Tilting Train Express
Encyclopedia
Tilting Train Express or Hanvit 200 is a South Korea
n experimental high-speed
tilting train
, which is currently being tested by the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI).
.
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, 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, TTX became Hanvit 200.
The first test run with active tilting was conducted in the presence of the media on May 22, 2007, between Osong Station
and nearby Ogeunjang Station on the Chungbuk Line
. At the time, the train was planned to enter service in 2010. Until December 21, 2008, the train ran over 20000 km (12,427.5 mi) in test runs on the Chungbuk Line, short of the 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) planned. The test program of 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) was completed until the end of 2009, with test runs on the Chungbuk, Jungang
, Honam
, Gyeongbu and Taebaek Line
s followed by high-speed testing on the Gyeongbu High Speed Railway (Gyeongbu HSR), with 200 km/h (124 mph) achieved at 00:33 on November 19, 2009, between Osong
and Daejeon
. In a further test in September 2010 on the not yet opened second stage of the line between Daegu
and Busan
, the train achieved 222 km/h (138 mph).
and 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. Further services are planned on the Taebaek and Yeongdong Line
s.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n experimental high-speed
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...
tilting train
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
, which is currently 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). The carbody is made on an aluminum honeycomb structure sandwitched between a carbon/epoxy composite material, reducing carbody mass by 40%. 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.History
TTX was presented to the public on January 16, 2007, when the first test run was planned for the next month. The actual first test was conducted on April 2, 2007, on the Chungbuk LineChungbuk Line
The Chungbuk Line is a railway line serving North Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Jochiwon on the Gyeongbu Line to Bongyang on the Jungang Line, serving the major cities of Cheongju and Chungju en route. Cheongju International Airport is located near the rail...
.
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, 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, TTX became Hanvit 200.
The first test run with active tilting was conducted in the presence of the media on May 22, 2007, between Osong Station
Osong Station
Osong Station is a station on the Gyeongbu KTX Line in Cheongwon County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at the intersection of the Gyeongbu KTX high speed rail line and the conventional Chungbuk Line...
and nearby Ogeunjang Station on the Chungbuk Line
Chungbuk Line
The Chungbuk Line is a railway line serving North Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Jochiwon on the Gyeongbu Line to Bongyang on the Jungang Line, serving the major cities of Cheongju and Chungju en route. Cheongju International Airport is located near the rail...
. At the time, the train was planned to enter service in 2010. Until December 21, 2008, the train ran over 20000 km (12,427.5 mi) in test runs on the Chungbuk Line, short of the 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) planned. The test program of 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) was completed until the end of 2009, with test runs on the Chungbuk, Jungang
Jungang Line
The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...
, Honam
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:...
, Gyeongbu and Taebaek Line
Taebaek Line
Taebaek Line is a single-track electrified railway mainline connecting Jecheon Station to Baeksan Station in South Korea. At its two ends, the Taebaek Line connects to the Jungang Line and Yeongdong Line. The line was originally two spur lines, which were built across difficult mountainous terrain...
s followed by high-speed testing on the Gyeongbu High Speed Railway (Gyeongbu HSR), with 200 km/h (124 mph) achieved at 00:33 on November 19, 2009, between Osong
Osong Station
Osong Station is a station on the Gyeongbu KTX Line in Cheongwon County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at the intersection of the Gyeongbu KTX high speed rail line and the conventional Chungbuk Line...
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...
. In a further test in September 2010 on the not yet opened second stage of the line between Daegu
Dongdaegu Station
Dongdaegu Station, meaning "East Daegu Station", is a railway station in Daegu, South Korea. It is on the national high-speed KTX railway network, 282 km south of Seoul Station.-History:...
and Busan
Busan Station
- External links :* * *...
, the train achieved 222 km/h (138 mph).
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. The future service is expected to reduce the travel time between Cheongnyangniin SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Yeongju
Yeongju Station
Yeongju Station is a railway station on Gyeongbuk Line....
from the current Mugunghwa-ho
Mugunghwa-ho
The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are the cheapest class of trains to operate cross-country. Prior to the introduction of the KTX in 2004, they were the most common passenger train along most railroad lines...
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. Further services are planned on the Taebaek and Yeongdong Line
Yeongdong Line
The Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, thence proceeding north to Gangneung.At Yeongju, the line connects with the...
s.
See also
- HSR-350xHSR-350xHSR-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...
- HEMU-400XHEMU-400XHEMU-400X is an in-construction South Korean experimental high-speed train intended for tests between 2011 and 2014 at up to . The main new feature of the train compared to older South Korean high-speed trains is distributed traction...
- Korea Train ExpressKorea Train ExpressKorea 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...
- X 2000X 2000X 2000 is the brand name of Sweden's tilting 200 km/h high-speed train class X2, which was constructed by Kalmar Verkstad in Kalmar, Sweden and operated by SJ. It was launched in 1990 as a first-class only train with a meal included in the ticket price, and free use of the train's fax machine...
- Transportation in South KoreaTransportation in South KoreaTransportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country.-History:...