Silverliner V Explained

Silverliner V
Interiorimage:Denver Airport Station, 4028, 16-04-23.jpg
Interiorcaption:RTD 4028 on the A Line at Denver Airport station.
Service:2010-present (SEPTA)
2016-present (RTD)
Manufacturer:Hyundai Rotem[1]
Factory:South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Family:Silverliner
Replaced:73 Silverliner II and Silverliner III's (SEPTA)
Yearconstruction:2009~2016
Yearservice:2010 (SEPTA)
2016 (RTD)
Numberbuilt:Total: 186
SEPTA: 120
RTD: 66
Numberservice:186
Fleetnumbers:SEPTA: 701-738, 801-882
RTD: 4001-4066
Capacity:SEPTA:
Single Car: 107
Married Pair Car: 109
RTD:
91 per car
Operator:SEPTA
Denver RTD
Lines:SEPTA Regional Rail
Denver RTD Commuter Rail
Carbody:Stainless steel,[2] corrugateless due to molybdenum-free and titanium-containing
Carlength:85feet
Width:10feet
Height:14feet
Floorheight:4feet
Doors:quarter point
SEPTA: 3 per side, 2 with traps.
RTD: 2 per side
Weight:146600lb[3]
Acceleration:3mph/s up to 30mph
Deceleration:Service:
3mph/s up to 50mph;
2mph/s @ 100mph
Emergency:
3.2mph/s
Traction:Mitsubishi Electric IGBTVVVF inverter
SEPTA: MAP-204-A12VD185[4]
Traction Motors:Mitsubishi Electric 3-phase AC induction motor[5]
SEPTA: MB-5127-A[6]
Electricsystem:Overhead catenary
  • 12 kV 25 Hz–12.5 kV 60 Hz AC (SEPTA nominal)
  • 25 kV 60 Hz AC (SEPTA and RTD nominal)
Collectionmethod:Pantograph
Aarwheels:B-B
Uicclass:Bo′Bo′
Bogies:Bolsterless, GSI 70
Brakes:Pneumatic, one outboard disc, one tread per wheel.
Dynamic/Regenerative
Coupling:WABCO Model N-2

The Silverliner V is an electric multiple unit railcar designed and built by Hyundai Rotem. It is used by Philadelphia's SEPTA Regional Rail and Denver's Regional Transportation District. This is the fifth generation railcar in the Silverliner family of single level EMUs.

SEPTA Regional Rail

The cars feature expanded interiors and windows, additional entrances and screens used to display information about the service.[7] They are all ADA compliant and meet Federal Railroad Administration safety requirements.[8]

The cars were expected to arrive in 2005, but due to contract disputes, design delays, and a factory needing to be built in South Philadelphia, they did not arrive until 2010.

SEPTA ordered a total of 120 cars at a cost of $274 million; the first cars arrived in the United States on February 28, 2010 (five years overdue) from South Korea, where they were manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. The cars were built in South Korea and the final assembly took place in South Philadelphia. The cars entered revenue service on October 29, 2010, and all 120 were to be completed by the end of 2011.[9] However, due to delays that were reported to last until mid-2012, SEPTA is owed millions in fines for the overdue equipment.[10] SEPTA also closed off the very front row of seats due to safety concerns.[11]

The last of the 120 cars arrived on the property for testing in February 2013.

Cars 735, 736, 871, and 872 are owned by the state of Delaware. However, they are used systemwide for service and are not restricted to use on services to Delaware only.

On July 2, 2016, SEPTA removed all 120 of its Silverliner V cars – a third of its fleet – from service due to fatigue cracks in the trucks, leading to reduced service system-wide.[12] The agency received some of the trains back in September 2016; but subsequently withdrew 18 cars after an additional defect was identified – a “clearance issue” that led to occasional contact between old and new components.[13] SEPTA announced that it could resume normal schedules on October 3 and would receive all trains by November 2016.[14]

RTD Commuter Rail

In 2010 Denver's Regional Transportation District selected the Silverliner V for its new commuter rail line. A total of 66 cars were purchased in the married pair configuration for a total of $300 million. The first four cars were delivered to Denver on December 3, 2014, with service to start in 2016.[15] As of 2020, Silverliner V trains are used on the RTD's A, B, G and N lines.

Differences between the RTD and SEPTA cars include support for only 25 kV 60Hz AC electrification, two center-opening high-level doors per side, less powerful traction motors, full-width cabs, and bells.

Electromagnetic interference

Some users of audio equipment have found that the presence of tracks carrying Silverliner V cars has introduced detrimental electromagnetic interference to the playback and recording of audio. This phenomenon also affects audio and PA electronics inside the cars, although Hyundai Rotem has fitted filters to lessen the effect on internal equipment.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Test run for two of SEPTA's new Silverliner V train cars. Nussbaum. Paul. September 15, 2010. The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 17, 2010.
  2. Web site: US SEPTA Silverliner-V EMUs. dead. Hyundai Rotem. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007021558/http://www.hyundai-rotem.co.kr/Eng/Business/Rail/Railroad/Product/rail1_pop04.asp. October 7, 2011.
  3. Web site: Blog: SEPTA's future is here. Merritt. Athena. October 29, 2010. Philadelphia Business Journal. December 17, 2010.
  4. B/L NYKS0062222520. 2008/11/04. "PROPULSION CONVERTER INVERTER BOX P N MAP-204-A12VD185"
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129032016/http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/Business_Center/Bidding_and_Solicitations/Kawasaki%20Part%204%20-%20Tab%20I.1%20(Technical%20Approach).pdf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority New Orange and Red Line Vehicles RFP No. CAP 27-10 (Page 7)
  6. Web site: SL5 Traction Motor Bearings. February 1, 2021. SEPTA.
  7. Web site: SEPTA Unveils First Silverliner V Train. Progressive Railroading. November 3, 2010. November 3, 2010.
  8. Web site: Silverliner V Pilot Cars Arrive. SEPTA. November 3, 2010.
  9. Web site: SEPTA's new railcar model makes inaugural trip. The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 30, 2010. November 3, 2010.
  10. Web site: SEPTA owed millions in fines for overdue Philadelphia railcars. newsworks.org. December 14, 2011.
  11. Web site: Say goodbye to the special "railfan seat". WHYY. March 2, 2011.
  12. Web site: SEPTA's Silverliner V fleet sidelined with defects . . July 5, 2016 . July 5, 2016 . Calisi, Joseph ..
  13. News: SEPTA pulls repaired Silverliner V cars after new defect found . Philadelphia Inquirer . September 12, 2016.
  14. Web site: SEPTA Regional Rail Returns To Regular Weekday Schedules . SEPTA . September 30, 2016.
  15. News: RTD's new rail cars for FasTracks system unveiled to public . . December 3, 2014 . August 11, 2016 . Whaley, Monte . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081023/http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27054763/rtds-new-rail-cars-fastracks-system-unveiled-public . March 4, 2016.
  16. Web site: How SEPTA's New Trains Drove a Recording Engineer Out of Town. Philadelphia Citypaper. May 8, 2013.