Newleaf Rail Class 374

The Newleaf Island Class 374 are a class of fifty high speed electric multiple units used on high-speed services across Newleaf Island, operated by InterCity, from 2016 onwards. The first thirty Class 374/1s have so far been delivered, with the remaining twenty on order. A further thirty higher speed, bi-mode Class 374/2s are on order.

The Class 374/1s are 200mph electric multiple units, while the Class 374/2s are 230mph bi-mode electro-diesel multiple units. Both are members of the Siemens Velaro family of trains, which also includes the almost identical British Rail Class 374/0s, as well as other trains used throughout Europe and Asia.

History
The first fifty Class 374/1s were ordered in 2012 for use on the future  high-speed rail network across Newleaf Island. The first unit, 374101, was completed early in 2015 and entered testing on the first high speed line in March 2015. High speed services were launched in stages from January 2016, utilising the Class 374 units.

The Class 374/1s are identical to the Class 374/0 trains used on Eurostar services in the United Kingdom, Belgium and France, except that they have four extra carriages (taking the total to twenty) and are formed of fixed rakes of single electric multiple units, rather than pairs of half-sets semi-permanently coupled together. They have a top speed of 200mph.

Class 374/2
In March 2016, a further thirty Class 374s were ordered for service from 2017 onwards on high speed services between Newleaf Island and the United Kingdom through the Scilly Tunnel, due to open from that date.

Designated as subclass 374/2, they are largely identical to the initial batch of 374/1s, with two main differences. The 374/2 units have an increased top speed of 230mph, making them the fastest trains in service in the world. The increased top speed takes advantage of the higher line speed through the Scilly Tunnel than on standard Newleaf Island high speed lines.

Additionally, the 374/2s are to be fitted with small diesel-electric engines that can power the train up to 125mph, making the 374/2s Newleaf Island's first bi-mode units. The diesel engines will be used on non-electrified sections of the Great Western Main Line in the United Kingdom, allowing services to London to be launched before the GWML electrification is completed. Additionally, the diesel engines can be used in emergencies, such as a power failure inside the tunnel.

The new InterCity services to the United Kingdom are to be branded as the "InterCity 230", referencing the trains' 230mph top speed while harking back to the British Rail-era InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 branding used on British Rail Class 43 and 91 trains respectively.