Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Talgo will use carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the wheel frames of its Avril high-speed trains in the future. Compared to previous steel-designed components, the weight can be reduced by half while maintaining the same mechanical load capacity and safety. Lightweight reduces the overall weight of an empty train, thereby reducing energy consumption and increasing the capacity of each train. The European Union has supported the development project as part of the Shift2Rail initiative.
The Spanish company will strengthen Deutsche Bahn's fleet with the new ICE L in the second half of 2024, which could serve as a reference for the future of trains in Europe.
This would enable Deutsche Bahn to promote the decarbonization of Central European transport on its long-distance routes. The low carbonization is achieved thanks to the low weight of the Talgo train, which has separate wheels and guide shafts, which are much lighter than conventional axles.
Overall, the average weight per passenger on the ICE L train will be 20 percent lower than on comparable rival trains. This, coupled with the aerodynamic optimization of the vehicle exterior design, results in very good energy efficiency, which will allow German operators to reduce energy consumption and save costs.
The low weight also helps reduce aggressive driving on infrastructure, which in turn reduces track and train maintenance costs.
The ICE L train combines these advantages in weight with improvements in accessibility, adaptability to demand, more passenger space, and greater comfort.
The frame supporting Avril's independent rotating wheelset is currently made of welded steel plates, with no potential for further optimization in terms of component weight due to structural requirements.
According to the company, the new composite material also meets the railway department's strictest fire-smoke toxicity standards. Tested in full compliance with European standard CSN EN 13749, the wheel frame underwent over 10 million static and fatigue tests, and no significant damage was found after an inspection.
In the next steps, the composite wheel frame will be tested on track under real conditions to achieve final acceptance.
Manufacturers believe composites can also be used in other structural components to reduce the weight of rolling stock for local and long-distance transport, thereby increasing passenger capacity, simplifying the assembly process, and reducing energy consumption and track wear.
