on Alstom's site:

http://www.transport.alstom.com/home...=EN&dir=/home/

"At the heart of the train architecture is Bogie Offset Articulation which
reduces the number of bogies by up to 30%, allowing the carriages to be
shorter and wider and thus optimize the vehicle gauge. This in turn creates
more passenger space and comfort. A wide, uninterrupted aisle and spacious
gangways are created throughout the train, improving the feeling of security
for passengers as well as mobility."

"Safety onboard is increased as the energy absorption areas are concentrated
in the elongated front end of the train rather than between carriages,
making these areas safer for passengers and crew."

"The door configuration is geared to reduce stopping times at stations by
making the boarding and alighting process more efficient, particularly on
high-density routes. Two sets of double doors are situated in the centre of
each carriage, providing 25% more doors than a conventional trainset, per
equivalent length. The shorter carriages of X`Trapolis are also closer to
platform edges, especially when these are curved, reducing the stepping
distance from train to platform by almost half."

I reckon there could be some debate about the door setup, I don't see how
two sets of double doors in the centre of each carriage provides 25% more
doors than a 1/3 - 2/3 set up, unless of course the carriages are somewhat
shorter than 20m...

Alstom themselves don't explicitly mention Thameslink/Crossrail, but
according to the FT:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6dfe18d8-a...44feabdc0.html

This closely follows Siemens and Bombardiers offerings, the Thameslink
decision is imminent IIRC...

Paul S

"Paul Scott" wrote in message
news snip
I reckon there could be some debate about the door setup, I don't see
how two sets of double doors in the centre of each carriage provides
25% more doors than a 1/3 - 2/3 set up, unless of course the
carriages are somewhat shorter than 20m...

Yes, as with any articulated train, the carriages will be much shorter
than the equivalent non-articulated version. Think of two sets of double
doors between *each* pair of bogies, rather than alternate pairs of
bogies.

Recliner wrote:
"Paul Scott" wrote in message
news snip
I reckon there could be some debate about the door setup, I don't see
how two sets of double doors in the centre of each carriage provides
25% more doors than a 1/3 - 2/3 set up, unless of course the
carriages are somewhat shorter than 20m...

Yes, as with any articulated train, the carriages will be much shorter
than the equivalent non-articulated version. Think of two sets of
double doors between *each* pair of bogies, rather than alternate
pairs of bogies.

Indeed, if my maths is right, they'll be using 15 x 16m individual vehicles
(average - cos the end cars will be longer and 'crumplier'), in a 240m full
length unit (FLU), 10 in the 160m RLU...

Paul S

Recliner coughed up some electrons that declared:

"Paul Scott" wrote in message
news snip
I reckon there could be some debate about the door setup, I don't see
how two sets of double doors in the centre of each carriage provides
25% more doors than a 1/3 - 2/3 set up, unless of course the
carriages are somewhat shorter than 20m...

Yes, as with any articulated train, the carriages will be much shorter
than the equivalent non-articulated version. Think of two sets of double
doors between *each* pair of bogies, rather than alternate pairs of
bogies.

Is that the best picture they could do:

http://www.transport.alstom.com/home...5583_59675.jpg

?

"Hans-Joachim Zierke" wrote in message
. com
Paul Scott schrieb:


"At the heart of the train architecture is Bogie Offset Articulation
which reduces the number of bogies by up to 30%, allowing the
carriages to be shorter and wider and thus optimize the vehicle
gauge.

That would only be true, if the /bogie/ distance is shorter, or do
they use two turning points on the articulation joint?

I think you get this genuine advantage by having the articulation joint
significantly offset from the bogie pivot point. Effectively, on a
curve, the body moves outward so the inside part of the body that would
otherwise foul a platform or tunnel is moved away from it, so the body
can be made wider.

On Sep 16, 3:43*pm, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
on Alstom's site:

http://www.transport.alstom.com/home...ageId=EN&dir=/....

"At the heart of the train architecture is Bogie Offset Articulation which
reduces the number of bogies by up to 30%, allowing the carriages to be
shorter and wider and thus optimize the vehicle gauge. This in turn creates
more passenger space and comfort. A wide, uninterrupted aisle and spacious
gangways are created throughout the train, improving the feeling of security
for passengers as well as mobility."

"Safety onboard is increased as the energy absorption areas are concentrated
in the elongated front end of the train rather than between carriages,
making these areas safer for passengers and crew."

"The door configuration is geared to reduce stopping times at stations by
making the boarding and alighting process more efficient, particularly on
high-density routes. Two sets of double doors are situated in the centre of
each carriage, providing 25% more doors than a conventional trainset, per
equivalent length. The shorter carriages of X`Trapolis are also closer to
platform edges, especially when these are curved, reducing the stepping
distance from train to platform by almost half."

I reckon there could be some debate about the door setup, I don't see how
two sets of double doors in the centre of each carriage *provides 25% more
doors than a 1/3 - 2/3 set up, unless of course the carriages are somewhat
shorter than 20m...

Alstom themselves don't explicitly mention Thameslink/Crossrail, but
according to the FT:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6dfe18d8-a...44feabdc0.html

This closely follows Siemens and Bombardiers offerings, the Thameslink
decision is imminent IIRC...

Paul S

Looks a bit daft to me. Why not just have one huge door in the centre
rather than two? For reasons of structural integrity perhaps? I'd say
the end cars don't need double doors either.