THSR 700T - Technical Details

Technical Details

The THSR 700T series is based on the 700 Series Shinkansen operated by JR Central and JR West on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen in Japan. However, more powerful motors and eddy current brakes on trailers provide for the higher top speed. Also for 300 km/h (186 mph) operation, a number of features were derived from the 500 Series Shinkansen, such as the bogies, or the T-shaped and aerodynamically optimised pantographs for reduced noise emission atop cars 4 and 9. The D-ATC (Digital Automatic Train Control) system was in turn derived from that of the 800 Series Shinkansen. Like the 700 Series Shinkansen, a 700T trainset is made of 4-car sub-sets, each with three motor cars and one trailer, albeit a full train is a 12-car set, rather than a 16-car, or 8-car set.

Due to the European safety requirements adapted by THSRC, the trains were equipped with a number of additional safety features compared to Shinkansen trains in Japan. The ATC system was augmented with cruise control and station stopping control and was also made suitable for bi-directional operation, and there is a driver vigilance device. Bogies were fitted with an instability detection system, and pantographs with a system that automatically lowers the rear pantograph if it detects a failure of the leading pantograph. The trains were built with shock absorbing elements for protection in low-speed collisions and were equipped with a parking brake. For enhanced fire safety, fireproof and smokeproof materials were selected for the interior, which was configured with fire barriers, and the trains were equipped with fire and smoke detectors and a battery supplied emergency ventilation system. Passenger doors can be operated from any car, not just from the driver's cab, and are equipped with an obstacle detection system that can abort the closing of the door. In addition, the train is equipped with emergency escape windows, which can be broken with hammers for use as emergency exits. The pantograph can be operated by remote control.

Additional changes were made to the HVAC systems to account for Taiwan's warmer climates, such as higher strength and wear specifications of certain components, and a more powerful air conditioning system. As with other Shinkansen types, both end cars are trailers and braking power is reduced on the end cars, to avoid slip on powered bogies.

THSR tunnels were built according to European specifications, with diameters larger than those in Japan. The nose of the trains was aerodynamically optimised for the different tunnel cross-section, which allowed for a shorter, 8 m (26 ft) long nose. The shorter nose, and the lack of a sliding window and an extra door for the driver provided for more space for passengers.

All cars feature single passenger rooms with 2+3 or 2+2 seating, as on the 700 Series Shinkansen. Toilets were installed on odd numbered cars. One end of car 7 features four wheelchair accessible seats, also provide for the fastening of wheelchairs, and there are two foldable wheelchairs. The toilet next to the handicapped area was built to be accessible by wheelchair, with automatic sliding doors, wider space to allow a wheelchair to turn around, and handrails. The train has no restaurant or bar, but was equipped with vending machines, while Business Car passengers also get seat service. Certain cars were equipped with on-board telephones, in anticipation of the construction of a base system.

• Standard Car interior

• Business Car interior

• Handicapped seating

The per capita energy consumption of a fully loaded 700T train is 16% of private cars and half of buses, carbon dioxide emissions are 11% and a fourth, respectively.