The VAL 206 is one of the VAL series, an

automated guideway transit An automated guideway transit (AGT) or automated fixed-guideway transit or automatic guideway transit system is a type of fixed guideway transit infrastructure with a riding or suspension track that supports and physically guides one or more dr ...

system manufactured by

Matra Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a French industrial conglomerate. During its years of operation, it was engaged in a wide range of business activities, primarily focused around automobiles, bicycles, aeronautics and we ...

. Because it uses rubber tires, it is suitable for applications that require high acceleration / deceleration. The 206 classification comes from the fact that the width of the vehicle is . The train is two-car formation. It is unmanned operation, but it can also be operated manually as needed. It was succeeded by the VAL 208.

Overview

Because of automatic operation, the delay is small, the train density can be increased. On the other hand, since this train is basically a two-car train, it is suitable for low-population areas and medium-sized cities.

Interior

Although the vehicle is small, the window is large, so it is a car with open feeling. Air conditioning is not installed. Plastics are widely used for many parts, but doors and handrail are made of stainless steel. The color tone inside the car varies depending on the railway operator.

Traction equipments

The control system is a chopper control system using a GTO thyristor and drives a direct current motor. The traction motor is body mounted, and the power is transmitted via the

Cardan joint A universal joint (also called a universal coupling or U-joint) is a joint or coupling connecting rigid shafts whose axes are inclined to each other. It is commonly used in shafts that transmit rotary motion. It consists of a pair of hinges lo ...

and the

hypoid gear A spiral bevel gear is a bevel gear with helical teeth. The main application of this is in a vehicle differential, where the direction of drive from the drive shaft must be turned 90 degrees to drive the wheels. The helical design produces less ...

Operators

References

*http://fbrisou.free.fr/RAIL21/FicheVAL206.pdf *https://documents.epfl.ch/users/a/al/allenbac/www/documents/Fich0681.pdf

External links

{{commons category-inline Electric multiple units of France Alstom multiple units 750 V DC multiple units