The Changchun Railway Vehicles Company (CRC) of China is planning to build 30 hybrid rail vehicles featuring RailPack 400DE drive systems from Voith Turbo. Each three-part vehicle will have two of these systems, both with a 375 kW diesel engine and a 345 kW generator. The first three RailPack 400DEs have undergone comprehensive testing at CRC’s own test ring in Changchun and at Beijing Jiaotong University. The rail vehicle itself is expected to be tested and approved in 2017 by the China Railway Corporation, the country’s national railway operator. These hybrid rail vehicles are to be used in those city suburbs with only partial electrification. The RailPack 400DE will come into play here, while the operator will be able to switch to electrical drive outside these areas, with the added benefit of zero emissions. These hybrid vehicles can reach a top speed of 120 km/h with the diesel-electric drive, and also feature a quick-switch system from electric to diesel-electric drive.
Contact Terry-Lynn McIntosh, Voith Turbo, terry.mcintosh@voith.com