The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

The first five of a total order for 60 Velaro, the high speed train by Siemens, will be rolling in China in August in time for the Olympic Games. And by the end of the year, the first Russian Velaro will make tracks for Russia from the Siemens plant in Krefeld, Germany, said a press release. "Just like in Spain recently, this high-tech train set from the Mobility Division of Siemens Industry will underscore the image and attractiveness of rail-based transportation in these countries," stressed Edzard Lübben, responsible for the high speed trains at Siemens Mobility, at the UIC Highspeed Congress in Amsterdam.

With the inauguration of the Madrid - Barcelona line at the end of February, Spain is well on its way to having Europe's most comprehensive high speed rail system by 2010. The Siemens Velaro E, which goes by the name AVE S 103 in Spain, takes only two and a half hours to cover the 621 kilometers between Madrid and Barcelona - with a train leaving every hour.

Developed in Germany based on DB's ICE 3, and built in Germany and Spain, these 26 train sets herald in a new era of transportation between Spain's two largest cities. Conventional trains need more than six hours to do the journey, and a flight takes about 70 minutes not counting journey time to and from the airports, check-in and security checks. 144 units of the Siemens Trainguard train control system are deployed on the route between Madrid and Barcelona. Together with ETCS systems and components from other suppliers, they ensure the safety of the Velaro E passengers. And don't forget: it was a Velaro E that set the new world record speed of 404 km/h for series trains in September 2006.

It looks like Siemens will soon be speeding ahead to another record with the upgrade and expansion of the Chinese high speed rail system.