Page 140 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY VISION 2035

FIG 2.3: HIGH SPEED TILTING TRAIN (v) Technologies similar to tilting technology
for increased passenger comfort and for
reducing accidents.

(vi) Lighter and stronger composite materials
similar to the one needed for aircrafts.

(vii) Acoustic design and noise reduction
technologies.
(viii) Design to take care of crash and impact and
test for crashworthiness.
(ix) Capability to design and develop
aerodynamic designs.
(x) Brake systems suitable for high speed.
(xi) Inter-vehicular couplers (mechanical,
technology. In 1996, Germany introduced its latest pneumatic, power and signalling).
ICE2 (Inter City express-2) trains as tilting trains, (xii) High reliability door closing mechanisms.
which could travel at an average speed of 235
km/h. Some other countries that employ tilting (xiii) Platform surveillance system.
trains are Sweden, Norway, Japan, Italy, Finland, (xiv) Illumination, heating, ventilation and air-
Portugal, Slovenia, Australia and the USA. conditioning systems with highest energy
efficiency with a possibility to use solar
2.1.3 Comparison of Magnetic Levitation with power and/or regenerated power from the
high speed trains employing rail-wheel friction locomotive.
technology
As discussed above, high speed operation is (xv) Fire retardant and fire resistant materials.
possible by adopting either Maglev technology (xvi) Environment friendly bio-toilets etc.
or standard rail-wheel friction technology, the
relative cost becoming the predominant deciding 2.1.4 Locomotive Design
factor. Maglev guide paths are bound to be more At high-speed operation, due to vintage, loss
costly than conventional steel railways (see Fig becoming more predominant, the power
2.4) and hence needed specific magnetic track requirement of locomotive becomes enormous.
infrastructure, which is the major challenge in the Very high power locomotives need to be
implementation of Maglev. developed with most energy efficient propulsion
systems. Currently, Indian Railways manufactures
India needs to indigenously develop passenger 4.5 MW locomotives. The propulsion system
carriages capable of safely operating at peak is 3-phase drive using asynchronous motors,
commercial speeds of 350 km/h and test speeds employing either GTOs or IGBT technology.
of above 400 km/h. This feat has been achieved Most of the technologies used currently are
by many countries earlier, the latest being China. adopted or adapted from European designs
This will entail development of various associated through technology transfer, license production
products and technologies which would include or direct sale. In order to make it viable and
but not limited to; maintainable, indigenous development is a must.

(i) Capability of simulation and model studies. Even though developed countries like Europe,
Japan and China also during the recent years, are
(ii) High speed test tracks of considerable length operating railways at high speed, has made rapid
and ability to simulate various conditions. strides in developing propulsion systems for both
(iii) Capability to design and simulate high speed synchronous and asynchronous drives through a
bogies and test the prototypes in test tracks series of evolution using thyristor, GTOs and IGBTs.
especially from the point of view of track Such an event is yet to start in India. Going by the
forces, vibration and derailment coefficient. statistics of research papers in power electronics
published in international forums like IEEE, Indians
(iv) Suspension technology for high speed, may top the list, but yet, the propulsion system
bringing in passenger comfort within development in India has not really happened.
acceptable levels. This is a very high value and critical component

138 RAILWAYS