China-developed train rolls off, to be put into operation in Malaysia

CHANGSHA -- A meter-gauge train rolled off the production line on Friday at CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd in Central China's Hunan province.

It is the third generation of meter-gauge train independently developed by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) for Malaysia's Electric Train Service (ETS). It will be placed into operation on the west coast of Malaysia, with a total line length of about 950 kilometers.

The ETS3 train will greatly increase the passenger capacity and operational efficiency in the local rail transit network, promoting the modernization of Malaysia's rail transit.

According to Ren Zewen, an electrical designer with CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd the train adopts a 6-car formation, providing 312 seats, with a running speed of 160 kilometers per hour and a minimum turning radius of 100 meters.

Compared with the previous generation, the train has stronger power and larger battery capacity, Ren said.

The train is equipped with an intelligent driver assistance system, which can provide more economical driving strategies based on intelligent analysis of the line environment. The train's collision and fire safety performance has reached an internationally advanced level.

The high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Malaysia has made great achievements in the field of rail transport, which has greatly benefited the two countries and the two peoples, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said at the launch ceremony.