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2006/2/17

High-speed locomotive

The L-9202 locomotive, baptised as the Virgen del Buen Camino, has successfully finalised its track trials. This is the first variable-gauge locomotive arising from the TRAV-CA project. It has been designed and developed by TALGO and the Grupo Ingeteam company (TEAM).

TEAM developed the electrics and traction equipment while TALGO was charged with designing and building the structure. The company Indar, belonging to Grupo Ingeteam, took part in the project as well, supplying four asynchronic motors.

Characteristics of the locomotive

The Virgen del Buen Camino locomotive, the first high-speed, variable-gauge locomotive in the world, incorporates two driving cabins, one either end, thus enabling, amongst other things, easy changes of direction. The top speed is 260Km/h on high-speed tracks and 220Km/h for conventional railroad tracks. The development of this locomotive with own technology involved a team made up of 100 people.

The traction system of this locomotive was entirely developed and manufactured by TEAM S.A. and is made up of two converters, designed to operate at two different voltages (3,000 Vdc / 25,000 Vac), based on latest generation IGBTs, and that control four asynchronic motors. This traction system provides a total axis potential of 3,200 kW, with a possible maximum of 3,600 kW produced in one hour.

The trials

As regards the trials, they were undertaken on Iberian wide-gauge lines with 3.000 Vdc overhead power cables (along the Madrid-Pajares-Gijón corridor), as well as on the high-speed, 25.000 Vac, overhead power cable UIC lines (the Madrid-Zaragoza and Madrid-Sevilla corridors). In these tests a maintained point speed of 275 km/h was achieved demonstrating its excellent traction capacity and dynamic behaviour.

The modular concept of this locomotive’s systems enables its easy adaptation to different types of railroad units, from tractions involving high speeds or regional routes to high-speed locomotors or goods trains.