Taipei Metro C301
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Taipei Metro C301 | |
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 A Taipei Metro C301 entering the Beitou Station. |
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| In service | 1996 - Current |
| Manufacturer | Union Rail Car Partnership 1992 - 1993 |
| Number built | 22 trainset |
| Formation | 2 x 3-cars per trainset |
| Capacity | 1914 passengers |
| Operator | Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation |
| Lines served | All heavy-capacity Taipei Metro lines |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 23.5 m (77 ft) |
| Width | 3.2 m (10 ft) |
| Height | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Maximum speed | Design: 90 km/h (56 mph) Service: 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Weight | 39.5 t (DM1/M2) 34 t (T) |
| Traction system | GTO-VVVF |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) standard gauge |
| Voltage | 750 V DC 3rd rail |
The Taipei Metro C301 cars are the first electric multiple units to operate on the heavy-capacity lines of the Taipei Rapid Transit System when it began operations in 1996. A total of 22 trainsets were built in 1992 to 1993 by the Union Rail Car Partnership, a Japanese-backed consortium in America, at a cost of US$170 million.[1][2][3]
Production of the cars were done at the 150,000 square foot Yonkers Plant,[4] which was well-known as formerly owned by Otis Elevator Company where it first built elevators since the company's formation, and the first elevator factory in the world.[2][5] The factory is now under the Union Rail Car Partnership, consisting of Kawasaki Rail Car, Nissho Iwai American, and North American Transit.[4] They were the first cars in the Plant to be built for export, and the largest in the United States for over twenty years. Over half of the C301's components were made in America, as part of the Buy America requirements.[4] The GTO-VVVF propulsion system is supplied by Westinghouse and can supply up to 200 horsepower.
The interior of the C301 contains seats in both linear and latitudinal formation. A quarter of them are designated as priority seats. Fireproofing materials allow the train to withstand any fire for up to 45 minutes. Wheelchair spaces are provided for at the start and end of the cars. LED In-train information system is installed which displays the destination and line colour on the exterior, train announcements and next station information in the interior.
Trainset 013/014 was formerly split and modified to serve as 3-car formations to serve on the Xinbeitou Branch Line. When new C371 built in specialised 3-car formations were delievered to Taipei Metro, trainset 013/014 was subsequently rejoined and put back into normal service on the other lines.
[edit] References
- ^ 川崎重工業時代1969年（昭和44年), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, retrieved 6 April 2008 (Japanese)
- ^ a b Rail Car Plant In Yonkers Seeks $1 Billion Contract, The New York Times, James Feron, 17 January 1988
- ^ Yonkers plant produces first Taipei cars - Union Rail Car Partnership gets $170 million contract - Brief Article, Railway Age, October 1992
- ^ a b c Made in the U.S. - and Japan - Japanese-owned Union Rail Corp. assembles rail cars in the US with Japanese shells, William C. Vantuono, Railway Age, July 1993
- ^ THE REGION; Mayor of Yonkers Joins Otis Protest, Associated Press (The New York Times), 11 December 1982
