1. Technical

2. Operation
    Exports 

3. See also

4. References

5. External links

X2 is the Swedish high speed train system operated by the operator SJ (Swedish Railways) under the SJ 2000 brand name. It has a top commercial speed of {{convert|200|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, but has reached {{convert|276|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} in a test. The reason the X2 was chosen was that Sweden (like most other countries) has very curved railways, and not enough traffic to justify building special high-speed railway lines (at least before 1990). As a result, a Swedish tilting train had to be developed. A tilting train provided the advantages of high speed and comfort for the passengers, as tilting trains can run through sharp (short radius or tight) curves up to 15% faster than non-tilting trains. The X2 was designed and built by Asea (later ABB Asea Brown Boveri, Adtranz ABB Daimler Benz Transportation and now Bombardier Transportation).

SJ ordered 20 trainsets in August 1986 and planned to order further 30 trainsets. However, this figure was later reduced to only 43 trainsets.

Technical

The X2 was designed for old main lines with tight curves and with continuously welded rails (the train has a maximum axle load of {{convert|17|t|1}}, which causes large forces on the track). However, since 1990 a lot of new high speed lines have been constructed in Sweden, both upgraded lines and new lines. These upgraded or new lines always have ATC, continuously welded rails on concrete sleepers and no crossings with road and rail at the same level. The tilting function is not used on these lines.

The max power continuous output of the locomotive is {{convert|3260|kW|hp|abbr=on}}, which is comparatively low for a fast train. It also enabled SJ to say that it does not consume more power at {{convert|200|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} than older Rc- locomotive hauled trains at {{convert|130|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.

Operation

The X2 trains have mostly run at the X 2000 service level, but have periodically been used for Linx traffic (from 2000–2004) as well as regional services, for which fewer coaches were used to improve acceleration.

Each train also have a UB2X coach with a driver's place, and a URB2 coach with a simple restaurant.

In the beginning there were many more UA2 first class coaches than UB2 second class coaches. But after a decision that state employees should normally use second class for train journeys in their works instead of first class something many companies followed, many UA2 have been rebuilt into UB2.

Exports

At the beginning, SJ believed there would be a high number of exported X2-trains. Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, France, China, Australia, Portugal and the US were mentioned as candidates. Only one X2 trainset was exported (China), which was initially supposed to been given the number 2044, but due to the fact that the number "4" sounds the same as the word for "death" in the Chinese language, it was renumbered as 2088, of which the number "8" symbolises luck in Chinese culture.^[1]

An X2 train was also loaned to the American rail operator Amtrak in 1992-93 and to the Australian operator CountryLink in 1995 for evaluation, but neither operator bought any X2- trains.^[2] The X2 was also tested in Norway and Germany. There were competitors which had lower price, including Pendolino and ICE T.

See also

• List of high speed trains
• X 2000

References

• Spec Sheet; French

External links

• {{Commonscat-inline|ASEA X2}}

• The Globe Works, Accrington
• The Glockenspiel
• The Glo Friends Save Christmas
• The Glo-Friends Save Christmas
• The GLO Friends Save Christmas
• The Glorification of the Virgin
• The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763–1789
• The Glorious Dead
• The Glorious Dead (album)
• The Glorious Dead (Album)
• The Glorious Dead (disambiguation)
• The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot
• The Glorious Lady
• The Glorious Land
• The Glorious Mission
• The Glorious Missions
• The Glorious PC Gaming Master Race
• The Glorious Revolution EP
• The Glorious Revolution (EP)
• The Glorious Revolution of 1688
• The Glorious Unfolding
• The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932-1972
• The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America 1932-1972
• The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932–1972
• The Glory Box (Australian band)