. ^ "TTX prototype gets on test track". KRRI. 2007-05-02. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  4. ^ "HSR350x looking out for name". KRRI. 2006-05-04. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  5. ^ a b 한국형고속열차 네이밍 (in Korean). Chae, Nam-Hee. 2007-04-05. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  6. ^ Kim, Kihwan (May 2008). "Korea develops high-speed ambitions". International Railway Journal: 35–36. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  7. ^ a b "Korean TTX 'Hanvit 200' implements first test ride". KRRI. 2007-06-15. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  8. ^ "Hanvit-200 records over 20,000km on test". KRRI. 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  9. ^ a b c "Korean Advanced Tilting Train Completes 200km/h Maximum Speed Test Run". KRRI. 2009-12-30. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  10. ^ a b "Driving test of Korean tilting train TTX 222Km/h Completed". KRRI. 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2010-11-21.