Bombardier Zefiro

Bombardier Zefiro is a family of high-speed passenger trains designed by Bombardier Transportation whose variants have top operating speeds of between 250 km/h (155 mph) and 380 km/h (236 mph).

The family consists of: the Zefiro 250, which has a top operating speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and which is for the moment wholly manufactured in China; the Zefiro 300, which has a top operating speed of 300 km/h (186 mph); and the Zefiro 380, which has a top operating speed of 380 km/h (236 mph).

Background

Bombardier transportation and its predecessor companies produced a variety of high-speed trainsets,^[4] as part collaborations with other conglomerates, such as the Intercity-Express family of locomotives^[5] (Germany), AVE Class 102,^[5] RENFE class 130 (Spain), ICN (Switzerland), the Acela express^[5] (USA), and parts of the TGV Duplex, Eurostar, Thalys, and ETR 500^[5] trainsets (Europe various).

Additionally the company has independently produced high-speed trainsets for specific markets, such as CRH1, "Xinshisu" (China), X 2000,^[5] Regina (Sweden) and BM71 (Norway).^[6]

In November 2005 Bombardier launched its general solution, the Zefiro single-deck train for high-speed rail lines, available in 4-, 8-,12- or 16-car sets,^[4] capable of being configured for a variety of supply voltages,^[3] and produced in either standard (2.9 m or 9 ft 6 in) or a wide (3.4 m or 11 ft 2 in) widths.^[2]

Design

The Zefiro trainset is a conventional (non-inter-coach articulated) single-deck electrical-multiple-unit high-speed train. It consists of powered and unpowered cars, with motorized power cars at either end.^[4] Car bodies are constructed of aluminium, with the exception of the wide-bodied Zefiro 250 trains, the bodies of which have stainless steel bodies. They have customisable open-plan layouts.^[7]

Trains are made up of 4-car units, each of which contains a transformer and its own power supply. Typically, the end cars of each 4-car unit have powered bogies, with the two middle cars being unpowered. The pantograph is located on one of the unpowered cars.^[1]

The specifications for all current designs (2009) describe asynchronous three-phase motors, with forced air cooling.^[1] However, Bombardier also offers the option of permanent-magnet synchronous motors^[8] (which it groups in its "ECO4" energy-saving technologies),^[9] which were tested on modified Regina trains in 2008 on the "Green Train" (Swedish: Gröna Tåget).^[10]

Variants

Zefiro 250

Zefiro 250
Constructed	2009-
Formation	8 or 16 cars (sleeper or seated)[11]
Capacity	480 beds, 16 luxury beds, 122 seats (16-car sleeper version)[11]
Operator(s)	Chinese Ministry of Railways
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel carbody in wide profile[11]
Train length	216 m (709 ft) (8 cars), 428.9 m (1,407 ft)(16 cars)[11]
Car length	28.25 m (92.7 ft) (Cab cars), 26.6 m (87 ft 3 in) (Intermediate cars)[11]
Width	3.328 m (10 ft 11.0 in)[11]
Height	4.04 m (13 ft 3 in)[11]
Maximum speed	250 km/h (155 mph)[11]
Weight	890 t (880 long tons; 980 short tons) (16-car trainset)[11]
Axle load	16.5 t (16.2 long tons; 18.2 short tons)
Power output	13.5 MW (18,100 hp) (for propulsion), 11 MW (15,000 hp) (CRH1E)[11]
Transmission	AC - AC
Acceleration	0.6 m/s2 (2.0 ft/s2)[11]
Power supply	Overhead catenary
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50 Hz AC[11]
Current collection method	Pantograph
Bogies	Regina type ("FLEXX link") with 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) wheelbase[11]
Braking system(s)	Electro-pneumatic, Regenerativce
Multiple working	Possible for two 8-car trainsets, not possible for 16-car trainset[11]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The first variant of the Zefiro concept to be produced was a series of twenty 16-car EMU sleeper trains produced by Bombardier's joint venture Sifang Power (Qingdao) Transportation (BSP), which were delivered from 2009. These trains were the first high-speed trains license manufactured in China as well as the highest speed sleeper trains at that time.^[5]

Under China railways use they are classified class CRH1E.^[12]

Starting acceleration is greater than 0.6 m/s² (2.0 ft/s²), with a 16-car train weight of 859 t (845 long tons; 947 short tons) and an axle load of 16.5 t (16.2 long tons; 18.2 short tons), bogie type is that found on the Regina (train) with 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) wheelbase with 63% of axles motorized.^[13]

In July 2010 The Ministry of Railways ordered 40 more 8-car 250 km/h (155 mph) CRH1E Zefiro high-speed trains from the Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd joint venture.^[14]

In September 2012, based on a modified contract with Bombardier, The MOR ordered an additional 106 8-car trains, 60 of which are to be a new variant, designated the Zefiro 250NG. This variant is an evolution of the original, and will utilize different materials in order to provide weight savings and more efficient operation.^[15]

Zefiro 300

Zefiro 300
Formation	up to 16 cars[13]
Capacity	600 seats (8 cars)[13] 1,200 seats (16 car)[13]
Operator(s)	Trenitalia
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium carbody, UIC profile[13]
Train length	202 m (663 ft) (8-car train), 402 m (1,319 ft) (16-car train)[13]
Width	2.924 m (9 ft 7.1 in)[16]
Height	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in)
Floor height	1.24 m (4 ft 1 in)
Doors	28 total
Maximum speed	300 to 360 km/h (186 to 224 mph)[13]
Weight	500 t (492.1 long tons; 551.2 short tons)
Axle load	~17 t (16.7 long tons; 18.7 short tons).[13]
Traction system	IGBT Inverters and AC Asynchronous Motors
Power output	9.8 MW (13,100 hp) (8-car train @300 km/h or 186 mph)[13]
Acceleration	0.7 m/s2 (1.6 mph/s)[13]
Deceleration	1.2 m/s2 (2.7 mph/s)
Power supply	Overhead catenary
Electric system(s)	1.5 & 3 kV DC, 15 kV 16.7 Hz & 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Current collection method	Pantograph
Bogies	"FLEXX speed", 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in) wheelbase[13]
Braking system(s)	Regenerative, Friction
Multiple working	Possible for two 8-car trainsets, not possible for 16-car trainset[13]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The Zefiro 300 is intended for European operations, with a UIC profile, and capable of being fitted for use on all four European electrification schemes (1.5 & 3 kV DC, 15 & 25 kV AC). Bogies are FLEXX type with a 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in) wheelbase,^[13] 50% of which are motorized. Starting acceleration is greater than 0.60 m/s² (2.0 ft/s²). It has an axle load of approximately 17 t (16.7 long tons; 18.7 short tons).^[13] Two 8-car sets can be joined together to form one longer train.^[13]

A variant of the Zefiro 300 was offered by Bombardier in association with AnsaldoBreda to Trenitalia, the Italian national railway service, as part of a bid for 50 new high-speed trainsets in 2010.^[17] Trenitalia selected this bid as the winner on 5 August 2010.^[18] These entered service in 2015 and are designated ETR 1000.^[19]

Zefiro 380

Zefiro 380
Entered service	2012[3]
Formation	8 or 16 cars[20]
Capacity	664 seats (max) 8 car 1,336 seats (max) 16 car[20]
Operator(s)	China Railway Corporation
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium carbody, wide profile[20]
Train length	215.3 m (706 ft) (8 car) 428.1 m (1,405 ft) (16 car)[20]
Car length	27.85 m (91 ft 4 in) (Cab car) 26.6 m (87 ft 3 in) (Intermediate car)[20]
Width	3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)[20]
Height	4.16 m (13 ft 8 in)[20]
Maximum speed	380 km/h (236 mph)
Weight	462 t (455 long tons; 509 short tons) (Empty) 1,088 t (1,071 long tons; 1,199 short tons) (Full axle load)[20]
Power output	20 MW (26,800 hp) (16-car @380 km/h or 236 mph) 10 MW (13,400 hp) (8-car @380 km/h or 236 mph)[20]
Transmission	AC - AC
Acceleration	0.48 m/s2 (1.6 ft/s2)[20]
Power supply	Overhead catenary
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50 Hz AC
Current collection method	Pantograph
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′ (8 car set) Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′ (16 car set)
Bogies	"FLEXX speed" with 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) wheelbase[20]
Braking system(s)	Regenerative and pneumatic
Multiple working	Possible for two 8-car trainsets, not possible for 16-car trainset[20]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

In September 2009, Bombardier announced an order for eighty Zefiro 380 high-speed trains by the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR) to be produced at Bombardier's joint venture Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd. The order of twenty 8-car sets and sixty 16-car sets was estimated to be worth 27.4 billion RMB (approx €2.7 billion or $4 billion). The value of Bombardier's share is estimated at €1.3 billion. ^[21][22]

Under China railways use these trains have been designated CRH1C (8-car set) and CRH1D (16-car set).^[12] which was in December 2010 revised to CRH380C and CRH380CL and once again to CRH380D (8-car set) & CRH380DL (16-car set) according to the new numbering system.^[23]

As of the most recent news, the order has been amended to include only seventy 8-car sets, designated as the CRH380D. Orders for the 16-car DL sets were converted to D sets in late 2011.^[15]

The first three sets have been delivered,^[24][25][26] with the first undergoing testing.

See also

• China Railways CRH1- Class designation of China railways high-speed trains of Bombardier design
• Siemens Velaro -competitor of similar design.
• Alstom AGV -competitor of similar design.
• Alstom New Pendolino - competitor of similar design
• List of high-speed trains

References

External links

• Bombardier Zefiro Bombardier Zefiro site