Velaro E (AVE Class 103)
Velaro E is a Spanish version of the Velaro family. In 2001, RENFE ordered sixteen Velaros designated AVE Class 103. The order was later increased to a total of 26 trains. The trains serve the 621 km (386 mi) Barcelona–Madrid line at speeds up to 310 km/h (193 mph) for a travel time of 2 hrs 30 mins.
The first units were delivered in July 2005 and completed their first test runs in January 2006.
On 15 July 2006, a train achieved a top speed of 403.7 km/h (250.8 mph) between Guadalajara and Calatayud on the Madrid–Zaragoza line. This is a Spanish record for railed vehicles and a world record for unmodified commercial service trainsets, as the earlier TGV (world record of 574.8 km/h/357.2 mph) and ICE records were achieved with specially modified and shortened trainsets, and the Shinkansen (443 km/h/275 mph, 1996) record was for a test (non-commercial) trainset.
Read more about this topic: Siemens Velaro
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