Tangier-Kenitra HSL Tests

Since the start of the year, the teams at Eurailtest’s laboratories, together with Systra experts, have been contributing to speed ramp-up tests with one of Morocco’s future revenue service high-speed trainsets (RGV) specially fitted for the purpose with the necessary measuring devices.

The process consists of testing line behaviour under the effects of the dynamic loads exerted by high-speed trains. The test campaign has been designed to check the compliance of the line’s installations and demonstrate its ability to cater to revenue operations at 320 km/h in complete safety. Tests are performed for specific speed bands, starting from 160 km/h and gradually working up to the revenue speed required to obtain certification (320 km/h) plus a margin of 10%, i.e. 352 km/h.

Measurements mainly concern the quality of the track, vertical and lateral acceleration and current collection quality judged against the number of electrical arcs at the pantograph.

All this input is to be used for compiling the various documents to be submitted to the Moroccan authorities to obtain permission for the train to be commissioned in revenue service.

This project, now nearing completion, is a combination of a new HSL, new rolling stock and a variety of clients and is the opportunity for Eurailtest and its laboratories to raise their profile on the international railway testing scene.