[IMAGE]Alstom-Helsinki-Saint-Petersburg-2.jpg[/IMAGE] On Sunday, Alstom Transport’s high-speed Pendolino trains began service on the line linking Helsinki, Finland and St. Petersburg, Russia. With a commercial speed of up to 137 mph, the four trains ordered by Karelian Trains in 2007 now link the two cities in three and a half hours, compared to the previous five-and-a-half hours. More than 300,000 passengers are expected to use this 280-mile line every year.

To meet the customer’s requirements and the extreme winter weather conditions in both countries, the bogies are equipped with devices designed to reduce the accumulation of snow and ice. The manufacturer also installed heating and air conditioning systems.

The Helsinki-St. Petersburg Pendolino is a high-speed, non-articulated multiple unit train with distributed traction. The trains are equipped with a cutting-edge technological solution, an active system that tilts the train on bends. The maximum tilt of eight degrees enables speeds on bends of 20 percent to 30 percent higher than those of classic trains while providing maximum passenger comfort and safety. They do not require any modifications to the existing tracks.

The trains were produced at Alstom’s Savigliano site in Italy. The traction systems were manufactured in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, and the bogies were made in Le Creusot, France.