China Railway CRH380A
The CRH380A Hexie (simplified Chinese: 和谐号; traditional Chinese: 和諧號; pinyin: Héxié Hào; literally: "Harmony") is a Chinese electric high-speed train that was developed by CSR Corporation Limited (CSR) and is currently manufactured by CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. As a continuation of the CRH2-380 program it both replaces foreign technology in the CRH2 with Chinese developments and increases its top speed. The CRH380A is designed to operate at a cruise speed of and a maximum speed of in commercial service. The original 8-car train-set recorded a top speed of during  a trial run. The longer 16-car train-set reached . CRH380A is one of four Chinese train series which have been designed for the new standard operating speed of on newly constructed Chinese high-speed main lines. Officially, it is the only series of the four not based on a foreign design, and although it was not produced under a technology transfer agreement, there have been accusations that it is based on unlicensed Shinkansen technology. The other three series are CRH380B, which uses technology from Siemens, CRH380C, with technology from Hitachi, and CRH380D, with technology from Bombardier Transportation. Development. Development  started in early 2008 during the research of CRH2-300 (later CRH2C). CSR Corporation conducted more than 1000 technical tests covering 17 specific areas such as dynamic performance, pantograph-catenary current collection, aerodynamics, and traction performance. These studies enabled CSR to develop technology allowed for increased maximum speed, and the findings were fed into designs for the new-generation high-speed train. The original project was named "CRH2-350". On February 26, 2008, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Ministry of Railway (MOR) signed the Agreement on Joint and Independent Innovations of China High-speed Trains. CRH2-350 is one  of the most important projects of this plan, the purpose of which is the development of Chinese-designed new-generation high speed trains with continuous operating speeds of , and maximum operating speeds of . The next generation of rolling stock is expected to be used on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway. The project officially launched in 2009, and was included in the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan"'s technology support program for developing technology and equipment for China' s high speed trains. Designs were driven by analysis of data and operational experience from the Beijing–Tianjin high-speed rail. The Ministry  of Railway completed an initial series of system and subsystem designs, then provided CSR Sifang with primary data and design. CSR presented more than 20 design variations. After further optimization, simulation and testing, the final design was published in an official conference held by Sifang on April 12, 2010 with significant changes to traction system, internal amenities and exterior carbody design. A train model was exhibited in May at the China Railway Pavilion in the Shanghai World Expo Park. In September 2009, Ministry of Railways awarded a contract for one hundred 16-car and forty 8-car new-generation high -speed trains from CSR Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock in a contract worth ¥45 billion (US$6.64 billion). Technical features. According to CSR, the overall design of CRH380A reflects ten major goals. Variants. CRH380A/AL. The first prototype eight-car train CRH380A was rolled off the production line in April 2010, and tested at the China Academy of Railway Sciences experimental loop line (Beijing loop line) starting from April 26, 2010. Trial runs on the Zhengzhou–Xi'an high-speed railway started on June 7, 2010. The initial standard CRH380A trainsets was delivered in August 2010, The first test on conventional  rail, based on a daily-service mode, was conducted on September 28, 2010. The test was held on the Shanghai–Hangzhou Passenger Railway. The trainset with series number CRH-6001 reached the maximum speed of . CRH380A entered service on September 30, 2010 in limited capacity to handle National Day traffic demand on the Shanghai–Nanjing high-speed railway line. On October 26, 2010, CRH380A entered regular service at the Shanghai–Hangzhou passenger railway and Shanghai–Nanjing intercity railway. The maximum operational speed reaches , and this is always restricted by the software of the computerized control system. The travel time between Shanghai  and Hangzhou reduced from 1 hour 18 minutes to 45 minutes. and travel time between Nanjing and Hangzhou reduced from 3 hours 19 minutes to 2 hours 48 minutes. CRH380A started daily service at the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway as of December 3, 2010. The CRH380AL is the 16 car version of the CRH380A. The first set of CRH380AL, series number CRH-6041L, rolled off line by October 2010. On November 8, 2010, the 16-car train was sent to Beijing loop line for test. On November 20, 2010, the train was sent to Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway for  trial run. On November 26, 2010, the first test run at the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway was launched at Zaozhuang - Bengbu section. The trainset with series number CRH-6041L reached the maximum speed of on December 3, 2010. During the test, It traveled in 34 minutes, at average speed of . MTR CRH380A. On April 18, 2012, the MTR ordered nine CRH380A train sets for Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link, designated as Vibrant Express. Formation. Each CRH380A has eight coaches, units with standard compartments were formed as follows: Power Destination Coach Type Distribution. As of August 2017, there are  443 CRH380A series EMU in service. Three of these sets are testing trains. Criticism. Kawasaki Heavy Industries claims the trains design was Shinkansen derived without citation to the previous technology.