| Alstom exhibited their new UK EMU to the rail industry and guests at the Saatchi art gallery in London this evening.
The X‘TRAPOLIS suburban EMU is a very different beast to conventional EMUs. The train would be the first in the UK to use bogie offset articulation, which lowers weight, energy consumption and life cycle costs. It also has other innovative design features. Amongst other things, the company estimate that the train weighs 28% less than contemporary designs. The innovative design of the doors in the 20m cars means that more are fitted compared to the comparable length of a conventional train. This is helped by the bogie layout, which also means the vehicles are 5cm wider than standard vehicles, so there's not so much 'mind the gap' at station platforms. I’ll add more details tomorrow, but here’s the start of a gallery from the event. |
DG33270: A model of how the offset bogies work. 850x1278 DG33270._X_TRAPOLIS_model_bogie..jpg Buy Print |
DG33278: X'TRAPOLIS model showing the bogie layout 850x566 DG33278._X_TRAPOLIS_layout._15.9.09.jpg Buy Print |
DG33283: A model of the leading cars on the X'TRAPOLIS EMU at the Saatchi gallery 850x552 DG33283._X_TRAPOLIS_leadin_vehxcles..jpg Buy Print |
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DG33334: Trains at an exhibition 850x564 DG33334._X_TRAPOLIS_exhibition._15.9.09..jpg Buy Print |
DG33408: Guests admire a model of the new train. 850x566 DG33408._Guests_admire.__15.9.09..jpg Buy Print |
DG33426: Checking out the model... 850x1278 DG33426._Checking_out_the_models._15.9.09..jpg Buy Print |
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DG33500: Roger Ford of Modern Railways casts an inquisitive eye over the offset bogie model. 850x566 DG33500._Roger_Ford._Xtrapolis_launch._15.9.09..jpg Buy Print |
DG33521: Alstom at the Saatchi... 850x585 DG33521._The_exhibition._15.9.09.jpg Buy Print |
