Alfa Pendular

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Alfa Pendular
Alfa Pendular 4010 at Lousal in 2009.
The interior of a second class carriage.
Manufacturer	FIAT Ferroviaria, ADtranz, Siemens
Built at	Sorefame, Amadora
Family name	Pendolino
Entered service	1999
Number built	10 six-carriage units
Fleet numbers	Série 4000 (numbers 4001-4010 and 4051-4060)
Capacity	301 seats
Operator	CP
Line(s) served	Braga-Oporto-Lisbon-Faro
Specifications
Train length	158.9 m (521 ft)
Width	2.92 m (9 ft 7 in)
Height	4.39 m (14 ft 5 in)
Maximum speed	220 km/h (140 mph)
Weight	298.3 t (293.6 long tons; 328.8 short tons)
Axle load	14.3 t (14.1 long tons; 15.8 short tons)
Traction system	8 asynchronous three-phase Siemens 1TB2223-OGA03 motors
Power output	4,000 kW (5,400 hp)
UIC classification	(1A)(A1) – (1A)(A1) – 2′2′ + 2′2′ – (1A)(A1) – (1A)(A1)
Gauge	1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3 in)

[ v d e ]  Alfa Pendular
Line length: 624 km (388 mi) (including 314 km (195 mi) - Linha do Norte) Track gauge: 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3 in) (Broad)
Legend
0 Braga Famalicão 53 Estação de Porto-Campanhã - Porto Douro River 55 Vila Nova de Gaia 121 Aveiro 170 Coimbra Mondego River Linha da Beira Baixa Entroncamento 340 Gare do Oriente - Lisbon Santa Apolónia Station - Lisbon Estação de Entrecampos - Lisbon Tagus River Ponte 25 de Abril Pinhal Novo Sado River Tunes → Lagos Linha do Algarve Albufeira Loulé 624 Faro

Alfa Pendular is the name of the Pendolino high-speed tilting train of Portuguese state railway company CP.^[1] It connects the cities of Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Santarém, Lisbon, Albufeira and Faro, among others at speeds of up to 220 kilometres per hour (137 mph).

The trains were assembled in Portugal by ADtranz at the former Sorefame works at Amadora, on a tri-companies relation with Fiat-Ferroviaria as main contractor, ADtranz and Siemens as main subcontractors.

Description

The Alfa Pendular high speed train is a six car electric multiple unit (EMU#, which is derived from and closely resembles the Giugiaro designed Italian Fiat-Ferroviaria ETR 480 Pendolino train. The bogies had to be redesigned to operate on Portugal's 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²⁄₃ in) Iberian gauge track.

There are 8 traction motors, installed on all but the two middle vehicles of the train, developing 4.0 megawatts (5,400 hp). This M-M-T-T-M-M arrangement spreads the weight of the train, giving a lightweight of only 13.5 tonnes (13.3 long tons; 14.9 short tons) per axle, which helps its cornering ability at high speed.

During brake tests with software protections removed, a top speed of 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph) was reached close to Oriente Station in Lisbon.

Tilting technology

Its tilting train technology, with a maximum tilt angle of 8°, allows the train to negotiate curves at higher speeds than conventional trains. The combination of the resulting high cornering velocity and the tilting movement of the carriages helps ensure a dynamic experience.

The hydraulic tilting system is governed by two gyroscopes in the head cars. The curve is found on the base of the elevation of the external track. The use of this train does not demand particular modifications to the existing rail network, but it is expensive in terms of maintenance of the rolling stock because of the complexity of the tilting system.

Stations

The alphabetical list of stations served by the Alfa Pendular is as follows:^[2]

• Albufeira
• Aveiro
• Braga
• Coimbra-B
• Entrecampos #Lisbon#
• Entroncamento
• Famalicão
• Faro
• Lisboa-Oriente
• Lisboa-Santa Apolónia
• Loulé
• Pinhal Novo
• Pombal
• Porto-Campanhã
• Santarém
• Tunes
• Vila Nova de Gaia

See also

• List of high speed trains

References

1. ^ Série 4000: CP official website
2. ^ Comboios de Portugal > Alfa Pendular > Estações

External links

Media related to Alfa Pendular at Wikimedia Commons

• CP 4000 @ Trainspo

v d e Pendolino family trains China China Railways CRH5 Czech Republic ČD Class 680 Finland VR Class Sm3 Finland / Russia Karelian Trains Class Sm6 Germany / Austria ICE T Italy ETR 401 · ETR 450 · ETR 460 · ETR 470 · ETR 480 · ETR 600/ ETR 610 Portugal Alfa Pendular Slovenia SŽ series 310 Spain RENFE 490 · Renfe Class 114 Switzerland ETR 600/ ETR 610 United Kingdom British Rail Class 390