Newly established Talgo subsidiary Talgo UK has gifted a ‘Rodal’ to the National College for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure.
The college, formerly the National College for High Speed Rail, aims to “to provide training and work experience to learners aged 18 and above in all aspects of what makes a modern railway”.
Talgo UK: Transferring Knowledge
When Talgo announced it was establishing Talgo UK, it said a key component of its strategy was knowledge transfer, allowing all parts of its trains to be manufactured in the UK, rather than merely performing the final assembly in the UK. Its partnership with the National College for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure is a natural next step.
“We are thrilled to receive the Talgo Rodal system at our Birmingham site. It will provide our learners with the opportunity to learn about technologies being used throughout the world.
“We are very grateful to Talgo for donating this piece of equipment and look forward to seeing it being used as an aid for learning.”
Talgo’s Rodals
Talgo installs Rodals – twin wheelsets – between coaches. Conventional railway cars in the UK either have two-axle, four-wheel bogies at the end of each car or between each car, whereas the Talgo system sees two wheels being shared between two coaches. The reduction in the number of wheels also reduces the overall weight of the train.
The Rodals also feature guided axles. This means the wheels operate independently of each other, allowing them to be fine-tuned so they remain parallel to the rails. Unlike a train with solid axles, wheels in a Rodal can run at different speeds around curves. The wheel on the outside of a curve has to cover a greater distance and should therefore run faster. On a solid axle it can’t do that. This then leads to instabilities as well as wear and tear on the track.
As a result, Talgo’s Rodals make trains both more stable and lightweight. Trains can run faster and maintenance costs are lower.
“I am delighted to present the Rodal today, for all to see here at this excellent college. This is part of Talgo's plan to generate better understanding of up-to-date technologies that are being used around the world, but which have so far eluded the UK.
“Talgo's strategy of 'true manufacturing' – and not relying on brainpower or kits of parts from elsewhere – requires that innovation and Research and Development takes place in the host country.
“The National College for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure is ideally placed to help further that goal, and I look forward to future collaboration.”
Talgo UK is opening its own innovation hub in Chesterfield and has announced plans to open a factory in Scotland.
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