| Background: |
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| Thalys PBKA | |
| Interiorimage: | Interieur Comfort 1.jpg |
| Interiorcaption: | Interior of Comfort (1st class) coach. |
| Service: | 1998–present |
| Manufacturer: | GEC-Alsthom |
| Family: | TGV |
| Yearconstruction: | 1995–1998 |
| Numberbuilt: | 17 trainsets |
| Formation: | 2 power cars + 8 passenger cars |
| Capacity: | 404 seats (120 first class, 284 second class) |
| Operator: | Eurostar |
| Trainlength: | 200m (700feet) |
| Maxspeed: | 320km/h (design) 3000NaN0 (service) |
| Weight: | 383t |
| Collectionmethod: | Pantograph |
| Safety: | ERTMS level 2, TVM-430, KVB, ATB |
Thalys PBKA is a high-speed trainset, manufactured by the French company GEC-Alsthom, and used on the international Eurostar service. Originally built for Thalys (which later merged with Eurostar) they were intended to operate between Paris, Brussels, Köln (English: [[Cologne]]) and Amsterdam, forming the abbreviation PBKA. They were initially intended to be sole rolling stock of the service, but their extreme cost and complexity due to their quadri-current capability led the order of a simpler tri-current sister class, the Thalys PBA, a TGV Réseau derivative, with which they can work in multiple (coupled together).
The PBKA trains are quadri-current, capable of operating under the same systems as the PBA sets: (France), (Belgium) and (the Netherlands and parts of France), but with the addition of (Germany).
They are a member of Alstom's TGV family of trains. Each set has a power car on each end with three first class cars, a bar car, and four second class cars in between.[1] The trains are 200m (700feet) in length, weighing a total of 383abbr=outNaNabbr=out with 404 seats (120 first class, 284 second class).
Their maximum speed in regular service is with under 25 kV AC, with under 15 kV AC, and with under 1,500 or 3,000 V DC.[2] [3]
Seventeen trains were ordered: nine purchased by National Railway Company of Belgium, two by Deutsche Bahn of Germany, six by SNCF of France and two by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
| Class | No. in Service | Year Built | Current Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 4300 | 17 | 1995–1998 | 4301–4307 (7) | Purchased by SNCB |
| 4321–4322 (2) | Purchased by DB | |||
| 4331–4332 (2) | Purchased by NS | |||
| 4341–4346 (6) | Purchased by SNCF |