Stora investeringar och omdaningar planeras i vårt transportsystem. Transporterna väntas öka starkt i framtiden och mera kapacitet måste skapas på ett hållbart sätt. Diskussionerna om vilka transportmedel som ska prioriteras, såväl som vilka objekt som vi ska satsa på, är livliga.

En viktig fråga är satsningen på Nya Stambanor avsedda för snabba persontransporter i de redan idag hårt belastade stråken Stockholm‒Göteborg och Stockholm‒Malmö, med ett stort antal mellanliggande orter. Denna typ av järnvägar finns redan eller planeras i de flesta av världens ledande ekonomier. Syftet med att bygga nya stambanor är att öka den totala kapaciteten för person- och godstrafik på järnväg, öka punktligheten och öka tillgängligheten genom korta restider. Det ger också förutsättningar för större regionala arbetsmarknader och ökat bostadsbyggande utanför storstäderna samt en bättre miljö. Nuvarande stambanor avlastas och lämnar plats för bl a effektivare godstransporter.

Denna rapport behandlar först järnvägens egenskaper. Järnvägen är det energieffektivaste transportmedel vi känner till, den tar liten plats och är mycket trafiksäker. Moderna tåg på modern bana är vårt snabbaste transportmedel till lands. Tåg kan bereda plats och komfort för arbete och avkoppling under resan. Enligt författarnas uppfattning bör dessa egenskaper göra järnvägen till ett förstahandsalternativ för effektiva och hållbara transporter i de segment där järnvägen är eller kan bli konkurrenskraftig.

Prognoser och analys, samt erfaren­heter från utlandet, visar att trafikunderlaget i Sverige är tillräckligt för nya stambanor. Med de förslagna banorna väntas järnvägens totala kapacitet öka till mer än det dubbla i de mest belastade stråken. En viktig faktor är att den snabba och långsamma tågtrafiken separeras. Denna åtgärd ger ökad kapacitet, utöver vad de dubblerade spåren ger, eftersom tågen kan köra tätare efter varandra och störningarna i tågtrafiken minskar.

Restiderna för orterna längs de nya stambanorna minskar kraftigt, i regel mellan 30 och 65%. Tillsammans med ökad turtäthet och minskade störningar ger det stora ökningar av tågtrafiken. De officiella prognoserna lider dock av ett antal allvarliga brister, varför både trafikökningen och den samhällsekonomiska lönsamheten beräkningsmässigt framstår som mindre än vad den enligt KTH:s prognoser och internationell erfarenhet borde vara.

Författarna anser att anläggningskostnaderna är rimliga i relation till nyttorna och jämfört med vad andra omställningar i samhällets transportsystem kostar. Detsamma gäller den engångs ”klimatskuld” som uppkommer vid de flesta satsningar för framtiden inom alla trafikslag. Nya transportslag i ett tidigt utvecklingsskede (elflyg, magnettåg, Hyperloop etc) är mycket osäkra beträffande när eller om de överhuvudtaget kommer att bli tillgängliga för användning i stor skala. I flera fall skulle krävas stora tekniska genombrott som vi idag inte känner till. Vi anser att man rimligen inte idag kan besluta att satsa på helt nya tekniska system för vilka framtiden är mycket osäker. Vi kan inte heller ”vänta och se”, eftersom ytterligare kapacitet behövs redan idag och ledtiderna är långa.

Sammanfattningsvis är de nya stambanorna ett samhällsbyggnadsprojekt och en del i transportsektorns nödvändiga omställning. De ger korta restider och effektiva transporter mellan våra största städer, liksom till och från ett stort antal mellanliggande orter, med omnejd. Godstransporterna kan också få plats på spåren och de kan utvecklas och effektiviseras. Det handlar om hållbar mobilitet för människor och gods i framtiden.

This compendium is mainly intended for MSc education in rail vehicle engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. The objective is to give an overview and fundamental knowledge of different rail systems, followed by a more thorough introduction to rail vehicles. In this way most rail aspects are covered. The compendium consists of 20 chapters.

Running faster on existing tracks is a common operator’s wish that should be set in relation to the necessary infrastructure maintenance costs for track quality enhancement. Designing a track-friendly running gear that exerts moderate forces on the track is a key to relax this relation. A design providing good ride quality even on non-perfect track is preferred to avoid excessive track maintenance costs when speeds are higher. This paper describes how simulations and tests have been performed to optimise certain parts of a high-speed bogie. The result is a bogie with relatively soft wheelset guidance allowing passive radial self-steering in common curve radii, which in combination with appropriate yaw damping ensures stability at higher speeds. It also includes active secondary suspension to further ease the maintenance requirements on the track and/or to improve ride quality. This bogie has been tested and approved according to EN 14363 for a service speed of 250 km/h in combination with enhanced curving speed. Both simulations and recently performed on-track tests further showed that the ride comfort with active secondary suspension at 250 km/h can be at least as good as with passive suspensions at 200 km/h.

In the Green Train research programme, the objective is to develop an attractive trainconcept in the form of a concept proposal based on economic assessments. Green Trainis to be an attractive express train for both business and leisure-time travellers. Highstandards of comfort can be motivated by passengers’ willingness to pay. One fundamentalidea is the wide carbody for services in Scandinavia to achieve lower total costsfor train traffic than a carbody with a normal, quite narrow European continentalprofile. The trains are thereby made shorter and 2 + 3 seating arrangements areoptimised for optimal comfort. Another principle is that the train must be designedto allow punctual station stops, also during periods of peak load. Boarding andalighting must take place within very tight margins, which means that doors, entrancesand luggage racks must be in well-considered locations and correctly dimensioned.

Green Train (in Swedish, Gröna Tåget) is a research, development and demonstrationprogramme with the overall objective to define an economical, flexible and environmentallyfriendly train concept. The objective is also to develop technology for futurehigh-speed trains for the northern European market, particularly for Scandinavia. Mostof the technology developed is also applicable to other world markets, as well as toslower trains. The programme has covered many important areas, including economy,capacity and market aspects, conceptual design, traveller attractiveness and interiors,travel time, energy efficiency and noise, winter performance, track friendliness and carbody tilt, aerodynamics, electric propulsion and current collection. The programme hasconducted fundamental analysis and research on the different issues as well as designand testing of new technologies. A number of crucial technologies have undergoneperformance and type testing both in lab and on a test train. Experience feedback wasachieved in commercial train service during the period 2006−2013 including harshwinters. This paper summarises a great deal of research and development that has beenperformed in the Green Train programme.

Environmental performance is one of the major considerations of future high-speed trains. Two main issues have been closely investigated in the Green Train programme, namely (1) energy use and (2) external noise. Analysis, development and testing in the Green Train programme have focused primarily on speeds up to 250 km/h, although the energy issues have also been studied at top speeds up to 320 km/h. The energy use is estimated for both long-distance trains with few stops and for fast regional services with relatively tight underway stops. These estimations result in an energy use of 46–62 Wh per passenger-km – or 30–40 Wh per seat-km – accounted as electricity taken from the public electric power grid. Improved aerodynamic performance, efficient space utilization, electric regenerative brakes, eco-driving advice and improved energy efficiency in the propulsion system make this possible. Trackside noise has also been analysed and tested in the programme. In order to maintain the same or lower noise level at 250 km/h as at lower speeds with current trains, a number of measures are proposed. These include bogie skirts, wheel absorbers and careful aerodynamic design of the front area and of all protruding objects. In sensitive residential areas, further improvement may be achieved with rail absorbers or low trackside screens.

Gröna Tåget (English: Green Train) is a research and development programme, the aim of which is to define a concept and develop technology for future high-speed trains for the Nordic European market. The target is a train for Scandinavian interoperability (Denmark, Norway and Sweden), although the pan-European minimum standards must be applied.

Gröna Tåget is a concept for long-distance and fast regional rail services. It should be suitable for specific Nordic conditions with a harsh winter climate as well as mixed passenger and freight operations on non-perfect track.

Gröna Tåget delivers a collection of ideas, proposals and technical solutions for rail operators, infrastructure managers and industry. The programme aims to define a fast, attractive, environmentally friendly and economically efficient high-speed train concept based on passenger valuations and technical possibilities. Proposals do not take corporate policies into account as these may vary between companies and over time.

This is one of the final reports, specifying the functional requirements for the train concept from a technical, environmental and economic perspective, with an emphasis on the areas where research and development have been carried out within the Gröna Tåget programme. It is not a complete specification of a new train, but concentrates on issues that are particularly important for successful use in the Scandinavian market. It should be regarded as a complement to the pan-European standards. Research and development within the Gröna Tåget programme, including analysis and testing activities, are summarized. References are given to reports from the different projects in the programme but also to other relevant work.

Other summary reports deal with market, economy and operational aspects as well as a design for an attractive, efficient and innovative train from a traveller’s point of view.

The main alternative proposed in this concept specification is a train for speeds up to 250 km/h, equipped with carbody tilt for short travel time on existing main-line track. The train is proposed to have high-power permanent magnet motors, low aerodynamic drag and modest adhesion utilization. It has low noise emissions and a track-friendly bogie design. The train should be equipped with active highperformance suspension to produce superior ride qualities on non-perfect track and minimize suspension motions. Due to the approximately 3.30 m interior width of the carbody, one more comfortable seat can be accommodated abreast, which will reduce cost and energy use per seat-km and also maximize the capacity of the train and of the railway system. One most important and critical issue is that the train must be able to run in a Nordic winter climate, where technologies have been tested, proposed and also compiled in a special report.

Most technologies developed can also be used for modified train concepts, such as non-tilting trains, trains for higher speeds than 250 km/h, trains with continental width carbodies, and others. Further, many technologies developed in the programme are also useful for lower speeds. Newly developed technologies were type-tested in a special test train from 2006 to 2009. Endurance tests in commercial service were performed between 2009 and 2011.

When designing and optimizing a rail vehicle there is a contradiction between, on the one hand, stability on straight track at high speed and, on the other hand, reasonable wheel and rail wear in small- and medium-radius curves. This paper describes the process of developing and optimizing a track-friendly bogie. A simulation model has been used to investigate dynamic stability on straight track at high speeds along with the wheel and rail wear in sharper curves. The result is a bogie with relatively soft wheelset guidance allowing passive radial self-steering, which in combination with appropriate yaw damping ensures stability on straight track at higher speeds. This bogie has been tested according to EN 14363 at speeds up to about 300 km/h and in curves with radii ranging from 250 m and up. 

Forecasts indicate that it is not possible to reduce total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport to fulfil the target of two degrees global warming with technology means alone. It is possible to reduce GHG-emissions for all modes but still rail will be the most efficient mode by 2050. Rail has a modest market share in the EU in comparison with 'best practice' rail systems in the world. There is a big potential if the rail system is developed with new high speed rail and freight corridors as well as an upgraded conventional network and intermodal systems. This paper presents an estimation of the effects of a partial mode shift to rail transport applying world's 'best practice' by the year 2050. It is shown that such a mode shift to rail can reduce EU transport GHG emissions over land by about 20 %, compared with a baseline scenario. In combination with low-carbon electricity production a reduction of about 30 % may be achieved. A developed rail system can thus substantially contribute to the EU target of reducing GHG emissions in the transport sector by 60 % below 1990 levels. To enable such a mode shift and to manage the demand for capacity, there is a need of investments. This will also maintain and increase mobility for passengers and freight transport.

Gröna Tåget (Green Train) is a Swedish research and development programme aiming at defining a concept and developing technology for the next generation high-speed trains, suitable for the Northern European countries. The programme involves almost all major stakeholders in the railway business in Sweden. Main sponsors are Trafikverket (former Banverket) as well as the railway industry and operators (Bombardier, SJ and others). The total budget is around 15 million EUR. The technical coordination is with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. The program started in 2005 and will continue until the end of 2011.

Gröna Tåget is intended to be a fast, track-friendly, electric tilting train that can not only maintain higher speeds than conventional trains on sections with curves, but special versions could allow 300 km/h or more on future dedicated high-speed lines. Gröna Tåget shall be more attractive and more cost effective both to travellers and to operators than today’s trains. Environmental perfor­mance (energy use per passenger, noise) is expected to be still better than existing trains at lower speed.