Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 52 No. 1 (March 2015)57

High-speed Automated Guideway Transit System

MITSUAKI HOSHI*1

MASAHISA MASUKAWA*2

ICHIRO JOREN*3

SO TAMURA*4

KEISUKE KIMURA*4

YUKIHIDE YANOBU*5

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has developed a high-speed automated guideway
transit (AGT) system with a maximum speed of 120 km/h, which is approximately twice as fast as
existing AGT systems. The high-speed AGT system, as a result of a newly-developed high-speed
bogie, attains not only increased speed, but also further reduction of vibration and noise. Its
sophisticated exterior design that gives the impression of speed, coupled with an interior design
filled with urban sensibility, heralds the next-generation AGT system. This paper describes vehiclesof the high-speed AGT system.

|1. Introduction
Automated guideway transit systems using rubber tires have been introduced around theworld due to the advantages of flexibility in route planning, low construction cost, shorter
construction period, low operation cost, and low vibration and noise. However, the maximum
operation speed of the conventional AGT systems of both MHI and its competitors is 60 km/h (inJapan) to 80 km/h (overseas), and therefore they are positioned as medium capacity urban
transportation systems. The high-speed AGT system with a maximum speed 120 km/h has beendeveloped in order to expand the market for high capacity urban transportation systems including
suburban lines, while maintaining the superb technological characteristics of this medium capacity
urban transportation system.

|2. BackgroundIn comparison to ordinary railroads, an AGT system that runs on rubber tires can travel
through tighter curves and steeper slopes, and therefore allows for higher flexibility in routeplanning. In addition, due to its smaller environmental load such as lower vibration and noise intravelling, the AGT systems are widely introduced domestically and abroad as transportation
infrastructure between airport terminals and urban transportation systems such as feeder (branch)lines in urban areas. For many such AGT systems, an unmanned, fully-automatic operation system
is introduced.
Figure 1 shows the area covered by AGT systems among tracked transportation systems.
Because of their purpose, existing AGT systems are used for routes where the distance between
stations is as short as around 1 km and the maximum train travelling speed is 60 km/h (in Japan) to80 km/h (overseas). Therefore both the schedule speed Note 1) and the transportation capacity ofexisting AGT systems are smaller than iron-wheeled systems.
Note 1) The schedule speed is obtained as the travel distance divided by the travel time including stopping
periods at stations*1

Deputy Director, Vehicle Department, Land Transportation Systems Division, Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems*2

Land Transportation Systems Division, Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems*3Chief Staff Manager, Vehicle Department, Land Transportation Systems Division, Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems*4Vehicle Department, Land Transportation Systems Division, Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems*5

Hiroshima Research & Development Center, Technology & Innovation Headquarters

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 52 No. 1 (March 2015)58

For emerging regions such as Southeast Asia, the introduction of AGT systems is expected tobe an effective solution to traffic congestion in urban areas caused by rapid economic development.
However, increasing the speed of AGT systems is necessary in order to enable not only urban
transportation, but also transportation to suburban areas without transferring. As a result of thedevelopment of the high-speed AGT system with a maximum speed of 120 km/h, both the average
speed (including stopping periods) and the transportation capacity can be enhanced significantly.
Accordingly, MHI can now offer a system that can compete with iron-wheeled systems.

Figure 1

Area classification drawing of track transportation systems|3. Specifications and features of high-speed AGT system
Table 1 shows the specifications of the high-speed AGT system developed by MHI. The
developed train configuration consists of one car, but optionally a two-car, four-car, or six-car train
can be used, so that train operation optimized for the railroad route on which the system is to be
introduced can be offered.
Table 1 Specifications of high-speed AGT system

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59

Figures 2 and 3 show the exterior view of the high-speed AGT vehicle, and Figures 4, 5
and 6 show the interior. The sophisticated exterior design fully reflects the high rate of speed thatcan reach a maximum of 120 km/h, and also takes the reduction of air resistance into consideration.
The interior design is filled with urban sensibility and can be selected from the two types, thecross-seat layout that offers a comfortable sense of speed in unmanned, fully-automatic high-speed
operation, and the long-seat layout for commuter trains that provides a more comfortable
experience for more passengers.
To enable unmanned, fully-automatic operation with a maximum speed of 120 km/h, which
is approximately twice as fast as existing AGT systems, development was undertaken in various
aspects. In particular, the development of the bogie, which determines the main functions of avehicle including running, stopping and turning, was a main focus (Figure 7). The following threepoints were the development focus of the high-speed bogie:- Safety- Ride comfort at high speed- Economic efficiency
For safety, a new braking system that has sufficient braking force and thermal capacity forhigh-speed braking has been developed. For ride comfort at high speed, a new suspension systemthat enhances road followability of the tires has been adopted. For economic efficiency, the track
travelling rubber wheels, which account for a large percentage of the operation and maintenancecost, have been designed so that commercially available standardized truck/bus tires can be used inconsideration of both high-speed travel and economic efficiency in the replacement of worn tires.
In addition to the above, new power collectors that can collect electric power stably from theelectric car line on the track – even at high-speed travel – have been adopted, and the guide wheelsthat follow the guide track have been enlarged.

Figure 2Exterior view

Figure 3Exterior viewFigure 4

Interior (long seat layout)

Figure 5

Interior (cross seat layout)

Figure 6

Interior (panorama seat)

Figure 7

Bogie

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 52 No. 1 (March 2015)
60|4. Future progress
Currently, the high-speed AGT vehicle is undergoing various running tests successfully at
the Mihara Test Center, which is a general transportation system test facility at the MHI Mihara
Machinery Works in Mihara City, Hiroshima prefecture. Through test runs at the Mihara Test
Center under conditions similar to actual operation, in addition to various strength analyses andmotion simulations with the aid of computers and tests of lone components on a chassis dynamo
device, earlier practical application of new technologies and new systems is promoted. Moreover,data acquisition and evaluation can be performed according to the specifications and standards
requested by customers.
In addition, the development, design, and verification of the high-speed AGT system havebeen undergoing simultaneous safety evaluation by a third party organization in order to establish adevelopment process for the creation of an even safer system.
MHI has marketed airport automated people mover (APM) products under the brand name ofCrystal Mover, as well as urban AGT products under the brand name of Urbanismo, widely in theU.S., Asia, and the Middle East. MHI has already established its position as a leading manufacturer
in the global AGT market. We will further focus on increasing orders for urban transportation
systems by putting this high-speed AGT system on the market.

|5. Conclusion
MHI has developed a high-speed AGT system with a maximum speed of 120 km/h, which isapproximately twice as fast as existing AGT systems, and yet retains the conventional advantages.
Based on the increased speed attained in this development, MHI will offer the high-speed AGT
system as an effective solution to various problems including traffic congestion in cities caused by
rapid economic development in emerging regions such as countries in Southeast Asia.