RTR Eurailpress

RTR 4/2010 45 InnoTrans – Even more railway than ever before!  NSB, Norway. Its mechanical and electronic parts and also its end bodywork had been especially designed to cope with the winter conditions prevailing in that country. Kockums of Sweden has developed a new piggyback wagon with eight wheels and a tare of 24 tonnes. This has been given the nickname “Megaswing” on account of the fact that its cargo-carrying surfaces can be swivelled outwards hydraulically. This creates a situation in which the whole train can be loaded and unloaded quickly. A power supply of 400 V/50 Hz must be available in the terminal for operating the hydraulic pump. 3 Vehicle components Greater efficiency in operating rail vehicles is promised by the numerous compact demanage to keep one big closely-guarded surprise for InnoTrans itself, namely the diesel version of the Vectron locomotive family (Fig. 6). Siemens exhibited a total of four different variants at InnoTrans. Despite this undoubted success in the locomotive segment, the main focus of interest at Siemens was bound to be the new Velaro D, of which one end car and two intermediate cars were on display. This high-speed multi-system multiple unit has been ordered by Deutsche Bahn, where it is to be known as Class 407. It represents a further development of the ICE3, which has already been running for a number of years, and has been earmarked for international services (Fig. 7). GE Transportation (USA) exhibited the Class 70 for Freightliner in the United Kingdom. This is the latest version of the diesel-electric locomotives supplied under the general name of Power Haul. They are driven by a 16-cylinder engine rated at 3700 HP (about 2750 kW). There was no shortage of new products from Voith Turbo. The 1500-kW Gravita 15 BB was one of the items in the outdoor exhibition area; this is now the second locomotive belonging to the Gravita family with central cabs (Fig. 8). It features a start/ stop function for reducing fuel consumption when idling. It also possesses two speed governors which assist the driver in driving economically. The first Voith Maxima to have been assembled under licence in the Czech Republic was also on display. Vossloh’s biggest attraction was the new family of locomotives with central driver’s cabs. It had taken no fewer than three of these along to Berlin. It exhibited the small G 6 as delivered to its first customer, VPS (Fig. 9). Of the eight-wheeled locomotives, it exhibited both the G 12 and the DE 18 as well as both power classes (1200 and 1800 kW) and the two transmission variants (diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric). MTU Friedrichshafen (a Tognum company) presented engines that have already been certified for the strict EU III B emission provisions to be applicable as of 2012. Its class-1600 engine has been developed for both locomotives and multiple units, whereas a new class-4000 generation is intended just for locomotives, while it offers its underfloor power-pack drives especially for multiple units. MTU is also particularly proud of a diesel-driven hybrid power pack for short-distance multiple units, which conforms to EU III B. It is able to recuperate braking energy and to use it in stop-and-go operations (Fig. 10). Already on a previous occasion, Stadler’s double-deck S-Bahn train for Zurich had been one of the most striking vehicles in the outdoor part of the trade fair (Fig. 11). The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have now ordered fifty of these in the six-car version. Another newcomer was the “Flirt” for the Fig. 9: Vossloh’s G6 Fig. 8: Voith’s Gravita 15 BB (Photo: Jänsch) We wish all our readers, authors and advertisers a very merry pre-Christmas time, happy season‘s greeting and all the best for a healthy and prosperous year 2011. Editors and Publishing house

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