Korea plans to build a next generation bullet train that can reach speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour, the Ministry of Transportation and Construction said Thursday.
The new train is tentatively called the Highspeed Electric Multiple Unit 400kmh eXperiment (HEMU-400X). And it is expected to cost 96.4 billion won ($101.9 million).
The ministry said it plans to build the train by 2012 to meet growing domestic and global demand.
Of the total, which includes research and development costs, to be injected into the six-year project, the ministry said 69.2 billion won will come from the government with 8.9 billion won year earmarked for this year.
However, at the science and technology ministers’ meeting held in Seoul, the ministry said that companies benefiting from state funds will be obliged to pay technical fees so the government can recoup at least 40.8 billion won of its investment.
Private companies will also be required to provide matching funds equivalent to 40 percent of the total development cost.
The HEMU-400X is designed to carry passengers at 350 kilometers per hour with multiple motor units moving the train over the rail.
The Talgo 350 in Spain (not an EMU) was supposed to be operating at 350 km/h already (close to 220 mph).
I don’t see Rotem having the wherewithal to build a high-speed train that’s capable of 248.55 mph cruising speed (or 400 kilometers per hour). Their copy of the TGV on the KTX is, per anecdote, not as reliable as the Alstom-built TGVs that run on the same system (Seoul-Pusan). 220 mph may be realistic, but we shall see.
…For me to read of such Bullet Train {in Korea}, is mind bogging…To witness their transportation system almost 55 years ago…mostly an “a frame” on someone’s back and now to stretch out to that is awesome…!
I will say during the same time frame I did ride on a Korean train {full of soldiers}…of course a steam engine and through a tunnel…with smoke pouring in the windows was something else too…
Like Modelcar, my first impression of Korea (half a century ago) was of a place that would have to run hard to reach the twentieth century in technology.
Now, Korea is at the cutting edge of REALLY BIG transportation technology; the main source of supply for humongutankers and post-Panamax container ships. Well over 100 years of progress in less than 50 years!
Given that, if the Korean government decides it wants high speed rail, it can build high speed rail with in-house manufacturing capability and expertise. I wish them well.