[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] A full-scale mock-up of the railway vehicle for the GTX (Great Train Express) A line, which runs from Paju Unjeong to Dongtan in Gyeonggi Province, will be unveiled.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 19th that an exhibition of the GTX-A railway vehicle mock-up will be held from the 20th of this month until the 6th of next month.
This evaluation event was organized to gather diverse opinions from the general public on the overall vehicle, including interior and exterior, before the full-scale production of the GTX-A vehicle, which will operate underground at a depth of over 40 meters, the first of its kind in Korea.
The vehicle to be showcased at the exhibition is a life-sized GTX-A vehicle mock-up created last August and September based on feedback from experts and citizens. Considering that it will operate at high speeds of up to 180 km/h in deep underground tunnels, the exterior incorporates curves to convey a refreshing sense of speed.
To reduce noise, six single-leaf doors (three on each side) similar to those applied on the KTX were installed per car, and the interior seat width was increased to 480 mm from the previous 450 mm. Large information displays were installed to enhance convenience and sophistication.
The exhibition will be held at three locations: Dongtan Yeoul Park in Osan-dong, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province; Suseo Station parking lot in Suseo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul; and Kintex Culture Park in Janghang-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si.
The exhibition is open to all citizens, but will be conducted in strict compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Visitors can directly inspect the exterior, driver's cabin, and passenger compartments through the life-sized mock-up, and also check the interior materials such as flooring, seat cushions, and insulation materials that will be used in the actual vehicles.
Following this exhibition, the GTX-A vehicle design will be completed by September, with production starting in October to meet the scheduled opening date.
Kim Seontae, Director of the Railway Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We will incorporate the opinions gathered at the exhibition to create vehicles that satisfy the public," adding, "We will also make every effort to ensure the production of safe vehicles that citizens can ride with confidence."
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