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Trains News Wire FLASH: All Aboard Florida selects Siemens as train manufacturer
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
I agree with PAUL HARRISON, this does seem a lot like the Intercity-125 HST… with stainless steel perhaps like the Austrailian version, the XPT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_XPT#mediaviewer/File:Xptnew.jpg
I wonder if states like mine will hope on board? Of course on the Empire Corridor it be nice to have a tilt train for those curves in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys.
Siemen’s press release has links to PDFs with specifications: http://inr.synapticdigital.com/siemens/AAF/
Contrary to earlier mock-ups, these will be single level trains (probably a good thing in my view, especially from an accessibility standpoint.) Locomotives are a relatively conservative design, more evolution than revolution. Shame, I was hoping Bombardier would dust off the Jet Train, whatever my misgivings about it might have been.
For related mock-ups and some context, try this article from earlier this year: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/03/27/usa-high-speed-rail-gets-boost-32-train-order-siemens-trains/ A lot of high speed projects in the US are standardizing around this 125mph train designed for push-pull operation.
As an ex-Brit, I see the whole thing as similar to Britain’s HST (High Speed Train, also known as Intercity 125). HST vs APT (Advanced Passenger Train - HSR’s rival) was “Conventional reliable “good enough” high speed” vs “Revolutionary unknown “As fast as possible” very high speed”. HST was a success. Can’t blame All Aboard Florida for going with something closer to HST than APT.
Paul, doubt you’ll see the jet train “dusted off”. The one example sits in Avondale Co with a condemned turbo, used for training TSA agents. Several years ago FRA tried to get Bomb. to "dust it off " with less than 0 interest. While visting to observe NJT dual mode testing the President of Bomb’s locomotive division told me that if they were to do it again today it would be very different, I.e. No Turbo. I think it’s noteable that they didn’t bid on the multistate locomotive order.
Britt: ???
@ALBERT REINSCHMIDT - That’s a shame, I thought it was a very interesting design. Probably would have been even better without the FRA requirements but…
It’s not high-speed rail as it tops out at 200 km/h on the new section of track; the part down the coast is only 175 km/h. Which is great, but isn’t HSR. In some places, commuter trains run this fast or faster.
The system has yet to be built, so congratulating AAF and/or the private sector is a bit premature. Remember, the politicians that were for this before are against it now.
Unless someone can figure out a way for turbines to not gulp fuel, there won’t be any more. I have no idea what Bombardier was thinking with teh Jet Train, but it wasn’t “clearly”.
Great that the FEC is showing the way with private-sector High Speed Rail!
It’s only part of a press release and it’s late but thanks TRAINS for the AAF coverage anyway
@PETER LAWS - Oh and the interesting part about the Jet Train was that “someone (figured) out a way for turbines to not gulp fuel”. That’s why it was revolutionary (no pun intended…)
(Spoiler: they used the HEP generator as motive power at low speeds.)
@PETER LAWS - Honestly, I don’t care. Britain’s HST was 125mph, and before that the 100mph Deltic was considered a high speed train. The definition of what constitutes “high speed” continues to move around.
In the mean time, the ability to tell whether a train is faster than another based on an arbitrary maximum speed metric continues to get more and more misleading. AAF is predicted to run at about 80mph on average. The Acela Express, which maxes out at 160mph (I think? I can’t remember, certainly much higher than 125mph) only manages to average 70mph.
What matters is not the label, but whether the train will run fast enough to be useful. AAF should join all four cities at speeds faster than driving, and, when waiting times, security checks, luggage loading/unloading, not to mention airport access (airports are never built near to where you live), faster than air too.
As long as they succeed at that, there’s no problem.