SOUTH KOREA | High Speed Rail

[nouveau.ukiyo]

http://www.railway-technology.com/news/news55708.html

South Korea Trials High-Speed Trainset
20 May 2009

The new high-speed KTX-II trainset designed by Hyundai Rotem for Korail to run on the Seoul–Daegu line is undergoing a six-month testing programme for passenger approval.

The 35m-long KTX-II train built by MBD Design in Korea is currently being exhibited in the main station of Seoul to showcase the front end and exterior, first and second class interiors, the bar area, toilets and vestibules to passengers.

The first of 19 trainsets developed by Hyundai Rotem for testing received 90% passenger approval.

[ruready1000]

High speed trains with a local flavour


Here is more detailed news

SOUTH KOREA: The first of 19 KTX-II high speed trainsets built for national operator Korail by Hyundai Rotem is currently undergoing a six-month testing programme before entering service on the Seoul – Daegu line.

The roll-out of the train last November marked the end of a long journey for the MBD Design team which styled the train both internally and externally. The journey began three years ago when a Rotem engineer approached us at an interiors exhibition. Rotem and Korail were looking for a respected industrial design agency to create proposals for the KTX-II - Korea’s first locally-produced high speed trainset; the original KTX sets were export versions of the French TGV.

After winning a competitive bidding process, MBD Design was given a simple brief: to create a modern and trend-setting train, while offering Korean travellers a familiar and comfortable atmosphere.

This led to a detailed study lasting a year and involving almost 3 000 h of design work, including 18 trips to Korea which were partly aimed at ensuring MBD’s staff gained a better understanding of Korean culture and passengers’ travel habits.

MBD worked closely with representatives from Hyundai Rotem and Korail to create a process management system. A design committee that included local academics and designers then helped the Korail and Hyundai management to assess the different options put forward by MBD.

Our team endeavoured to ensure no stone was left unturned. Every interior item and all the ‘secondary spaces’ went through a thorough examination in terms of ergonomics and overall aesthetics.

The study in turn resulted in the construction of a 35 m long full scale mock-up, built in Korea under MBD Design’s direction. The mock-up showcased the proposed front end and exterior, first and second class interiors, the bar area, toilets and vestibules, giving an overall impression of the vehicle.

The mock-up was exhibited in the main station in Seoul, and a number of customer surveys were undertaken to assess the public response to it. The design met with an encouraging 90% approval rating.
Relaxation is important

The first class saloon evokes a traditional Korean library, using warm tones with wood panelling, indirect lighting and a generally luxurious and cosy atmosphere. Korean business travellers often see a journey by rail as a welcome pause in their hectic working lives - South Korea has among the longest working hours in the world, and as a result sleeping passengers are a common sight on Korail’s inter-city services.

Second class is in many respects no less quiet and relaxing, thanks to its soft grey tones and, again, the use of indirect lighting, an almost mandatory feature in modern long-distance trains. In both classes, the carpets and seat fabrics were inspired by traditional Korean graphics, modernised and used in subtle forms of ‘grey on grey’: passengers will notice them if they look closely, but they are in no way intrusive.

The seats, supplied by Daewon, are a significant part of the design, using a gently curved shape to enhance the feeling of softness and relaxation. A softer blue colour is used to differentiate the bar area, which was shaped to offer a sense of dynamism, reflecting the fact that passengers will spend relatively little time there.

The toilet facilities were intended to be functional with a strong focus on ease of cleaning to ensure a continually hygenic environment.

In the end, we feel that Korail and Hyundai Rotem can be proud of the result: a modern high speed train that retains the traditional hallmarks of its distinctive country of origin.

Stéphane Pottier
Industrial Design Director, MBD Design

It's always said that KTX-II will run on Homan Line (Seoul - Gwangju or Seoul - Mokpo) this year, but according to this article it will run on Seoul - Daegu. I don't know which is correct.

[ruready1000]

HEM-400X Mock-Up in Raillog Korea 2009 Busan






http://cfs10.tistory.com/original/35.../4a26740794c07
http://cfs10.tistory.com/original/5/.../4a26740893357
http://cfs10.tistory.com/original/3/.../4a2674090cb6b
http://cfs10.tistory.com/original/10.../4a2674096f2f2

images from ruwk143com


http://cfs12.tistory.com/original/32.../4a26738a19a62
http://cfs12.tistory.com/original/20.../4a26738bc55cc
http://cfs12.tistory.com/original/29.../4a26738c17fc6
http://cfs12.tistory.com/original/24.../4a26738b04522
http://cfs12.tistory.com/original/32.../4a26738b66b27


News clip

[cal_t]

Looks a bit like the AGV :S

[ruready1000]

HEMU-400X Mock-Up Photos






http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/35.../4a2942efc7f0e
http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/31.../4a2942f40e4bd
http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/31.../4a2942f196a44


images from modernday

[riles28]

Any update of picture about KTX II?

[zzelenika]

Pity they didn't keep Alstom DNA in HEMU-400X, as going back to classical bogies (even with distributed traction) is I think step back then the TGV jacobs bogies and articulation due to the advances they bring. If they'd follow the route of AGV (distributed traction with articulation) then it would be a (technical) step forward, now it's only a classical (though goog looking) EMU.

Distributed traction may look appealing (as many say locos are not funky), but then again HST with distributed traction can not be duplex (at least not all the way) as you need to store all the electronics gear somewhere).

I think that TGV Duplex is the smartest thing there is, but doing it with distributed traction would either be impossible or it would have duplex and single-floor sections (as it was done in V150 trainset which was duplex but with additional AGV powered bogies).

[Momo1435]

cough...



...cough

[OettingerCroat]

Originally Posted by ruready1000

It's not related to KTX-II, but don't want to make another thread.

Cheonan-Asan station is the only station where you can see KTX passing station with almost full speed.

totally awesome

[ruready1000]

Originally Posted by riles28

Any update of picture about KTX II?

Not many pictures because it's still on trial test.

This link
has some pictures of KTX-II.

[ruready1000]

Originally Posted by zzelenika

Pity they didn't keep Alstom DNA in HEMU-400X, as going back to classical bogies (even with distributed traction) is I think step back then the TGV jacobs bogies and articulation due to the advances they bring. If they'd follow the route of AGV (distributed traction with articulation) then it would be a (technical) step forward, now it's only a classical (though goog looking) EMU.

Distributed traction may look appealing (as many say locos are not funky), but then again HST with distributed traction can not be duplex (at least not all the way) as you need to store all the electronics gear somewhere).

I think that TGV Duplex is the smartest thing there is, but doing it with distributed traction would either be impossible or it would have duplex and single-floor sections (as it was done in V150 trainset which was duplex but with additional AGV powered bogies).

KTX train has 935 seats so that there's no need, at least currently, to use Duplex type.

[zzelenika]

Originally Posted by Momo1435

cough... ...cough

I DO feel stupid now...

There is a local proverb which goes something like "it's better to fall out stupid then from the aeroplane" (looses a bit in translation). Forgot that there are Shinkansen's which are bilevel (E1/E4 series).

Though you must admit that clasical bogies do take up bigger percentage of length hence you have less duplex areas, wasting bit more on the carriage connections, though then again you need to fit all electrical junk somewhere (which is then in these single-level areas around doors and connections).

I did once see a Talgo idea of bilevel all-the-way (even on bogies, which actually are not classical bogies but some Talgo clever contraptions), so you would have two levels all the way, thus minimizing the need for stairwells.

Shinkansen does have a big advantage in width (3.4 vs 2.9m) and generally in the loading gauge which is larger, hence there is more room for all necessary equipment, plus of course 5-a-row seating (though it's a question whether European anthropometry would allow it without being much cramped even with 3.4m).

[Shezan]

stunning train

[ruready1000]

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


images from loewelad

[Imperfect Ending]

Congratulations, S. Korea

[ruready1000]

KTX-II on Seoul Station


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[ruready1000]

Honam High-Speed Rail to begin construction on July 24

image hosted on flickr


Honam high-speed rail, from Osong to Mokpo, will begin construction work on July 24.

Honam High-Speed Rail

• Lenghth : 230.9km
• Route : Osong - Mokpo
• Construction Schedule
  Phase 1 : Osong - Gwangju (to be completed by 2014)
  Phase 2 : Gwangju - Mokpo (to be competed by 2017)
• Construction Cost
  12 trillion won (approximately 9.6 billion dollar at current currency rate)
• Train Operation (planned)
  Total 350 cars ( 1 trainset = 10 cars, 43 times / day )
• Operation Speed
  300km (design speed 350km/h)

[ruready1000]

KTX-II Ready For Test Run On Seoul Station

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


images from trainstory.net

[Ultramatic]

Originally Posted by ruready1000

HEMU-400X Mock-Up Photos






http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/35.../4a2942efc7f0e
http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/31.../4a2942f40e4bd
http://cfs15.tistory.com/original/31.../4a2942f196a44


images from modernday

WOW! What a fantastic train!

[ruready1000]

KTX-II 4th Trainset

http://gall.dcinside.com/train/60322