PowerPack For Rail Application

MTU will supply 57 Series 1600 PowerPack rail drive systems to Hitachi Rail Europe to power 19 new Class 802 intercity trains.

The trains are scheduled to enter service beginning in 2019 along the Pennine route in the north of England, as well as in Scotland. The trains will be operated by TransPennine Express and financed by Angel Trains.

MTU said its PowerPacks are designed for the special challenges of the routes, which travel in part across the Pennines with steep grades. The PowerPacks incorporate MTU’s most powerful rail engine of Series 1600. The 12-cylinder diesel engine delivers 700 kW and enables the trains to achieve speeds of up to 200 km/h. Engines of this type feature a high power density, low consumption and low emissions and incorporate an integrated SCR system and meet the stringent requirements of EU Stage 3B emission standards.

The trains will be capable of operating both in purely electric mode, taking their power from the overhead lines, and in diesel electric mode on non-electrified lines. They will be able to switch seamlessly between power sources during travelling, the company said. In the event of an overhead power failure, the MTU PowerPacks ensure that the trains can continue running with no reduction in speed. The trains will run from Manchester and Liverpool to major cities such as Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh.