GB2517922A

GB2517922A - Train set

Info

Publication number: GB2517922A
Application number: GB1315713.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiromu Ogata; Hideshi Ohba; Takahisa Yamamoto; Kenta Konishi; Makoto Sono
Original assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Current assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Priority date: 2013-09-04
Filing date: 2013-09-04
Publication date: 2015-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2033-09-04
Also published as: DE102014217498B4; DE102014217498A1; GB201315713D0; GB2517922B

Abstract

A train set is provided with a lead car 2 and a first intermediate car 3 coupled to the lead car 2. The lead car 2 has a current collector 5 which may be a pantograph placed on a roof and is formed so that its floor height h1 is the same as a top face height of a platform set along the route. The first intermediate car 3 is equipped with a first internal-combustion engine and a first generator GU driven by the first internal-combustion engine to generate electric power and a first traction motor TC driven by electric power collected by the current collector 5 of the lead car 2 or by electric power generated by the first generator GU to generate driving force to make the first intermediate car run 3. A floor 3A of the first intermediate car 3 is formed to be higher than that of the lead car 2A, 2, and its end of the floor 3AA of the first intermediate car 3, which is adjacent to the lead car 2, is formed in a slope shape 3AA so that a height of its end part becomes the same as the floor height 2A of the lead car 2.

Description

[DESCRIPTION] Specification

[Title of Invention] TRAIN SET

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a train set. Particularly, the invention is suited for use in a passenger train set running directly through an electrified section(s) and a nonelectrified section(s).

[Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, a railway route has two types of sections, an electrified section(s) and a nonelectrified section(s). An electrified section is a section where power supply equipment for supplying electric power to a train through trolley wires (electric power supply lines) and third rails; and a nonelectrified section is a section where there is no power supply equipment and the electric power is obtained via a power generating means, which the train itself has, or the power is obtained from a power source such as an internal-combustion engine.

[0003] Meanwhile, many passenger trains which run directly through the electrified sections and the nonelectrified sections have been seen these days. This type of passenger train includes one or more passenger cars equipped with, for example, an internal-combustion engine (engine), a generator, and a traction motor (hereinafter referred to as the engine-loaded train car(s)); and in the electrified section, driving force is obtained by driving the traction motor of the engine-loaded train car by using the electric power collected via, for example, the trolley wires; and in the nonelectrified section, the driving force is obtained by driving the traction motor of the engine-loaded train car by using the electric power generated by the engine and the generator.

[Citation List] [Patent Literature] [0004] [Patent Literature 1] EP 21991731

[Summary of Invention]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] [0005] When composing a passenger train capable of directly running through the electrified sections and the nonelectrified sections, at least one car whose height from a rail head top face to a floor face of the car (hereinafter referred to as the floor face height) is the same as a height from the rail head top face to a top face of a platform (hereinafter referred to as the platform height) should preferably be included so that elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get on and off the train.

[0006] However, since the engine-loaded train car is designed so that the engine and the generator are mounted on its underfloor surface, it is difficult to keep the floor face height low due to problems of heat generation, vibrations, and noise and volume problems of the engine and generator themselves and there is sometimes a problem of incapability to keep the floor face height in line with the existing platform height.

[0007] Furthermore, the passenger car is required to secure a certain height from the floor face of a car to its ceiling face (hereinafter referred to as the ceiling height) so that passengers can freely move around in the car.

[0008] However, for example, regarding a route for which car limits are small, a trolley wire is laid at a low position, and the distance between a top face of a car roof and the trolley wire is narrow, it is necessary to keep the ceiling height of the car low for a pantograph (current collector) mounted on the roof of the car Therefore, trains running on this type of route has a problem of incapability to secure a sufficient ceiling height when, for example, trying to mount a pantograph on the engine-loaded train car.

[0009] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-described circumstances and aims at suggesting a train set that elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in and off and can secure a sufficient ceiling height.

[Means for Solving the Problems] [0010] In order to solve the above-described problems, a train set running through a route of an electrified section(s) and a nonelectrified section(s) is configured according to the present invention so that it includes a lead car located at a first or last position in a train of cars, and a first intermediate car coupled to the lead car; wherein the lead car has a current collector placed on a root and is formed so that its floor face height is the same as a top face height of a platform set along the route; wherein the first intermediate car is equipped with a first internal-combustion engine and a first generator driven by the first internal-combustion engine to generate electric power, and a first traction motor driven by electric power collected by the current collector of the lead car or by electric power generated by the first generator to generate driving force to make the first intermediate car run, a floor face of the first intermediate car is formed to be higher than that of the lead car, and its end of the floor face of the first intermediate car, which is adjacent to the lead car, is formed in a slope shape so that a height of its end pad becomes the same as the floor face height of the lead car.

[0011] Since no difference in level is formed between the lead car of this train set and the platform, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in the train set from the lead car. Also, the current collector is placed on the lead car whose floor face height is low, so that it is unnecessary to provide the current collector on the first intermediate car and it is possible to secure a sufficient height for practical use from the floor face of the lead car or the first intermediate car to the ceiling.

[Advantageous Effects of Invention] [0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a train set that elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in and off and can secure a sufficient ceiling height.

[Brief Description of Drawings]

[0013] [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a passenger train according to a first embodiment.

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating an external appearance structure of a lead car.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of the lead car.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating an external appearance structure of a first intermediate car.

[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of the first intermediate car.

[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a partly sectional side view of a coupling part between the lead car and the first intermediate car.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a side view illustrating an external appearance structure of a second intermediate car.

[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of the second intermediate car.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a passenger train according to a second embodiment.

[Fig. 10] Fig. lOis a side view illustrating an external appearance structure of a third intermediate car.

[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a side view illustrating an external appearance structure of a fourth intermediate car.

[Description of Embodiments]

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0015] (1) First Embodiment (1-1) Schematic Structure of Passenger Train according to This Embodiment Fig. 1 illustrates a passenger train 1 as a whole according to this embodiment. This passenger train 1 is constructed by setting the leftmost car shown in Fig. 1 as Car No. 1 and sequentially coupling together a lead car 2 constituting Car No. 1, a first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 2, a second intermediate car 4 constituting Car No. 3, a first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 4, and a lead car 2 constituting Car No. 5.

[0016] The lead car 2 is not equipped with power sources such as an internal-combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as the engine), a generator, and a traction motor and is a passenger car located at first and last positions respectively in a train of cars (a plurality of arranged cars). The lead car 2 has an extendable current collector (hereinafter referred to as the pantograph) 5 on a roof at its end adjacent to the first intermediate car 3 in a longitudinal direction and electric power can be collected from a trolley wire (not shown in the drawing) laid in an electrified section by making this pantograph 5 come into contact with the trolley wire. Also, a main transformer Mtr for lowering the voltage of the electric power collected via the pantograph 5 to a certain voltage and an auxiliary power supply Aux for supplying the electric power to, for example, an air conditioning system, a lighting system, and a broadcasting system in the passenger train 1 are attached to an underfloor surface of the lead car 2.

[0017] On the other hand, the first intermediate car 3 and the second intermediate car 4 are passenger cars, on each of which main circuit equipment TC for controlling the number of revolutions of a traction motor is mounted on its underfloor surface and the traction motor is mounted on its truck. The generator unit GU is composed of an engine and a generator and generates electric power by using the engine to drive the generator. Moreover, the main circuit equipment TC has a function that converts the electric power supplied from the main transformer Mtr or the electric power supplied from the generator unit GU into electric power of a specified voltage and a specified frequency and supplies it to the traction motor and the auxiliary power supply Aux of the lead car 2. Furthermore, the traction motor is driven by the electric power supplied from the main circuit equipment TC and rotates and drives wheels corresponding to the relevant truck.

[0018] Consequently, this passenger train 1 can run: by using the electric power collected via the pantograph 5 in an electrified section(s) to drive the traction motor of the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4; and by using the electric power generated by each generator unit GU of the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4 in a nonelectrified section(s). As a result, the passenger train 1 can run directly through the electrified section(s) and the nonelectrified section(s).

[0019] In addition to the above-described structure, in case of this passenger train 1, the lead car 2 is formed so that a height (floor face height) h1 from a head top face of a rail 6 to a floor face 2A becomes almost the same height as that of an existing platform for a route on which the passenger train 1 is scheduled to run.

Consequently, this passenger train 1 is designed so that elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in and off the lead car 2.

[0020] On the other hand, the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4 are formed so that a height (floor face height) h2from the head top face of the rail 6 to a floor face 3A, 4A becomes slightly higher than the floor face height h1 of the lead car 2 as the generator unit GU and the main circuit equipment IC are mounted on them.

[0021] So, a slope part 3AA is provided at a longitudinal end of an aisle in the first intermediate car 3 adjacent to the lead car 2 and a floor face height of an end part of the slope part 3AA adjacent to the lead car 2 is formed to be the same height as the floor face height of the lead car 2. As a result, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs who have gotten in the lead car 2 can easily move to the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4 through a gangway footplate constituting a gangway 81 and the slope pad 3AA of the first intermediate car 3.

[0022] Furthermore, in the case of this embodiment, a longitudinal end of the lead car 2 to which the pantograph 5 is attached and which is adjacent to the first intermediate car 3 is formed so that a height (hereinafter referred to as the ceiling height) h3 from a floor face 2A to a ceiling face 2B becomes lower than a ceiling height h4 of the remaining part of the lead car 2.

[0023] In this case, this embodiment is designed as described above so that, for example, the generator unit GU and the main circuit equipment TC are not mounted on the lead car 2 and, therefore, it is possible to keep the floor face height low. So, a sufficient ceiling height h3 for practical use can be secured at the end of the lead car, to which the pantograph 5 is attached and which is adjacent to the first intermediate car 3. Accordingly, passengers can move through the end of the lead car 2 adjacent to the first intermediate car 3 without bending their back.

[0024] (1-2) Detailed Structure of Each Car Next, the detailed structure of the lead car 2, the first intermediate car 3, and the second intermediate car 4 will be explained below.

[0025] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 illustrate the detailed structure of the lead car 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the lead car 2 has a structure including: an underframe 10 constituting the floor face 2A (Fig. 1); a head body structure 11 constituting a head part of the car; a side structure 12 constituting a side face of the car; an end body structure 13 placed at the other longitudinal end of the underframe 10 opposite the head body structure 11; and a roof body structure 14 placed to cover the entire top part of the car except the head body structure 11. Also, a body bolster 15 is placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the lead car 2 at both longitudinal ends of an under surface of the structure (an under surface of the underframe 10) and a truck 16 is attached to each body bolster 15.

[0026] A crew's room 40 (Fig. 3) is provided in the lead car 2. So, a crew's entrance/exit 20 for a driver or a conductor to go in and out of the crew's room 40 is provided at both side faces of the head part of the lead car 2; and a crew's entrance/exit door 21 is attached to cover this crew's entrance/exit 20 in such a manner that it can freely open or close.

[0027] Moreover, a passenger entrance/exit 22 for passengers to go in and out of the car is placed on both side faces at both longitudinal ends of the lead car 2; and a passenger entrance/exit door 23 is attached to cover this passenger entrance/exit 22 in such a manner that it can freely open or close. Furthermore, a plurality of windows 24 are aligned side by side at a specified height in the longitudinal direction of the side structure 12 and on both side faces of the lead car 2 and a destination indicator 25 is placed at a specified position above these windows 24.

[0028] An aisle opening (not shown in the drawing) which constitutes part of an aisle is formed at a widthwise central part of an end face of the lead car 2 and a gangway bellows 26 is installed to cover the gangway 81 (see Fig. 6) provided between the lead car 2 and the first intermediate car 3.

[0029] Moreover, two air conditioning systems 27 for adjusting a temperature and humidity inside the lead car 2 and ventilating the lead car 2 are installed at positions near a longitudinal central area on the roof of the lead car 2. Furthermore, an insulator 28 for supporting electric cables (not shown in the drawing) for connecting the pantographs 5 on the respective lead cars 2 at the first and last car positions is placed at a longitudinal end of the lead car 2 on its roof adjacent to the first intermediate car 3.

[0030] Furthermore, in addition to the auxiliary power supply Aux and the main transformer Mtr mentioned earlier, for example, an air reservoir 30 storing compressed air to be supplied to an air spring (not shown in the drawing) of the truck 16, a battery box 31 for accumulating electric power to be supplied to the auxiliary power supply Aux in case of emergency, a main compressor 32 for generating the compressed air to be supplied to the air reservoir 30, and a brake module 33 for driving the brake equipment mounted on the truck 16 are mounted on the underfloor surface of the lead car 2 (the under surface of the underframe 10). Moreover, a coupler (not shown in the drawing) is placed on the underfloor surface of a longitudinal end of the lead car 2 adjacent to the first intermediate car 3 and the lead car 2 can be coupled to another car (the first intermediate car 3 in this example) via this coupler.

[0031] Fig. 3 illustrates an internal structure of the lead car 2 as seen through the top side of the lead car 2. The crew's room 40 is provided inside the lead car 2 as mentioned earlier and, for example, a driver's cab and various measuring instruments (not shown in the drawing) and a driver's seat 41 are provided in this crew's room 40.

[0032] Moreover, a space in the lead car 2 closer to the first intermediate car 3 than to the crew's room 40 is divided into a first deck area DA1 -1 having the passenger entrance/exit 22 provided closer to the crew's room 40, a saloon area SAl, and a second deck area DA1 -2 having the passenger entrance/exit 22A provided closer to the first intermediate car 3; and an automatic door 42 is placed between the first deck area DA1 -1 and the saloon area SAl and between the saloon area SAl and the second deck area DA1-2.

[0033] Then, a plurality of two-row seats 43 are set on both sides widthwise in the saloon area SAl. Moreover, a restroom 44 which a passenger in a wheelchair can use is located in the second deck area DA1 -2 and an aisle 45 is provided along this restroom 44. This aisle 45 has the same floor face height as that of the floor face 2A of the remaining area in the second deck area DA1-2, the floor face 2A of the first deck area DA1 -1, and the floor face 2A of the saloon area SAl and is formed so that its end part is connected to the gangway 81 (Fig. 6) between the aisle 45 and the first intermediate car 3.

[0034] On the other hand, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 illustrate the detailed structure of the first intermediate car 3. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the first intermediate car 3 has a structure including: an underframe 50 constituting the floor face 3A (Fig. 1); a side structure 51 constituting a side face of the car; an end body structure 52 placed at both longitudinal ends of the underframe 50; and a roof body structure 53 placed to cover the entire top part of the car Also, a body bolster 54 is placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the first intermediate car 3 at both longitudinal ends of an under surface of the structure (an under surface of the underframe 50) and a truck 55 is attached to each body bolster 15.

[0035] A passenger entrance/exit 60 for passengers to go in and out of the car is placed at both longitudinal ends of both side faces of the first intermediate car 3; and a passenger entrance/exit door 61 is attached to cover this passenger entrance/exit in such a manner that it can freely open or close. Furthermore, a plurality of windows 62 are aligned side by side at a specified height in the longitudinal direction and on both side faces of the first intermediate car 3 and a destination indicator 63 is placed at a specified position above these windows 62.

[0036] Moreover, an aisle opening (not shown in the drawing) which constitutes part of an aisle is formed at a widthwise central part of each end face of the first intermediate car 3 and a gangway bellows 64 is installed to cover the gangway 81 (see Fig. 6) provided between the lead car 2 constituting Car No. 1 and the first intermediate car 3 or a gangway (not shown in the drawing) between the second intermediate car 4 constituting Car No. 3 and the first intermediate car 3.

[0037] Furthermore, an air conditioning system 65 having the same function as that of the air conditioning system 27 (Fig. 2) of the lead car 2 is installed at both longitudinal ends of the first intermediate car 3 on its roof and a cable head 66 to which electric cables (not shown in the drawing) connecting the pantographs 5 of the respective lead cars 2 is installed at both longitudinal ends of the first intermediate car 3.

[0038] Furthermore, in addition to the auxiliary power supply Aux and the main circuit equipment TC mentioned earlier, for example, an air reservoir 70 storing compressed air to be supplied to an air spring (not shown in the drawing) of the truck 55, a fuel tank 71 storing fuel to be supplied to the engine of the generator unit GU, and a brake module 72 for driving the brake equipment mounted on the truck 55 are mounted on the underfloor surface of the first intermediate car 3 (the under surface of the underframe 50). Moreover, a coupler (not shown in the drawing) is placed on the under-floor surface of both longitudinal ends of the first intermediate car 3 and the first intermediate car 3 can be coupled to another car (the lead car 2 or the second intermediate car 4 in this example) via this coupler.

[0039] Fig. 5 illustrates an internal structure of the first intermediate car 3 as seen through the top side of the first intermediate car 3. An internal space in the first intermediate car 3 is divided into a first deck area DA2-1 having the passenger entrance/exit 60 provided closer to the lead car 2, a saloon area SA2, and a second deck area DA2-2 having the passenger entrance/exit 60 provided closer to the second intermediate car 4; and an automatic door 80 is placed between the first deck area DA2-1 and the saloon area SA2 and between the saloon area SA2 and the second deck area DA2-2.

[0040] Then, the aforementioned slope part 3AA constituting an aisle connected to the gangway 81 between the lead car 2 and the first intermediate car 3 is provided at a longitudinal end of the first deck area DA2-1 to be coupled to the head car 2 so that the floor face height of the slope part 3AA is formed to be the same height as the floor face height of the aisle 45 of the lead car 2 as illustrated in Fig. 6. This slope part 3AA is formed so that the height of the end of the first intermediate car 3 adjacent to the lead car 2 becomes the same height as that of the gangway 81 between the first intermediate car 3 and the lead car 2 (that is, the same height as the floor face height h1 of the lead car 2).

[0041] Incidentally, in the case of this embodiment, an inclination angle of the slope part 3AA is selected so that the floor face 2A of the lead car 2 and the floor face 3A of the first intermediate car 3 can be connected smoothly via an inclined plane with a horizontal distance of approximately 1 [ml to eliminate the difference in level between the floor face 2A and the floor face 3A.

[0042] Moreover, a plurality of two-row seats 82 are set on both sides widthwise in the saloon area SA2. Furthermore, an aisle 83 connected to a gangway (not shown in the drawing) provided between the first intermediate car 3 and the second intermediate car 4 is provided in a widthwise central part of the second deck area DA2-2 in the car and a restroom 84 is provided on one side of the aisle 83 in the widthwise direction of the car and a crew's room 85 is provided on the other widthwise side of the aisle 83.

[0043] Incidentally, an end of the aisle 83, which is formed as the second deck area DA2-2, adjacent to the second intermediate car 4 is not formed in a slope shape and is formed so that it has the same height as that of the floor face 3A of the remaining part of the aisle 83 in the second deck area DA2-2, the floor face 3A of the saloon area SA2, and the floor face 3A in the first deck area DA2-1 except the slope part 3AA.

[0044] Meanwhile, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 illustrate the detailed structure of the second intermediate car 4. An end of an aisle provided in the second intermediate car 4 is not formed in a slope shape and the second intermediate car 4 has almost the same structure as that of the first intermediate car 3, except that its aisle is formed as a flat plane with the same height as the remaining part of a floor face 4A.

[0045] In fact, the second intermediate car 4 has a structure including: an underframe 90 constituting the floor face 4A (Fig. 1); a side structure 91 constituting a side face of the car; an end body structure 92 placed at both longitudinal ends of the underframe 90; and a roof body structure 93 placed to cover the entire top part of the car. Also, a body bolster 94 is placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the second intermediate car 4 at both longitudinal ends of an under surface of the structure (an under surface of the underframe 90) and a truck 95 having the same structure as that of the truck 55 (Fig. 4) of the first intermediate car 3 is attached to each body bolster 94.

[0046] A passenger entrance/exit 100 for passengers to go in and out of the car is placed at both longitudinal ends of side faces of the second intermediate car 4; and a passenger entrance/exit door 101 is attached to cover this passenger entrance/exit 100 in such a manner that it can freely open or close. Furthermore, a plurality of windows 102 are aligned side by side at a specified height in the longitudinal direction and on both side faces of the second intermediate car 4 and a destination indicator 103 is placed at a specified position above these windows 102.

[0047] Moreover, an aisle opening (not shown in the drawing) which constitutes part of an aisle is formed at a widthwise central part of each end face of the second intermediate car 4 and a gangway bellows 104 is installed to cover a gangway (not shown in the drawing) provided between the second intermediate car 4 and the first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 2 or between the second intermediate car 4 and the first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 4.

[0048] Furthermore, an air conditioning system 105 having the same function as that of the air conditioning system 27 (Fig. 2) of the lead car 2 is installed at both longitudinal ends of the second intermediate car4 on its roof and a cable head 106 to which electric cables (not shown in the drawing) connecting the pantographs 5 of the respective lead cars 2 is installed at both longitudinal ends of the second intermediate car 4.

[0049] Furthermore, in addition to the generator unit GU and the main circuit equipment IC mentioned earlier, for example, an air reservoir 110 storing compressed air to be supplied to an air spring (not shown in the drawing) of the truck 95, a fuel tank 111 storing fuel to be supplied to the engine of the generator unit CU, and a brake module 112 for driving the brake equipment mounted on the truck 95 are mounted on the underfloor surface of the second intermediate car 4 (the under surface of the underframe 90). Moreover, a coupler (not shown in the drawing) is placed on the underfloor surface of both longitudinal ends of the second intermediate car 4 and the second intermediate car 4 can be coupled to another car (the first intermediate car 3 in this example) via this coupler.

[0050] Fig. 8 illustrates an internal structure of the second intermediate car 4 as seen through the top side of the second intermediate car 4. An internal space in the second intermediate car 4 is divided into a first deck area DA3-1 having the passenger entrance/exit 100 provided closer to Car No. 2, a saloon area SA3, and a second deck area DA3-2 having the passenger entrance/exit 100 provided closer to Car No. 4; and an automatic door 120 is placed between the first deck area DA3-1 and the saloon area SA3 and between the saloon area SA3 and the second deck area DA3-2.

[0051] Then, an aisle 121 connected to the gangway between the second intermediate car 4 and the first intermediate car 3 which is Car No. 2 is provided in the first deck area DA3-1. Moreover, a plurality of two-row seats 122 are set on both sides widthwise in the saloon area SA3. Furthermore, an aisle 123 connected to the gangway provided between the second intermediate car 4 and the first intermediate car 3 which is Car No. 4 is provided in a widthwise central part of the second deck area DA3-2 in the car and a restroom 124 is provided on both sides of the aisle 123 in the widthwise direction of the car.

[0052] Incidentally, in the case of the second intermediate car 4, an end of the aisle 121 in the first deck area DA3-1 adjacent to Car No. 2 and an end of the aisle 123 in the second deck area DA3-2 adjacent to Car No.4 are not formed in a slope shape and are formed so that they have the same height as that of the floor face 4A of the remaining parts in the first and second deck areas DA3-1, DA3-2 and the floor face 4A of the saloon area SA3.

[0053] (1-3) Advantageous Effects of This Embodiment Since this passenger train 1 is constructed as described above to have no difference in level between the lead car 2 and the platform, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in the lead car 2. Also, the pantograph 5 is placed on the lead car 2 whose floor face height is low and the pantograph 5 is not placed on the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4 whose floor face height is high, so that it is possible to secure a sufficient height for practical use as the ceiling height of the lead car 2 or the first and second intermediate cars 3, 4. Accordingly, if this passenger train 1 is used, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in and off the passenger train 1 and a sufficient ceiling height can be secured.

[0054] Furthermore, with this passenger train 1, only the first intermediate car 3 coupled to the lead car 2 is provided with the slope part 3AA. So, it is possible to minimize the differences in the floor face height in the passenger train 1 as a whole and, as a result, passengers can easily move within the passenger train 1.

[0055] (2) Second Embodiment Fig. 9 which shows elements corresponding to those in Fig. 1 by assigning the same reference numerals to them illustrates a passenger train 130 according to a second embodiment. This passenger train 130 is constructed by setting the leftmost car on the top row shown in Fig. 9 as Car No. 1 and sequentially coupling together a lead car 2 constituting Car No. 1, a first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 2, a second intermediate car 4 constituting Car No. 3, a third intermediate car 131 constituting Car No. 4, a first intermediate car 4 constituting Car No. 5, a fourth intermediate car 132 constituting Car No. 6, a second intermediate car 4 constituting Car No. 7, a first intermediate car 3 constituting Car No. 8, and a lead car 2 constituting Car No. 9.

[0056] Since the lead car 2, the first intermediate car 3, and the second intermediate car 4 have the same structures as those of the lead car 2, the first intermediate car 3, and the second intermediate car 4 according to the first embodiment, an explanation about them has been omitted here.

[0057] The third intermediate car 131 and the fourth intermediate car 132 have the same external appearance structure and internal structure as those of the first intermediate car 3 and the second intermediate car 4, except they have different underfloor structures.

[0058] In fact, for example, an auxiliary power supply Aux and main transformer Mtr, which have the same functions as those mounted on the lead car 2, an air reservoir 141 storing compressed air to be supplied to an air spring (not show in the drawing) of a truck 140, a main compressor 142 for generating compressed air to be supplied to an air reservoir 170, and a brake module 143 for driving brake equipment mounted on the truck 140 are attached to an the underfloor surface of the third intermediate car 131 as illustrated in Fig. 10. Also, a coupler (not show in the drawing) is placed at both longitudinal ends of the underfloor surface of the third intermediate car 131 and the third intermediate car 131 can be coupled to another car (the second intermediate car 4 in this example) via these couplers.

[0059] Furthermore, for example, an auxiliary power supply Aux having the same function as that mounted on the lead car 2, a battery box 150 for accumulating the electric power to be supplied to the auxiliary power supply Aux in case of emergency, an air reservoir 152 storing compressed air to be supplied to an air spring (not shown in the drawing) of a truck 151, and a brake module 153 for driving brake equipment mounted on the truck 151 are attached to an the underfloor surface of the fourth intermediate car 132 as illustrated in Fig. 11. Also, a coupler (not show in the drawing) is placed at both longitudinal ends of the underfloor surface of the fourth intermediate car 132 and the fourth intermediate car 132 can be coupled to another car (the second intermediate car 4 in this example) via these couplers.

[0060] Since this passenger train 130 is constructed as described above to have no difference in level between the lead car 2 and the platform in the same manner as the passenger train 1 according to the first embodiment, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in the lead car 2. Also, the pantograph 5 is placed on the lead car 2 whose floor face height is low and the pantograph 5 is not placed on the first to fourth intermediate cars 3, 4, 131, 132 whose floor face height is high, so that it is possible to secure a sufficient height for practical use as the ceiling height of the lead car 2 or the first to fourth intermediate cars 3, 4, 131, 132.

Accordingly, if this passenger train 130 is used, elderly people and passengers in wheelchairs can easily get in and off the passenger train 130 and a sufficient ceiling height can be secured.

[0061] Furthermore, with this passenger train 130 just like the passenger car 1 according to the first embodiment, only the first intermediate car 3 coupled to the lead car 2 is provided with the slope part 3AA. So, it is possible to minimize the differences in the floor face height in the passenger train 130 as a whole and, as a result, passengers can easily move within the passenger train 130.

[0062] Furthermore, regarding this passenger train 130, different devices are attached to the underfloor surfaces of the third intermediate car 131 and the fourth intermediate car 132, but the floor face height of the third intermediate car 131 and the fourth intermediate car 132 is set in line with the floor face height of the first intermediate car 3 and the second intermediate car 4, thereby making the floor face height of the intermediate cars identical to each other. Therefore, redundancy for recombining the composition of train cars enhances, it is unnecessary to design and manufacture a plurality of intermediate cars with different floor face heights, and it is accordingly possible to promote reduction of cost related to the design and manufacturing of such intermediate cars.

[0063] In addition, this passenger train 130 uses the third and fourth intermediate cars 131, 132, which are not equipped with power sources such as an engine and a generator, as intermediate cars coupled between the lead cars 2 at the first and last car positions, so that only a required amount of driving force can be obtained and a ratio of cars M having a truck equipped with a traction motor to cars T having a truck not equipped with the traction motor (MT ratio) can be easily changed as the entire passenger car 130.

[0064] (3) Other Embodiments Incidentally, the aforementioned first and second embodiments have described a case where the present invention is applied to the passenger trains 1, configured as illustrated in Fig. ito Fig. 11; however, the present invention is not limited to these examples and can be applied to a wide variety of other forms of passenger trains.

[0064] Moreover, the aforementioned and second embodiments have described a case where the horizontal-direction distance of the slope part 3AA of the first intermediate car 3 is set to approximately 1 [m]; however, the present invention is not limited to this example and various other distances can be used.

[0065] Furthermore, the aforementioned second embodiment has described a case where the passenger train 130 is composed of nine cars; however, the present invention is not limited to this example and the passenger train 130 may be composed of twelve cars by using the second intermediate cars 4, the third intermediate cars 131, and the fourth intermediate cars 132 and passenger trains may be constructed to have other car compositions.

[Industrial Applicability]

[0066] The present invention relates to a train set and can be applied to a passenger train.

[Reference Signs List] [0067] 1, 130 passenger trains; 2 lead car; 3, 4, 131, 132 intermediate cars; 2A, 3A, 4Afloorfaces; 2B ceiling; and 3AA slope part.