To work alongside the passenger trains hauled by class 202 and 203 locomotives, as well as the Orbis 500 and Orbis 530 HST 
sets, Project Aurora, (a ficticious operator based in Europe near to the Channel Tunnel entrance), has taken delivery of a 
number of Orbis sets, these sets are used primarily on the long distance services serving EC Capital cities, though not 
London, as the Orbis sets are unable to work the UK because of the length of the cars. with the 400km/h plus top speed of 
these sets, they are proving popular with business travellers who need to get between capital cities in Europe. Project 
Aurora operates its Orbis 520 sets on the Lisbon to Prague route<br>
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Primary differences between the 520 and the 500 Orbis sets are the slightly longer power cars, which have a different nose 
section, and the panoramic restaurant windows, allowing diners to have a better view as they sit down for their meals in 
the restaurant car.  As with other Orbis sets, pasengers get airline seats and headrests with TV screens in them.<br>
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having articulated axles sets means that the Orbis trains can cope with quite tight corners, despite having 5 axles per 
wheel set, this is useful when traversing the Ural mountains in Russia, as the curves there are quite tight. Project 
Aurora's Orbis sets are packed with technology, the two cockpits are fully electronic, CRT displays and Plasma screens 
form the displays, rather than old school dials. 


Mark Wilkes. e-mail: megazone23_uk@hotmail.com