Single train speed record: 453 km/h
Relative passing speed: 896 km/h
This is the latest record achieved
by the CR450 EMU prototype during testing
The CR450 EMU has completed
multiple type tests at different speed levels
and under various operational scenarios
Currently undergoing operational assessment on the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway
Before commercial operation, the CR450 EMU must undergo a rigorous and systematic testing verification process, including static tests, low-speed and high-speed dynamic tests, and operational assessments.
Since the prototype was launched late last year, the CR450 EMU has undergone multiple rounds of testing, successfully reaching 450 km/h with all indicators meeting standards. The current operational assessment, commonly known as “mileage accumulation,” requires the CR450 EMU to travel 600,000 kilometers to evaluate the stability and reliability of the entire train and its systems.
During testing, one set of data from the CR450 EMU was particularly impressive.
The CR450 EMU accelerates from 0 to 350 km/h in just 4 minutes and 40 seconds, which is 100 seconds faster than the CR400 EMU!
What’s the secret?
The key factors are summarized as: more powerful propulsion and reduced resistance.
More powerful propulsion—The permanent magnet traction system used in CR450 is 4% more efficient than that in CR400.
Reduced resistance—The main difference between CR450 and existing EMUs is the full enclosure of the bogie area, with lower skirts and fewer exposed wheels. The train’s height has been reduced by 200 millimeters, the nose extended to 15 meters, and the car-end connections optimized. These improvements result in a 22% reduction in overall resistance compared to CR400.
Notably, the CR450 EMU is expected to continue the remarkable “coin-standing” phenomenon.
The CR450 EMU’s bogie achieved a critical speed of 616 km/h in laboratory tests. “This fully demonstrates that the CR450 EMU operates very safely at speeds between 400 and 450 km/h.”
The current operational assessment for CR450 is being conducted on approximately 300 kilometers of high-speed railway between Yichang North Station and stations in Jingmen and Hanchuan. Next year, more comprehensive testing closer to actual operations will be conducted on the Chengdu-Chongqing middle line.
