Ganz MFAV

Ganz MFAV
(FAV, MillFAV, Mfav.)

MFAV motor coach no. 32 in the Mexikói road depot in 2009

Interior of an MFAV motor coach in 2011
In service 1973–present
(42–43 years)
Manufacturer underframe, bogies and carbody:
Ganz-MÁVAG Mozdony-, Vagon- és Gépgyár
Budapest,  Hungary
traction system:
Ganz Villamossági Gyár
Budapest,  Hungary
Replaced Schlick–Siemens & Halske motor coaches
Constructed prototypes:
1971
regular cars:
1971–1973,
1987
Entered service 1973
(43 years ago)
Refurbishment 1996
Number built 23
Number in service 23
Number preserved 0
Number scrapped 0
Formation MC[lower-alpha 1] only
Fleet numbers prototypes:
21–22
regular cars:
23–43
Capacity 189 passengers overall,[lower-alpha 2]
48 seats
Operator(s) Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat (BKV),
Budapest,  Hungary
(1973–now)
Depot(s) Mexikói road depot
Line(s) served M1 metro line, Budapest
Specifications
Car body construction steel
Car length carbody:
29,560 mm (97 ft 0 in)
between couplers:
30,370 mm (99 ft 8 in)
Width 2,350 mm (7 ft 9 in)
Height 2,590 mm (8 ft 6 in)
Floor height 470 mm (1 ft 7 in)
Entry level
Doors sliding doors
6 per side,
2-2-2-2-2-2
Articulated sections two
Wheel diameter 670 mm (2 ft 2 in)
Wheelbase 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in),
1,800 mm (5 ft 11 in)
Maximum speed 50 km/h (31 mph)
(currently)
60 km/h (37 mph)
(originally)
Weight 36,960 kg (40.74 short tons)
Axle load 8,650 kg (9.53 short tons)
Traction system 4 × Ganz TK 44A
Power output 4 × 66.5 kW (89.1 hp)
(=266 kW (357 hp))
Auxiliaries 24 V DC
Train heating none
Electric system(s) 600 V DC from overhead line
Current collection method electropneumatically operated pantograph
UIC classification 2'Bo'Bo'2'tr[lower-alpha 3]
Bogies pivoting
Braking system(s) electric brakes,
Knorr-Bremse BH air brakes
Safety system(s) train event recorder
Coupling system mechanical:
Alemann-type trichterkupplung
Multiple working no
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The Ganz MFAV (Hungarian pronunciation: [ɡɒnz ˈɛmfɒv]), known in official BKV records as Mfav., and alternatively known as FAV,[lower-alpha 4] or MillFAV[lower-alpha 5], is a type of metro car which was manufactured by Hungarian companies Ganz-MÁVAG Mozdony-, Vagon- és Gépgyár ("Ganz-MÁVAG Locomotive, Carriage and Machine Factory") and Ganz Villamossági Gyár ("Ganz Electric Factory"). The MFAV metro cars are articulated, 8-axle rail motor coaches with a unusual 2'Bo'Bo'2'tr axle arrangement. They are not capable of operating as electric multiple units. The cars were manufactured in Budapest between 1971 and 1973 and in 1987, and including the two prototype cars, in overall 23 units were made.

The MFAV designation resolves to Millenniumi Földalatti Vasút ("Millennial Underground Railway"), FAV and MillFAV refers to the same phrase, as the cars were specifically designed to replace the original, turn-of-century Schlick–Siemens & Halske rolling stock of Budapest's M1 metro line, a tunnel system which requires low-height vehicles. MFAV metro cars are still in active service, although their retirement has been called for. The first car entered passenger service in 1973, thus the type is now in continuous service for 42–43 years. The series carries the distinction of being an early example of fully low-floor urban rail vehicles, and also of having an overhead wire system instead of a third rail for current collection despite being designated as metro vehicles.

Design and manufacturing

The MFAV cars are based on the CSMG tramcars, but the geometrical constraints of the M1 metro line forced Ganz to modify the existing design in unique ways, such as moving the electric subsystems into the articulations between the body sections to achieve fully low-floor vehicles. From the four bogies of the cars, the inner two are driven, which, due to the weight distribution over the bogies, gives the vehicles better traction dynamics.

Eventually MFAV metro cars were produced in two production runs, these are shown in the following table.

Production run Production years Production numbers Fleet numbers Notes
MFAV prototypes 1971 2 21–22
MFAV first batch 1971–1973 19 23–41
MFAV second batch 1987 2 42–43 originally 4 were planned

References and notes

  1. ↑ MC stands for motor coach
  2. ↑ assuming 5 passengers/m²
  3. ↑ the UIC axle arrangement classification appendix "tr" officially denotes a tram vehicle
  4. ↑ FAV: [fɒv]
  5. ↑ MillFAV: [ˈmilːfɒv]

    See also

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/11/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.