Railway test circuit Velim
Encyclopedia
The Velim test center is a railway rolling stock testing facility at Cerhenice
Cerhenice
Cerhenice is a market town and municipality in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Also, Cerhenice is the name of the palace in the town.-Notes:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, close to the city of Poděbrady
Podebrady
Poděbrady is a historical spa town in the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It lies on the river Labe 50 km east of Prague on the D11 highway. A historic milestone in the life of the town was the year 1905, when it was visited by the German estate owner Prince von Bülow...
in the Central Bohemian Region
Central Bohemian Region
Central Bohemian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia. Its administrative center is placed in the Czech capital Prague , which lies in the center of the region...
of the Czech Republic. It has become one of the main testing locations for new types of rolling stock designed for use in Europe, and has been a fully accredited European test centre since March 1995.
The most notable feature is the Velim railway test circuit (), consisting of two large standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railway track ovals designed for continuous running of new rail vehicles.
The centre is owned by the Railway Research Institute (VUZ, ), a subsidiary of the national railway operator, České dráhy
Ceské dráhy
České dráhy or Czech Railways is the main railway operator of the Czech Republic. In 2010 its consolidated revenues reached CZK 41.0 bn...
.
Test circuit
The two standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
test circuits were built in 1963, and are located between the villages of Vrbová Lhota
Vrbová Lhota
Vrbová Lhota is a village and municipality in Nymburk District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, Ratenice
Ratenice
Ratenice is a village and municipality in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, Cerhenice, Velim
Velim (Kolín District)
Velim is a village and municipality in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, Pňov-Předhradí
Pňov-Předhradí
Pňov-Předhradí is a village and municipality in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
and the southern suburbs of Poděbrady. The village of Sokoleč
Sokoleč
Sokoleč is a village and municipality in Nymburk District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
lies completely inside the larger circuit.
- small circuit 3.951-kilometre long with a maximum allowed speed of 90 km/h.
- large circuit 13.276-kilometre long with a maximum allowed speed of 230 km/h for tilting trainTilting trainA tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
s and up to 210 km/h for conventional trains.
The circuits allows the testing of the characteristics of vehicles, noise levels, the ability to communicate using the European Train Control System
European Train Control System
The European Train Control System is a signalling, control andtrain protection system designed to replace the many incompatible safety systems currently used by European railways, especially on high-speed lines.- History :...
(ETCS) and GSM-R
GSM-R
GSM-R, Global System for Mobile Communications - Railway or GSM-Railway is an international wireless communications standard for railway communication and applications. A sub-system of European Rail Traffic Management System , it is used for communication between train and railway regulation...
radio, and simulation of failures and changes in power system.
Both circuits provide all railway electrification system
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
s used in central Europe:
- 3000 VVoltThe volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
(DCDirect currentDirect current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
) - 1500 V (DC)
- 25 kV AC railway electrification (50 Hz)
- 15 kV AC railway electrification (16.7 Hz)
In addition 1.5-kilometre length can be equipped for third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
supply for metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
operators.
Notable trials
In 2008 and 2009 manufacturer AlstomAlstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
tested its new Automotrice à grande vitesse
Automotrice à grande vitesse
The Automotrice à grande vitesse ' is an Alstom train intended as the successor to France’s TGV high-speed trains; the name stands for automotrice à grande vitesse, or ‘high-speed self-propelled carriage’...
at Velim, and at the same time the V250
V250 (train)
The V250, also known as Albatross, is a high-speed train to be built by AnsaldoBreda and designed to operate on the newly-built HSL-Zuid in the Netherlands and its extension HSL 4 in Belgium...
built by AnsaldoBreda was being tested.
