ICE (original) (raw)
''ICE also stands for:
- internal combustion engine.
- Information and Content Exchange Protocol.
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The ICE (Inter-City Express) is a type of high-speed train operated by Deutsche Bahn AG in Germany and to neighboring countries, for example to Amsterdam, Netherlands (but not running at high speed in the Netherlands).
At both ends of the train there is a passenger compartment (on one side 1st, on the other side 2nd class) with a view on the tracks, due to transparency of the glass wall separating the compartment from the driver's cabin. In special circumstances the driver can make the wall opaque by the press of a button.
There is also a compartment with a play area for children.
Equipment and specifications
ICE equipment is manufactured by an industrial consortium led by Siemens AG.
ICE trains require special high-speed tracks to run at high speeds, but can run on normal tracks at normal speeds.
| equipment | max. enginepower | top speedtested | top speed in regular service | introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| original ICE | test configuration 361 km/hfull train 310 km/h | 280 km/h | 1991 | |
| 2nd generation (ICE2) | 4.8 MW | full train 310 km/h | 280 km/h | 1996 |
| 3rd generation (ICE3) | full train 368 km/h | 350 km/h in Spain300 km/h in Germany | 2000 | |
| ICE-T | 4.0 MW | full train 253 km/h | 230 km/h | 1998 |
ICE-T
The ICE-T version, also called ICT, is a tilting train capable of running at 230 km/h on normal, pre-existing tracks.
See also TGV - Thalys - Eschede train disaster.