Thalys PBKA is a high-speed trainset, manufactured by the French company GEC-Alsthom, and used on the international Eurostar service. Originally built for Thalys (which later merged with Eurostar) they were intended to operate between Paris, Brussels, Köln (English: Cologne) and Amsterdam, forming the abbreviation PBKA. They were initially intended to be sole rolling stock of the service, but their extreme cost and complexity due to their quadri-current capability led the order of a simpler tri-current sister class, the Thalys PBA, a TGV Réseau derivative, with which they can work in multiple (coupled together).
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| Thalys PBKA | |
|---|---|
 Thalys PBKA at Eilendorf. | |
 Interior of Comfort (1st class) coach. | |
| In service | 1998–present |
| Manufacturer | GEC-Alsthom |
| Family name | TGV |
| Constructed | 1995–1998 |
| Number built | 17 trainsets |
| Formation | 2 power cars + 8 passenger cars |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Capacity | 404 seats (120 first class, 284 second class) |
| Operators | Eurostar |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 200 m (656 ft 2 in) |
| Maximum speed | 320 km/h (199 mph) (design) 300 km/h (186 mph) (service) |
| Weight | 383 t (844,000 lb) |
| Power output |
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| Electric system(s) | |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| Safety system(s) | ERTMS level 2, TVM-430, KVB, ATB |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The PBKA trains are quadri-current, capable of operating under the same systems as the PBA sets: 25 kV 50 Hz AC (France), 3,000 V DC (Belgium) and 1,500 V DC (the Netherlands and parts of France), but with the addition of 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC (Germany).
They are a member of Alstom's TGV family of trains. Each set has a power car on each end with three first class cars, a bar car, and four second class cars in between.[1] The trains are 200 m (656 ft 2 in) in length, weighing a total of 383 tonnes (844,000 lb) with 404 seats (120 first class, 284 second class).[2]
Their maximum speed in regular service is 300 km/h (186 mph) with 8,800 kW (11,801 hp) under 25 kV AC, 200 km/h (124 mph) with 5,160 kW (6,920 hp) under 15 kV AC, and 220 km/h (137 mph) with 3,680 kW (4,935 hp) under 1,500 or 3,000 V DC.[3][2]
Seventeen trains were ordered: nine purchased by National Railway Company of Belgium, two by Deutsche Bahn of Germany, six by SNCF of France and two by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Fleet details
See also
References
External links
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