293 kilometres per hour: the Pendolino in Poland
In the course of the tests being conducted on the Central Main Line the Pendolino achieved a speed of 291 km/h. The train has been checked in areas including interaction with traffic control devices, the braking process and magnetic field effect. Taking part in the research, beyond the Railway Institute, the producer of the trains and PKP Intercity, were Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK) and PKP Energetyka
In the course of the tests being conducted on the
Central Main Line the Pendolino achieved a speed of 291 km/h. The train has
been checked in areas including interaction with traffic control devices, the
braking process and magnetic field effect. Taking part in the research, beyond
the Railway Institute, the producer of the trains and PKP Intercity, were
Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK) and PKP Energetyka.
On Saturday on the
Central Main Line, between Góra Włodowska and Psary, the Pendolino reached 291
km/h. Tests of speed are one of the many elements of the research process to
which every new rail vehicle is subject before being introduced for everyday
use. It is assumed that a train should reach a speed 10% higher than maximum
operating speed, and in the case of the Pendolino this is 275 km/h (permissible
operating speed being 250 km/h).
“A
further element in the testing of the Pendolino has been successful,” says Janusz Malinowski, President of
PKP Intercity.
“With it, for the first time on Polish tracks, we reached a speed of 291 km/h.
This result is the work of many people, from PKP Intercity, the Railway
Institute conducting the tests and the firm Alstom, as well as the
infrastructure administrator PLK, and PKP Energetyka, responsible for the
electrical grid. I thank them both for their contribution to the project and
for their commitment,” he adds.
Being used for the
research work is a stretch of the Central Main Line over 40 km in length,
between Zawiercie / Góra Włodowska and Psary / Knapówka. As well as precise
testing of the train, PLK are also testing overhead cables of Polish
construction, sections of a new rail surface of Polish production and a number
of other factors. The very first weekend of tests on the CML showed that PLK
infrastructure is ready to work with the most modern of rolling stock.
“In
Poland we have been travelling at a speed of 160 km/h for 25 years,” says Remigiusz Paszkiewicz, President of PKP
Polskie Linie Kolejowe. “Next year we are beginning regular travel on the
Central Main Line at a speed of 200 km/h. The Pendolino is for rail
infrastructure above all a very serious accelerator of many other investments
beyond the CML, with these joining a rail network of good speeds from 120 through
160 km/h up to 200 km/h”, he continues.
Tests of speed
represent only a part of the research programme, which comprises checks in the
following areas:
- interaction of the
vehicle with the railway track;
- the pantograph, i.e.
the interaction of the vehicle with the overhead cables;
- possible
interference emitted to the network;
- the electromagnetic
field;
- internal noise;
- effect on the track;
- interaction of the
vehicle with traffic control devices and axle counters;
- brakes.
The period of travel
at a speed of 291 km/h came on Saturday (23 November) at 2.59 pm.
Given the need to
ensure the optimal conditions for safety (maintenance of a high level of
visibility), test journeys are conducted in daytime conditions. As a result,
there is a need for the withdrawal of a part of the line from use by passenger
trains at the weekend. Trains on the route Warsaw-Kraków are running without
change, while some trains travelling to/from Katowice are doing so in an
exceptional manner, re-routed via Częstochowa.
In addition, one connection has been temporarily suspended. The use of an
alternative route means an extension of journey time to c. two hours.
Trains suspended:
- EIC 4140, Comenius, Katowice - Warsaw Wschodnia
- EIC 1440, Comenius, Warsaw Wschodnia - Katowice
Passengers who have
purchased tickets in advance for weekend journeys on the Comenius service are
asked to contact PKP Intercity for return or exchange of tickets. The carrier
has also prepared compensation for passengers, in the form of vouchers.
Trains re-routed:
- TLK 26102, Sztygar, Lublin - Wrocław Main
- EIC 14009, Varsovia, Warsaw Wschodnia - Budapest Keleti
- EIC 41002, Sobieski, Vienna - Warsaw Wschodnia
- EIC 14002, Sobieski, Warsaw Wschodnia - Vienna
A further two weekends
of test runs are planned, for 30 November - 1 December and 7-8 December.
Information on changes
to services may be checked online at www.intercity.pl and www.rozklad-pkp.pl, by calling the PKP Intercity Infoline or at
information points at stations. Passengers will also be informed of changes at
ticket windows, through spoken announcements at stations, by conductors on
trains and via Facebook and Twitter.
fot.Bartłomiej Banaszak
fot.Bartłomiej Banaszak