China Railway CRH5

The CRH5 Hexie is an electric multiple unit high-speed train in use with China Railway High-speed in the northern regions of the People's Republic of China. The CRH5 is based on the ETR-600 New Pendolino used in Italy.

The CRH5 are non-tilting trains, developed for the Chinese Railways and whose technology has been transferred to local manufacturers. The CRH5 operate steadily at 250 km/h.

CRH5A
In 2004, the Ministry of Railway in China contracted Alstom and CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles to produce 60 sets of the train with a maximum speed of 250 km/h. They were ordered around the same time as the Regina-based CRH1A and the Shinkansen-based CRH2A. These trains have been given the designation CRH5A. 30 additional sets were ordered in 2009 and 20 additional sets were ordered in 2010 to complete the current fleet operating on China's northern and eastern lines. On April 26, 2011, the MOR ordered an additional 30 sets.

As to the initial 60 sets, the first three were manufactured by Alstom's factory in Italy, and the next six were delivered in complete knock down form and assembled by CNR Changchun Railway Vehicle. The remaining 51 sets were built by CNR Changchun through technology transfer from Alstom. The first train (CRH5-001A) departed from Savigliano port, Italy on December 11, 2006 and arrive at Dalian port on January 28, 2007. The first CRH5A set made by CNR Changchun (CRH5-010A) was delivered in April, 2007.

The CRH5A sets started service from April 18, 2007, the date of the sixth national railway speed-up at the Beijing-Harbin Railway. In the following years, it opened service at the Jinan-Qingdao high-speed rail and Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan high-speed rail.

Each of the CRH5A set consists of eight cars. The initial 12 sets (CRH5-001A ～ CRH5-012A) have one first-class seating car (ZY), six second-class seating cars (ZE), and one second-class seating/dining car (ZEC). The subsequent sets have two first-class seating cars (ZY) and six second-class seating cars (ZE).

The CRH5A trains experienced a number of failures in early stages. The failures were attributed to new technologies introduced on CRH5A and a relatively short trial run before the first delivery

CRH5E
CRH5E are cold resistant high speed sleeper trains outfitted with traditional railway sleeping berths (couchette car).

CRH5G/H
CRH5G is a specialized cold and sand/windstorm resistant version of the CRH5 for use on the Baoji–Lanzhou high-speed railway manufactured by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles.

CIT001
On April 2, 2007, China Academy of Railway Sciences ordered a CRH5-based high-speed test train; the official name of this train set is Code Zero Comprehensive Testing Train, name code CIT001. This train is equipped with special devices to monitor the condition of the track, wheel-rail force, overhead wire, communication system and signal system. The train is painted with yellow and white color and started test run on July 1, 2007.

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

Coach Type
 * ZY – First Class Coach
 * ZE – Second Class Coach
 * ZEC – Second Class Coach／Buffet Car
 * WR – Soft Sleeper Coach
 * WRC – Soft Sleeper Coach／Buffet Car

CRH5A / CRH5G
 * Train No. CRH5A-5001 to CRH5A-5012 and CRH5A-5043 to CRH5A-5053
 * Train No. CRH5A-5013 to CRH5A-5042, CRH5A-5054 to CRH5A-5140
 * Train No. CRH5G-5141～5200, 5206～5229

CRH5E
 * Train No. CRH5E-5201 and CRH5E-5202

Distribution
As of September 2017, a total of 227 sets of CRH5 series trains have left the factory, one of which is the No. 0 high-speed comprehensive inspection train.