passengers on Germany’s non-electrified inter-city routes must wait until next year for the chance to enjoy the comfort of ICE services. The launch of DB’s diesel-powered ICE-TD has now been postponed twice, and the trains will not carry fare-paying passengers on a regular basis until June 2001 on services linking Nürnberg with Bayreuth, Hof and Dresden.
A fleet of 20 four-car units, designated VT605, is being assembled at the Duewag plant in Uerdingen and Bombardier’s Ammendorf factory. Extensive trials have already been carried out at the Siemens test centre in Wegberg-Wildenrath, but in a statement issued in July DB said that the trains ’are unfortunately not yet able to run through curves at up to 160 km/h’, ascribing the delay to ’technical problems’.
An underfloor Cummins diesel engine drives an alternator on each car to give a nominal rating of 1700 kW, and two alternators feed power into a common DC link via rectifier bridges. The DC link feeds a water-cooled traction inverter on each end car, which supplies four asynchronous three-phase motors in parallel - one bogie on each car has both axles powered. Maximum speed is 200 km/h.
The H-frame bogies with primary coil and secondary air suspension incorporate a Siemens designed electromechanical tilt system and active lateral suspension (Fig 1); the monocoque aluminium bodies can be tilted up to 8°.
Like its electric sisters, the ICE3 and the ICT, the ICE-TD has lounges with tiered seating at each end, allowing passengers to view the line ahead through the cab. Air-conditioned accommodation offers 41 first class and 148 second class seats, plus a family compartment in one centre car. The other intermediate car has a bistro and a conductor’s compartment with reception desk. First class has seatback video screens.
Seat reservations are displayed electronically on panels between the windows in both classes. Both interior and exterior passenger information displays are provided.
CAPTION: Three ICE-TD sets await commissioning at the Siemens test centre in Wegberg-Wildenrath
CAPTION: Fig 1. The tilting arrangement developed by Siemens for its Comfort bogie includes a form of active lateral suspension
CAPTION: 1. Body bolster 5. Damper2. Tilt arm 6. Secondary air springs3. Tilt arm support 7. Active lateral suspension4. Tilt drive 8. Bogie frame
TABLE: 1. Body bolster 5. Damper2. Tilt arm 6. Secondary air springs3. Tilt arm support 7. Active lateral suspension4. Tilt drive 8. Bogie frame
