Page 15 - 360.revista de Alta Velocidad - Nº 5

Lightweight primary structures for High-speed railway carbodies

Talgo’s design for its trains, which are based on short articulated vehicles together with the
Talgo’s running gear (rodals or Talgo trucks), allows for the use of lighter carbodies. Talgo trucks
use a system with an independent axle per wheel separating the rotation on each wheel.
In addition, in the case of AVRIL offers a greater width for the operator but without exceeding
the loading gauge as sketched in the Figure 4. This optimises the train’s features since it can
seat more people without having to resort to a double-deck layout, which makes boarding and
disembarking the train more complicated and brings about an unwelcome feeling for passengers
of being boxed-in, mainly in the upper level. Talgo AVRIL guarantees passenger comfort by
allowing enough space for each individual passenger without changing the width of the seat.
The ability to carry more passengers improves rolling stock utilisation, allowing operators to
offer more competitive prices while decreasing overcrowding on the most popular routes. As a
result, operators stand to increase profits and provide a greater return to investors.

Figure 4. Widebody Talgo AVRIL.

Due to the more space available, it can offer various seating arrangements:
• Customised layout offering several possibilities: 3+2 (see Figure 5), 2+2 or 2+1.

• Seats adapted to all uses: a different configuration is available for all types of passengers:
individuals, couples, or groups of three to six people.

Figure 5 Seat layout with 3+2 configuration.

International Congress on High-speed Rail: Technologies and Long Term Impacts - Ciudad Real (Spain) - 25th anniversary Madrid-Sevilla corridor 13