Author(s)

S.-H. Han, H.-L. Rho & S.-G. Lee

Abstract

The development of tilting trains in Korea started in 2001 as a research and development project. A 6-car prototype test tilting train, called the Tilting Train eXpress (TTX), was built in December 2006 and experimental trials began in 2007. TTX has distributed power, is designed to run at 200 km/h, and has a planned service speed of 180 km/h. In this paper, the running time and time saving of the tilting train was evaluated compared with today’s conventional diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains and non-tilting electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, based on the Gyeongbu line, which was the candidate for the tilting train operation between Seoul and Busan (441.7km). We evaluated the potential of a speed-up of tilting trains on curves, on the basis of the trial run data of the tilting train on the Gyeongbu line and present the tilting train’s competitiveness in terms of travel time and speed. We also analyzed dynamic running stability and riding comfort of tilting control through the trial run train. We found a significant reduction of the journey times compared with today’s conventional trains. Approximately 11% reduction is expected on the Gyeongbu line. Keywords: TTX (Tilting Train eXpress), riding comfort, dynamic running stability, conventional line, tilting control, diesel multiple unit (DMU), electric multiple unit (EMU).

Keywords

TTX (Tilting Train eXpress), riding comfort, dynamic running stability, conventional line, tilting control, diesel multiple unit (DMU), electric multiple unit (EMU)