Operator TriMet relies on rail technology from Siemens for newly opened light rail line
Today, TriMet's new MAX Orange Line, a light rail project between Portland and Milwaukie (USA), was officially inaugurated. Siemens advanced rail technologies are now operating on the Orange line including its S70 light rail vehicles designed and manufactured at Siemens Sacramento, California plant to move riders along the system, rail signaling and communication systems to help manage train operation, and the company's first Sitras SES energy storage unit in the U.S. that uses regenerative braking to sustainably power the line.
The 7.3-mile (around 12 Kilometer) MAX Orange Line is the region's sixth construction project of the development project Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) to expand the city's transport network to cope with the expected population growth in the Portland area. The line will improve transit in the corridor that extends from the terminus of the MAX Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University in Downtown Portland to Milwaukie and North Clackamas County.
“Siemens is proud to be a technology partner for Trimet for more than 30 years, starting in the this project is a perfect example of how advanced rail technologies can help to revitalize city centers, creating jobs and stimulating economic development”, said Jochen Eickholt, CEO Siemens Mobility Division.
The newly redesigned light rail vehicles were built based on input from TriMet and riders, featuring new seating arrangements, additional wheelchair accessibility, larger windows and improved HVAC systems that automatically adjust based on the number of people in the vehicle.
The vehicles also include better sight lines for the driver, more ergonomically designed main cabins, and larger displays for train operators so they are better able to monitor the vehicle's status to improve safety and efficiency. Maintenance enhancements were made based on TriMet's feedback including rearrangement of systems to increase accessibility to key components on the vehicles and improved diagnostic systems.
The innovative regenerative rail energy storage technology allows for energy created during braking to be stored and then re-used in one of two forms, energy savings or voltage stabilization during peak demand times. TriMet will utilize the system in voltage stabilization mode. In this mode, the storage unit allows the system to avoid problems disruptions that can occur in mass transit operations if power drops below a certain level.
If a number of vehicles accelerate simultaneously, system voltage can drop below a critical level and result in instances of under-voltage tripping in vehicles and, consequently, lead to disruptions in passenger service. The Sitras SES ensures the system voltage always remains within the required range and voltage-related disruptions no longer occur.
For further information on Division Mobility, please see www.siemens.com/mobility
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014, Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion and net income of €5.5 billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 343,000 employees worldwide on a continuing basis.
Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com
Reference Number: PR2015090338MOEN
Contact
Ms. Ellen Schramke
Mobility Division
Siemens AG
Nonnendammallee 101
13629 Berlin
Germany
Tel: +49 (30) 386-22370
ellen.schramke@siemens.com
Media Contact
All latest news from the category: Transportation and Logistics
This field deals with all spatial and time-related activities involved in bridging the gap between goods and people, including their restructuring. This begins with the supplier and follows each stage of the operational value chain to product delivery and concludes with product disposal and recycling.
innovations-report provides informative reports and articles on such topics as traffic telematics, toll collection, traffic management systems, route planning, high-speed rail (Transrapid), traffic infrastructures, air safety, transport technologies, transport logistics, production logistics and mobility.
Newest articles
Innovative vortex beam technology
…unleashes ultra-secure, high-capacity data transmission. Scientists have developed a breakthrough optical technology that could dramatically enhance the capacity and security of data transmission (Fig. 1). By utilizing a new type…
Tiny dancers: Scientists synchronise bacterial motion
Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronise their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and…
Primary investigation on ram-rotor detonation engine
Detonation is a supersonic combustion wave, characterized by a shock wave driven by the energy release from closely coupled chemical reactions. It is a typical form of pressure gain combustion,…