China Railway CRH380A

The CRH380A Hexie is a Chinese electric high-speed train that was developed by CSR Corporation Limited (CSR) and is currently manufactured by CRRC Qingdao Sifang. As a continuation of the CRH2-380 program it both replaces foreign (Japanese) technology in the CRH2 with Chinese developments and increases its top speed. The CRH380A is designed to operate at a cruise speed of 350 km/h and a maximum speed of 380 km/h in commercial service. The original 8-car train-set recorded a top speed of 416.6 km/h during a trial run. The longer 16-car train-set reached 486.1 km/h.

CRH380A is one of four Chinese train series which have been designed for the new standard operating speed of 380 km/h on newly constructed Chinese high-speed main lines. Officially, it is the only series of the four not based on a foreign design, and although it was not produced under a technology transfer agreement, there have been accusations that it is based on unlicensed Shinkansen technology.

The other three series are CRH380B, which uses technology from Siemens, CRH380C, with technology from Hitachi, and CRH380D, with technology from Bombardier Transportation.

Development
Development began in early 2008 during the research of the CRH2-300 (later known as CRH2C). CSR Corporation carried out over 1,000 technical tests across 17 specific areas, including dynamic performance, pantograph-catenary current collection, aerodynamics, and traction performance. These studies enabled CSR to develop technology allowed for increased maximum speed, and the findings were fed into designs for the new-generation high-speed train.

The original project was named "CRH2-350". On February 26, 2008, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Ministry of Railway (MOR) signed the Agreement on Joint and Independent Innovations of China High-speed Trains. CRH2-350 is one of the most important projects of this plan, the purpose of which is the development of Chinese-designed new-generation high speed trains with continuous operating speeds of 350 km/h, and maximum operating speeds of 380 km/h. The next generation of rolling stock is expected to be used on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway. The project officially launched in 2009, and was included in the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan"'s technology support program for developing technology and equipment for China' s high speed trains.

Designs were driven by analysis of data and operational experience from the Beijing–Tianjin high-speed rail. The Ministry of Railway completed an initial series of system and subsystem designs, then provided CSR Sifang with primary data and design. CSR presented more than 20 design variations. After further optimization, simulation and testing, the final design was published in an official conference held by Sifang on April 12, 2010 with significant changes to traction system, internal amenities and exterior carbody design. A train model was exhibited in May at the China Railway Pavilion in the Shanghai World Expo Park.

In September 2009, Ministry of Railways awarded a contract for one hundred 16-car and forty 8-car new-generation high-speed trains from CSR Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock in a contract worth ¥45 billion (US$6.64 billion).

Technical features
According to CSR, the overall design of CRH380A reflects ten major goals.
 * Low-resistance, streamlined head. The nose of the train has a resistance coefficient of less than 0.13, aerodynamic resistance was reduced by 6.1%, aerodynamic noise by 7%, aerodynamic lift by 51.7% and the lateral force acting on the head by 6.1%.
 * Vibration mode system matching. The CRH380A uses a lightweight aluminum alloy body whose total weight is no more than 9 t, less than 17% of the entire vehicle; CSR has comprehensively improved the body structure, adopting a large number of new vibration damping materials. It also designed the bogie to match the performance of the body and optimized the train body's natural frequencies, which helps reduce structural vibrations at high speeds and improves ride comfort.
 * Improved airtightness: The pressure changes inside the train are controlled to 200 Pa/s, with the maximum pressure change inside the train remaining below 800 Pa compared with the standard value of 1000 Pa. This improves passenger comfort when the train is entering and exiting tunnels at high speed.
 * Safe and reliable high-speed bogies. The train is equipped with SWMB-400/SWTB-400 bolster-less bogies. These are a redesign of the SWMB-350/SWTB-350 bogies used by CRH2C; their critical instability speed is 550 km/h. The new train's derail coefficient is 0.34 at a speed of 386 km/h while the maximum derail coefficient of the CRH2A is 0.73.
 * Advanced noise control technology. By reducing sources of noise and adopting new sound absorbing and insulating materials, CSR has been able to control noise inside the train. The noise level is at 67 dB - 69 dB when running at 350 km/h, which is similar to the CRH2A running at 250 km/h.
 * High-performance traction system, with YQ-365 motors manufactured by CSR Zhuzhou Electric Co., Ltd and CI11 Traction converters by Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric. The CRH380A has a new power unit configuration to maximize traction power. This allows the train to accelerate to 380 km/h in 7 minutes.
 * Regenerative braking with a maximum energy feedback rate of 95%. With each stop nearly 800 kWh of electric power can be fed back to the electric grid.

CRH380A/AL
The first prototype eight-car train CRH380A was rolled off the production line in April 2010, and tested at the China Academy of Railway Sciences experimental loop line (Beijing loop line) starting from April 26, 2010. Trial runs on the Zhengzhou–Xi'an high-speed railway started on June 7, 2010.

The initial standard CRH380A trainsets was delivered in August 2010, The first test on conventional rail, based on a daily-service mode, was conducted on September 28, 2010.

The test was held on the Shanghai–Hangzhou Passenger Railway. The trainset with series number CRH380A-6001 reached the maximum speed of 416.6 km/h.

CRH380A entered service on September 30, 2010 in limited capacity to handle National Day traffic demand on the Shanghai–Nanjing high-speed railway line.

On October 26, 2010, CRH380A entered regular service at the Shanghai–Hangzhou passenger railway and Shanghai–Nanjing intercity railway. The maximum operational speed reaches 355 km/h, and this is always restricted by the software of the computerized control system. The travel time between Shanghai and Hangzhou reduced from 1 hour 18 minutes to 45 minutes. and travel time between Nanjing and Hangzhou reduced from 3 hours 19 minutes to 2 hours 48 minutes.

CRH380A started daily service at the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway as of December 3, 2010.

The CRH380AL is the 16 car version of the CRH380A. The first set of CRH380AL, series number CRH380A-6041L, rolled off line by October 2010. On November 8, 2010, the 16-car train was sent to Beijing loop line for test. On November 20, 2010, the train was sent to Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway for trial run. On November 26, 2010, the first 380 km/h test run at the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway was launched at Zaozhuang - Bengbu section. The trainset with series number CRH380A-6041L reached the maximum speed of 486.1 km/h on December 3, 2010. During the test, It traveled 220 km in 34 minutes, at average speed of 388 km/h.

MTR CRH380A
On April 18, 2012, the MTR ordered nine CRH380A train sets for Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link, designated as Vibrant Express.

Train series number

 * CRH380A: CRH380A–2501 - CRH380A–2540, CRH380A–2641 - CRH380A–2912, CRH380A–2921 - CRH380A–2925
 * CRH380AL: CRH380AL–2541 - CRH380AL–2640, CRH380AL–2913 - CRH380AL–2920, CRH380AL–2926 - CRH380AL–2930

Formation
Power Designation
 * M – Motor car
 * T – Trailer car
 * C – Driver cabin
 * P – Pantograph

Coach Type
 * SW – Business Class Coach
 * ZY – First Class Coach
 * ZE – Second Class Coach
 * ZEC – Second Class Coach/Buffet Car
 * ZYT – First Class/Premier Coach
 * ZET – Second Class/Premier Coach
 * ZYS – First Class/Business Coach
 * ZES – Second Class/Business Coach

CRH380A

 * Train series No. 2501-2540
 * Train series No. 2796 (special train for Boao Forum for Asia)
 * Remaining train series

CRH380AL

 * Train series No. 2541～2570
 * Remaining train series

Distribution
As of November 2017, there are 447 CRH380A series EMU in service, in which six are high-speed comprehensive inspection trains (with one being a higher-speed experimental train).

Criticism
Kawasaki Heavy Industries claims the trains design was Shinkansen derived without citation to the previous technology.