Bombardier Zefiro 380 CRH380D

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This is probably the 3rd post about the Zefiro 380 by Bombardier. I had previously jump the gun because I was so excited about this Very High Speed EMU. Finally, there have been some actual production trainsets running around in revenue testing service these days.

German Engineering. What a beauty
The Zefiro 380 is built by Bombardier Sifang Power Transportation in Qingdao, China, a former German colony locally known for its beer (definitely a very suitable place for a German transportation giant), for the sole operator so far of this EMU, China Railway High-speed. The Chinese classification for this beautifully designed trainset is CRH380D. The number 380 bears some significance here. Indeed these CRH380s are the world's first trainsets that are designed for a sustained top speed of 380 km/h or 236 mph in revenue service.

Unfortunately the operator has opted for a really plain interior
Alternate cars in the Zefiro 380 are powered and they come in either 8- or 6-car consists. The combined output for an 8-car set is approximately 13 400 horsepower. More technical highlights can be found here on this Wikipedia page. Three sets have been built so far and have entered revenue service testing earlier this year. Currently, a total of 70 sets of the Zefiro 380 are on order.

And as usual, pictures and videos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and YouTube.



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