South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Co., the locomotive and rolling stock unit of Hyundai Motor Group, said Tuesday it has succeeded in developing a running gear that will enable trains to run on sharp-curved roads.

With the new system, trains can drive on severely curved, narrow railway tracks with a mere 15-meter curve radius in busy downtown areas, according to the company. It is the world’s first development of its kind, the company claimed. Existing running gears can allow railway vehicles to run on tracks with a curve radius of more than 25 meters.

A running gear is a core part of vehicles consisting of components including wheels and axles that support the vehicle and transmit the vehicle drive.

Hyundai Rotem has made all-out efforts to develop the technology for five years since 2014 as a part of the state-funded project for the development of core technologies for near-surface urban railway vehicles systems.

The company expects the new running gear will allow various types of railway vehicles, including trams, to run in crowded downtown areas with ease and help reduce construction costs. An official at Hyundai Rotem added that the new system will help significantly reduce noise from running and extend the life of wheels and tracks.

Meanwhile, KB Securities in a report on Tuesday revised up Hyundai Rotem’s stock price target to 28,000 won ($25.25) from 21,000 won, citing possible winning of railway orders from North Korea. But it revised its investment opinion from “Buy” to “Hold” because of a risk that the two Koreas could fail to proceed the railway project in the North.

On Tuesday, shares of Hyundai Rotem closed down 5.18 percent at 31,100 won.

By Hwang Soon-min and Lee Ha-yeon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]