Taipei Metro VAL256

Taipei Metro VAL 256

Three VAL 256 EMUs at reverse siding near Zhongshan Junior High School Station on the Wenshan Line, March 2008

Interior of a VAL 256 coach
In service March 28, 1996-present
Manufacturer Matra and GEC Alsthom
Family name VAL
Constructed c.1990-1993
Number built 102 vehicles (51 trainsets)
Number in service 102 vehicles (51 trainsets)
Formation 2 x 2 cars per trainset (originally 2 cars)
Fleet numbers 01 ~ 51
Capacity 24 seats,
90 standing per car
(456 passengers in 4-car set)
Operator(s) Taipei Rapid Transit System
Depot(s) Muzha, Neihu
Line(s) served Line 1
Specifications
Car body construction Aluminium
Car length 13,780 mm
Width 2,560 mm
Height 3,510 mm
Maximum speed 80 km/h
Weight 148 tonnes
Electric system(s) 1500 V Third-rail DC
Safety system(s) ATC (CBTC)
Track gauge 1,880 mm (6 ft 2 in)[1]

The Taipei Metro VAL 256 is the first generation of automated guideway transit rolling stock to be used on Taipei Metro Line 1 (Brown Line) of the Taipei Metro.

A total of 51 2-car train sets were built by GEC Alsthom from about 1990 to 1993, for a total of 102 cars. They entered service in 1996 as the first trains on the newly-opened Metro system. They are part of the VAL family of automated, driverless rubber-tired metros developed by the French company Matra. Each four-car train is formed by two coupled two-car trainsets. Any two sets can be coupled and their numbers do not need to be consecutive, unlike heavy-capacity trains.

Within a year of revenue operations, Matra terminated the service contract, removing all maintenance crew. They filed and won a complaint against the Taipei City Government over contract compensation delay. The VAL 256 trains remained in service for twelve more years, serviced by TRTC engineers and Academia Sinica researchers.[2]

The VAL 256 cars originally employed a fixed-block ATC/ATO system derived from the MAGGALY technology found on Lyon Metro Line D.[3][2] When the Muzha/Wenshan line was extended into Neihu in June 2003, Bombardier Transportation was contracted to replace the Matra-based system with its own, computerized CITYFLO 650 CBTC system, and overhauling the older Matra cars to function under the new system.[4] This took place over a period of 17 months and all 51 sets returned to service in December 2010.

Bombardier's contract also involved supplying 101 newly-built vehicles to expand the existing fleet.[2] Integration of the Bombardier-built cars with the Matra-built cars led to multiple system malfunctions and failures along the Wenshan and Neihu Lines.[5]

The VAL 256 cars are also used by Chicago O'Hare International Airport's Airport Transit System.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 內湖線則採用膠輪/鋼軌系統，中心線間距為1,880mm。此外，文山線因採膠輪/水泥軌道系統，一般來說並無軌距之分，但其凸出於路面的兩條行車水泥軌枕，中心線間距為1,880mm。
  2. 1 2 3 Taipei Metro – Approaches and strategies in managing an extensive and diverse rail framework, Richard C.L. Chen, TRTS, retrieved 26 April 2008
  3. ↑ .
  4. ↑ "CITYFLO 650 - Neihu LINE, Taiwan". Bombardier Transportation.
  5. ↑ "Neihu, Muzha MRT lines closed down for 4 hours". Taiwan News Online. 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
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