X 2000

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The trains were initially used sparingly to avoid breakdowns. From 1995 the trains were used more intensively and second class was introduced.

The train's designated top speed is 210 km/h (but during a trial in 1993 it reached 276 km/h), but the maximum allowed speed in regular traffic is 200 km/h (125 mph) for safety reasons, as it shares the track with regular trains and as most of the lines it uses were built in the mid to late 19th century. The speed may not be very impressive compared to other high-speed trains, but the X2000 cuts journey times by about a quarter, compared to regular trains, enough to make it competitive with airlines on many routes. It typically averages about 150 km/h (90 mph). The fastest part is Katrineholm - Skövde, a distance of 180 km (approximately 112 miles) that is covered in 1h 2min, resulting in an average speed of 174.2 km/h (108.74 mph).

In 2000-2004, seven trains were operated by Linx on the lines Oslo-Göteborg-Malmö-København and Oslo-Stockholm. Linx was a joint venture between SJ and its Norwegian counterpart NSB. It was wound up when SJ wanted to move the trains to more profitable lines in Sweden. Low-fares airlines also played a part in siphoning off passengers from the comparatively slow Linx services, the main ones taking well in excess of three hours.

All trains are equipped with wireless LANs for passenger access to the Internet and repainted grey as of 2005. The trains also have electric power supply sockets at all seats in both first and second class. The trains have been fitted with repeaters to improve mobile phone reception.

Impact on the railway

The train has had a major effect on SJ and the country's railway. More passengers, together with the lower operating costs associated with operating trains faster and more efficiently, helped SJ become profitable.

It also proved to Swedes that rail is a viable solution not just in exotic densely populated foreign countries, but also at home in Sweden. In 1991, the government started a massive investment program, spending 5-10 billion kronor annually on improvements to the rail network. The program continues today. A milestone was reached in the late nineties when the number of trips taken by train in Sweden exceeded the 1940s level for the first time.

New links built since 1990 include the Oresund bridge, the Arlanda Airport link, Södertälje-Huddinge, Söderhamn-Enånger, Varberg-Kungsbacka and Helsingborg-Lund. The X 2000 train undoubtedly contributed to building public support for these large projects.

The fast growing popularity of the trains has however created problems with capacity. The time taken for the X2000 trains are longer in 2008 than in 2000. For Stockholm-Malmö the fastest train takes 21 minutes more time than in 2000. It is the congestion on the railways that impedes the fast trains, especially the prioritized fastest connections. The railways are used by fast X2000 trains, slower passenger trains, and much slower freight trains.

Services

The X 2000 network consists of the following lines:

*Stockholm–Falun, calling at Arlanda, Uppsala, Sala (only a few trains), Avesta centrum, Hedemora (only a few trains), Säter (only a few trains), Borlänge and Falun
*Stockholm–Göteborg, calling at Flemingsberg or Södertälje Syd, Katrineholm or Hallsberg, Skövde, Herrljunga (only a few trains), Alingsås (sometimes) and Göteborg
*Stockholm–Jönköping, calling at Flemingsberg, Norrköping, Linköping, Tranås, Nässjö and Jönköping
*Stockholm–Karlstad, calling at Södertälje Syd, Katrineholm, Hallsberg, Degerfors, Kristinehamn and Karlstad
*Stockholm–Malmö, with some trains continuing to Copenhagen, calling at Flemingsberg or Södertälje Syd, Katrineholm (only a few trains), Norrköping, Linköping, Mjölby (sometimes), Nässjö, Alvesta, Hässleholm, Lund and Malmö. Trains that continue to Copenhagen also call at Copenhagen Airport and Copenhagen Central Station

Overseas appearances

The manufacturer of X 2000 has tried to sell the train to other countries than Sweden, but with mixed success. In connection with the sales attempts the train was tested and demonstrated in some countries.

An X 2000 trainset toured the United States in 1993 on lease to Amtrak. It was used for a few runs on the Northeast Corridor between New York City and Washington, DC, and was taken around the 48 continental states for demonstration stops at significant stations. It also toured parts of Canada. [cite news| author=Vantuono, William C.| url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1215/is_n6_v194/ai_13982108| title=Touring the Empire Corridor with the X2000 - high-speed train starts cross-country tour in New York State| publisher=Railway Age| date=June 1993| accessdate=2006-07-31| ]

In 1995, CountryLink (the regional operator in New South Wales, Australia), hired three X 2000 cars for evaluation purposes. The trains were towed by a modified XPT power car/locomotive and were in service from Sydney to Canberra for two months. [cite web| url=http://www.railpage.org.au/xpt/x2000.html| title=X2000 in Australia| accessmonthday=20 May | accessyear=2006| date=14 January 2002]

China also purchased an X 2000 train named "Xinshisu". The train was served Guangshen railway from 1998 and 2007. It was delivered to Sichuan Province in August 2007.

References

External links

* [http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/sweden X2000 technology]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY-PYqf7fJc YouTube clip of X2000]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRP4xc0-mSo&fmt=18 YouTube clip of passing X2000 train]