“While reducing the weight, we must ensure that its strength does not decrease, and we even need to increase its strength because of the higher speed. It’s just like a person who wants to slim down while building strength. This involves structural changes and material innovations,” said Chen Can, an associate researcher at CARS.
Testing procedures, breakthroughs, and other technologies
Sensors have been installed on the tracks to achieve the necessary balance, transmitting real-time weight data from each wheel to a monitoring system. Researchers are also enclosing the entire bogie area beneath the train for the first time to minimize air resistance, a critical factor at very high speeds.
“Ensuring the smoothness of the entire train body minimizes resistance during operation,” said Ha Dalei, a senior designer at the National Engineering Research Center of Rail Transportation at CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd.