VAL 208

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13.07 m (42 ft 10+5⁄8 in)Width2.08 m (6 ft 9+7⁄8 in)Height3.27 m (10 ft 8+3⁄4 in)(without air conditioning)
3.7 m (12 ft 1+5⁄8 in)(with air conditioning)Doors3 per sideMaximum speed80 km/h (50 mph)Traction systemIGBT ChopperTraction motors8 × MTS-14 65 kW (87 hp) brushless DC synchronous motorPower output520 kW (700 hp)TransmissionParallel Cardan driveAcceleration1.3 m/s² (4.3 ft/s²)Deceleration1.3 m/s² (4.3 ft/s²)Power supply750 V DC third railBogiesSF-VAL208Safety system(s)ATC (ATO)Track gauge1,620 mm (5 ft 4 in)

The VAL 208 is one of the VAL series, an automated guideway transit system developed by Matra and Siemens. The vehicles are manufactured at Siemens SGP (Simmering-Graz-Pauker) in Vienna, Austria.

It has been adopted by multiple railway operators since 2000.

The number 208 in the name comes from the fact that the width of the vehicle is 208 cm (6 ft 9+7⁄8 in).

In the successor to VAL 206, the system is compatible with VAL 206. Normally, automatic operation is performed, but it is possible for the driver to manually operate as necessary.

Overview

Because of automatic operation^{[citation needed]}, 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. Due to the relatively cooler and less humid climate of Europe, air conditioning is not included in the basic specification, but is installed only on the Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit rolling stock in South Korea.

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 traction control system equips Low-voltage IGBT Chopper control.

The traction motor adopted Alstom's brushless DC motor. The traction motor was self-ventilated, mounted on bogie. It is mounted inside each wheel, and the power from the traction motor is transmitted via the planetary gear and the Cardan joint mechanism.

VAL208NG

A minor change has been done several times in VAL 208, and a major change in specification was made in VAL 208 NG which is a minor change car in 2006. Specific changes are as follows.

Abolition of VAL 208 logo
Abolition of the Matra logo that was on the door
Reduction of noise by reviewing traction motor specifications
Change of structure of the door
Weight saving

Use of the VAL208

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2022)

Country	Locality	Operator	Type	Remarks
France	Paris(Charles de Gaulle Airport)	Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport(CDGVAL)	VAL208NG VAL208NG2
	Lille	Transpole(Lille Metro)	VAL208
	Rennes	STAR(Rennes Metro)	VAL208 VAL208NG VAL208NG2
	Toulouse	Tisséo(Toulouse Metro)	VAL208 VAL208NG VAL208NG2
Italy	Turin	GTT(Turin Metro)	VAL208 VAL208NG
South Korea	Uijeongbu	Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit(U Line)	VAL208NG	The only air conditioned