Siemens ready to unveil a lighter and cheaper Velaro
SIEMENS plans to launch its latest high-speed train, named Velaro Novo, at September’s Innotrans international rail show in Berlin.
Velaro Novo will be a 250kph360kph (156mph-225mph) train that costs 20% less, has 10% more space inside, costs 30% less to maintain, and is 15% lighter compared with today’s German ICE3 trains, according to Siemens Mobility Joint Chief Executive Sabrina Soussan. It also consumes 30% less energy, said Siemens.
Soussan was speaking at Siemens’ facility in Krefeld on June 13. She said: “Velaro Novo is our answer to global demands in highspeed transport. The new train writes a new chapter in the Velaro’s success story and enables operators to offer improved passenger comfort and economy over the train’s entire lifecycle.
“What we are presenting today is the result of five years of development - a platform offering uniquely optimised energy consumption and maintenance costs, as well as maximum flexibility and reliability.”
Project Director Michael Kopp told RAIL that Siemens had concentrated on cutting maintenance and fuel costs because these comprised 50% of a train’s whole-life costs. Lower fuel costs come from improved aerodynamics - Kopp explained that the train’s pantograph is shrouded when lowered (cutting 10% from energy consumption) and its bogies feature side skirts and underside panels (cutting 15%).
Although these skirts help the train’s aerodynamics, they also cut the flow of cooling air across the train’s brake discs, which Kopp admitted had been a challenge. The skirts forced Siemens to adopt inside bearings which cut the space available along Velaro Novo’s axles for those brake discs and other components such as traction motors.
Velaro Novo will be lighter, using thinner car body walls built by joining components with friction stir welding. Siemens has designed the inside of each car to be empty, with equipment boxes placed elsewhere to allow train operators to make the best use of space. Its traction motors will be more efficient, developing more power for the same volume, according to Kopp.
Vehicle length is 28.75 metres, with a seven-car train stretching 202 metres and with a starting tractive effort of 275kN, traction power of 8MW and braking power of 8.4MW for the 360kph version.
Kopp added: “Velaro Novo can be used on High Speed 2”, but noted that it would not fit on Network Rail’s classic lines.
Siemens has been testing many of the principles of Velaro Novo with a test-car. It recently reached 331kph in the formation of an ICE S train on Deutsche Bahn lines. Tests started in April and will continue until the end of the year, concentrating on dynamic and brake tests.