Texelis
The Innovative Light Train: Cutting-Edge Rolling Stock Designed in France on Rails Soon
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine, Issue 3 2022.
The Innovative Light Train will be in the spotlight during InnoTrans 2022 held in Berlin this month.
Texelis and its partners launched the Innovative Light Train concept in 2020. The project presents a new approach to rolling stock with an eco-friendly transmission (hydrogen and battery cells), light materials, no bogies to reduce the weight, and various additional innovations that combine to create a new and interesting choice for rural and regional lines. Its light weight allows it to cope with older rural rail lines, with fewer track maintenance costs involved. Overall, the new design will save 30% on current rural train production costs.
For this project, Texelis’s power transmission system will bring the newest wheel/traction links in the industry and enable an innovative train, which is both light in weight and eco-friendly.
Our Project Objectives: Light Structure, Lower Carbon Footprint, Lower Costs
Funded by ADEME, led by SNCF, together with Texelis, Thales, CAF, Alstom, Wabtec, FERROCAMPUS, Capgemini, Cerema, Ektacom and the RAILENIUM Technological Research Institute, the Innovative Light Train aims to revive ‘regional services’ and improve mobility between regions while reducing transport costs for passengers.
With less costly set-up and maintenance, the Innovative Light Train allows for the testing of new work and maintenance techniques. Its advanced technology will lead to lower overall lifecycle costs, as well as vehicle automation.
Digitalisation will enable simplified traffic management. The modernisation of signalling and the digitalisation of the driver interface will ensure that trains arrive on time.
The implementation of technological innovations will reduce track wear by limiting the impact of dynamic forces and axle loads, while ensuring better passenger comfort and safety. Its electric motor and weight will reduce its carbon footprint.
