Test Campaign Carried Out for REGIOLIS LEX type approval
CEVA (Cornavin – Eaux-Vives – Annemasse) is a project targeting a cross-border rail link between France and Switzerland.
For this project, ALSTOM has developed the LEX (Leman Express), a special version of its self-propelled REGIOLIS trainset suitably adapted and with a modified electric traction chain to cater to the 15,000-volt a.c. power supplies used on Swiss infrastructure.
For its part, Eurailtest was commissioned to carry out an additional type approval campaign, including fitting the train with the requisite measuring equipment and organising the necessary test runs.
The first runs took place in August 2017 on the test ring at Velim in the Czech Republic. These comprised tests on uplift and electromagnetic compatibility with input from LEM / IP ME / AEF, who also carried out the type approval campaign on the French national rail network (RFN).
Representative sections of the RFN were duly identified and compliance/current collection quality measurements performed. The interference currents generated by the trainset were also assessed for the different electric traction modes.
The tests proved a resounding success in that it was possible to demonstrate that trainset was technically fully compliant with French requirements. These findings, and the results to be produced for Switzerland, will together enable the authorities of the two countries to issue permission at end 2019 for the train to enter revenue service.