Introduction of the Circular Line’s EMUs
- Source: Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government
- Date: 2017-9-28
The Circular line, after the Wenhu line, is the second driver-less, medium-capacity MRT system, yet the Circular line's train has a steel-wheel type which is different from the Wenhu line's rubber-tyred wheel and is being adopted for the first time domestically. The construction of the Circular line is being implemented by phases. The on-going Circular line phase I, spanning 15.4 km, comprises 14 stations and one depot. The Circular line's 17 train cars each consists of four carriages with a total of 68 carriages manufactured by Hitachi Rail Italy.
Maintaining the pursuit of excellence, DORTS has adopted advanced techniques and concepts in the design of the Circular line's train car, which features a streamlined shape with a 20 degree-tilted car front design and enlarged windows for widening passengers' views, and shows sparkling visual effects. In addition, the interior and exterior colors of the train cars identify with the integrated design of public artwork, so as to forge an MRT system with an eye-catching style. Spacious interiors with friendly designed facilities provide passengers with a safe, comfortable, and pleasant riding environment, such as a vertical seating configuration which provides passengers with enough space for standing and moving easily in the train, wheelchairs and priority seats for those who need them; along with Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and fire detection for enhancing riding and operational safety.
As the connecting design in the heavy-capacity system, gangways are designed to connect each car in the Circular line's EMUs. Each car measures 17m long, 2.65m wide, and 3.6m high, and the total length of each EMU is 68m long with four compartments which serve regularly in peak and off-peak hours. It can carry 650 passengers at the shortest headway of 90 sec., and the transport capacity reaches 26,000 one way passenger trips per hour.
Communication-based Train Control (CBTC) is adopted for the line's driver-less operation via Automatic Train Control (ATC) and the monitor of the control center to conduct the line’s driver-less operation--Automatic Train Operation (ATO), Automatic Train Protection (ATP), and Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) functions.
As the Circular line construction is in full swing, the line will extend to link the existing medium- and high-capacity MRT lines to form a comprehensively dense MRT network, which signifies that the line will connect with the existing lines and usher in the new routes as an important mission in the MRT construction.