TGV

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For the group of heart conditions referred to as TGV, see Transposition of the great vessels.
For the chain of cinemas in Malaysia, see Tanjong Golden Village.

The logo of the TGV.

TGV Duplex in Paris, Gare de Lyon.

The TGV (train à grande vitesse, French for "high-speed train") is France's high-speed rail
service developed by GEC-Alsthom (now Alstom) and SNCF, the French national rail operator,
and operated primarily by SNCF. Following the inaugural TGV service between Paris and Lyon
in 1981, the TGV network, centred on Paris, has expanded to connect cities across France and in
adjacent countries. It holds the record for the fastest wheeled train, having reached 574.8 km/h
(357 mph) on 3 April 2007,[1][2] and also holds the world's highest average speed for a regular
passenger service. TGV is a registered trademark of SNCF.

The success of the first line led to an expansion of the network, with new lines built in the south,
west, north and east of the country. Eager to emulate the success of the French network,
neighbouring countries such as Belgium, Italy, Spain and Germany built their own high-speed
lines. TGVs link with Switzerland through the French network, with Belgium, Germany and the
Netherlands through the Thalys network, and the Eurostar network links France and Belgium
with the United Kingdom. Several lines are planned, including extensions within France and to
surrounding countries. Towns such as Tours have become a part of a "TGV commuter belt".
TGV trainsets travel at up to 320 km/h (200 mph) in commercial use. A specially modified
trainset reached 574.8 km/h (357 mph) on test runs. Its high speed, almost equal to that of
prototype maglev trains, is made possible through the use of specially-designed LGVs (lignes à
grande vitesse, high-speed lines) without sharp curves and with high-powered electric motors,
low axle weight, articulated carriages and in-cab signalling (eliminating the need for drivers to
view lineside signals at high speed).

TGV trainsets are manufactured primarily by Alstom, now often with the involvement of a
subcontractor, such as Bombardier. Except for a small series of TGVs used for postal freight
between Paris, Lyon and Provence, the TGV is primarily a passenger service. Trains derived
from TGV designs operate in South Korea (KTX), Spain (AVE) and USA (ACELA Express).

Travel by TGV has largely replaced air travel between connected cities, due to shorter travel
times (especially for trips taking less than three hours), reduced check-in, security and boarding
formalities, and the convenient location of stations in the hearts of cities. The TGV is a very safe
mode of transport; whilst there have been accidents, there has never been a fatality while
travelling at high speed.

History
Main article: Development of the TGV

The idea of the TGV was first proposed in the 1960s, after Japan had begun construction of the
Shinkansen in 1959. At the time the French government favoured new technologies, exploring
the production of hovercraft and maglev trains such as Aérotrain. Simultaneously, SNCF began
researching high speed trains that would operate on conventional track.

It was originally planned that the TGV, then standing for très grande vitesse (very high speed) or
turbine grande vitesse (high speed turbine), would be propelled by gas turbine-electric
locomotives. Gas turbines were selected for their small size, good power-to-weight ratio, and
ability to deliver high power over an extended period. The first prototype, TGV 001, was the
only TGV constructed with this engine - following the increase in the price of oil during the
1973 energy crisis, gas turbines were deemed impractical and the project turned to electricity
from overhead lines. The electricity was to be generated by France's new nuclear power stations.

TGV 001 was not a wasted prototype.[3] Its gas-turbine powerplant was only one of many
technologies for high-speed rail travel. It also tested high speed brakes, needed to dissipate the
large amount of kinetic energy of a train at high speed, high speed aerodynamics, and signalling.
It was articulated, meaning that two adjacent carriages shared a bogie between them, allowing
free yet controlled motion with respect to one another. It reached 318 km/h (198 mph), which
remains the world speed record for a non-electric train. Its interior and exterior were styled by
British-born designer Jack Cooper, whose work formed the basis of early TGV designs,
including the distinctive nose shape of the first TGV power cars.

Changing the TGV to electric traction required a significant design overhaul. The first electric
prototype, nicknamed Zébulon, was completed in 1974, testing features such as innovative body
mounting of motors, pantographs, suspension and braking. Body mounting of motors allowed
over 3 tonnes to be eliminated from the power cars and massively reduced the amount of
unsprung weight. The prototype travelled almost 1,000,000 km (621,000 miles) during testing.

In 1976 the French government funded the TGV project, and construction of the LGV Sud-Est,
the first high-speed line (ligne à grande vitesse), began shortly afterwards. The line was given
the designation LN1, Ligne Nouvelle 1 (New Line 1).

A TGV train at Futuroscope, near Poitiers.

After two pre-production trainsets (nicknamed Patrick and Sophie) had been tested and
substantially modified, the first production version was delivered on 25 April 1980. The TGV
service opened to the public between Paris and Lyon on 27 September 1981. The initial target
customers were businesspeople travelling between those two cities. The TGV was considerably
faster than normal trains, cars, or airplanes. The trains became popular outside their target
market, the public welcoming fast and practical travel between cities.

Since then, further LGVs have opened in France, including the LGV Atlantique (LN2) to
Tours/Le Mans (construction begun 1985, in operation 1989); the LGV Nord-Europe (LN3) to
Calais and the Belgian border (construction begun 1989, in operation 1993); the LGV Rhône-
Alpes (LN4), extending the LGV Sud-Est to Valence (construction begun 1990, in operation
1992); and the LGV Méditerranée (LN5) to Marseille (construction begun 1996, in operation
2001). The LGV Est from Paris to Strasbourg was inaugurated on 15 March 2007, and opened to
the public in the summer of 2007. In its first month of operation, more than 1,000,000 passengers
traveled on the line. High speed lines based on LGV technology connecting with the French
network have been built in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

A TGV Duplex trainset coupled to a Reseau trainset leaving Paris Gare de Lyon.

The Eurostar service began operation in 1994, connecting continental Europe to London via the
Channel Tunnel with a version of the TGV designed for use in the tunnel and in the United
Kingdom. The line used the LGV Nord-Europe in France from the outset. The first phase of the
British High Speed 1 line, or Channel Tunnel Rail Link, was completed in 2003, and the second
phase was completed on Wednesday 14 November 2007. The fastest trains take 2 hours 15
minutes on the London-Paris and 1 hour 51 minutes on the London-Brussels route.

The TGV was the world's second commercial high speed service, after Japan's Shinkansen,
which first connected Tokyo and Osaka on 1 October 1964. The TGV currently holds the world
speed record for conventional, wheel/rail trains. On 3 April 2007 a modified TGV POS train
reached 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) under test conditions on the LGV Est.

TGV, Record runs

The voltage on the test track between Paris and Strasbourg was boosted to 31,000 volts and extra
ballast was tamped onto the right-of-way. By doing so, it beat the 1990 world speed record of
515.3 km/h (320.2 mph), set by a similarly shortened train (two power cars and three passenger
cars), along with unofficial records set during weeks preceding the official record run. The test
was part of an extensive research programme by Alstom.[4][5]

The TGV is in 2007 the world's fastest conventional scheduled train: one journey's average start-
to-stop speed from Lorraine-TGV to Champagne-Ardenne-TGV is 279.3 km/h (173.6 mph).[6]

A Eurostar train broke the record for the longest non-stop high speed journey in the world on 17
May 2006 carrying the cast and filmmakers of The Da Vinci Code from London to Cannes for
the Cannes Film Festival. The 1421 km (883.0 miles) journey took 7 hours 25 minutes
(191.6 km/h or 119 mph).[7]

The record for the fastest long distance run was set by a TGV Réseau train travelling from
Calais-Frethun to Marseille (1067.2 km, 663 mi) in 3 hours 29 minutes (306 km/h or 190 mph)
for the inauguration of the LGV Méditerranée on 26 May 2001.[8]

In August 2007, the Dutch students Hildebrand van Kuyeren and Mart Hopman used the TGV,
mainly the Paris-Marseille line, to set the world record for train traveling within one week
(24,428.2 km / 15,182.2 miles).

On 28 November 2003 the TGV carried its one-billionth passenger, second only to the
Shinkansen's five billionth passenger in 2000. The two-billion mark is expected to be reached in
2010.
[edit] Tracks
Further information: LGV construction

The newest high-speed lines allow speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph) in normal operation.
Originally, LGVs were defined as lines permitting speeds greater than 200 km/h (125 mph); this
guideline was subsequently revised to 250 km/h (155 mph). TGVs also run on conventional track
(lignes classiques), at the normal maximum safe speed for those lines, up to a maximum of
220 km/h (137 mph). This is an advantage that the TGV has over, for example, magnetic
levitation trains, as TGVs can serve many more destinations and can use city-centre stations (as
in Paris, Lyon, and Dijon). They now serve around 200 destinations in France and abroad.

[edit] Track design

LGV construction is similar to that of normal railway lines, but with a few key differences. The
radii of curves are larger so that trains can traverse them at higher speeds without increasing the
centrifugal force felt by passengers. The radii of LGV curves have historically been greater than
4 km (2.5 miles). New lines have minimum radii of 7 km (4 miles) to allow for future increases
in speed.

Lines used only for high-speed traffic can incorporate steeper grades than normal. This facilitates
the planning of LGVs and reduces the cost of line construction. The considerable momentum of
TGVs at high speed allows them to climb steep slopes without greatly increasing their energy
consumption. They can also coast on downward slopes, further increasing efficiency. The Paris-
Sud-Est LGV features line grades of up to 3.5%. (On the German NBS high-speed line between
Cologne and Frankfurt they reach 4%.)

Track alignment is more precise than on normal railway lines, and ballast is in a deeper than
normal profile, resulting in increased load-bearing capacity and track stability. LGV track is
anchored by more sleepers (railroad ties) per kilometre than usual, and all are made of concrete,
either mono- or bi-bloc, the latter consisting of two separate blocks of concrete joined by a steel
bar. Heavy rail (UIC 60) is used and the rails themselves are more upright, with an inclination of
1 in 40 as opposed to 1 in 20 on normal lines. Use of continuous welded rails in place of shorter,
jointed rails yields a comfortable ride at high speed, without the "clickety-clack" vibrations
induced by rail joints.

The diameter of tunnels is greater than normally required by the size of the trains, especially at
entrances. This limits the effects of air pressure changes, which could be problematic at TGV
speeds.

[edit] Traffic limitations

LGVs are reserved primarily for TGVs. One reason for this limitation is that capacity is sharply
reduced when trains of differing speeds are mixed. Passing freight and passenger trains also
constitute a safety risk, as cargo on freight cars can be destabilised by the air turbulence caused
by the TGV.
The steep gradients common on LGVs would limit the weight of slow freight trains. Slower
trains would also mean that the maximum track cant (banking on curves) would be limited, so
for the same maximum speed a mixed-traffic LGV would need to be built with curves of even
larger radius. Such track would be much more expensive to build and maintain. Some stretches
of less-used LGV are routinely mixed-traffic, such as the Tours branch of the LGV Atlantique,
and the planned Nîmes/Montpellier branch of the LGV Mediterranée. The British High Speed 1
from the Channel Tunnel to London has been built with passing loops to support freight use, but
this facility has not been used.

Maintenance on LGVs is carried out at night, when no TGVs are running.

Outside France, LGVs often carry non-TGV intercity traffic, often as a requirement of the initial
funding commitments.[citation needed] The Belgian LGV from Brussels to Liège carries 200 km/h
loco-hauled trains, with both the Dutch HSL Zuid and British High Speed 1 planned to carry 200
km/h domestic intercity services. The Channel Tunnel is not an LGV, but it uses LGV-type
TVM signalling for mixed freight, shuttle and Eurostar traffic at between 100 km/h and 160
km/h. The "Standard Pathway" for path allocation purposes is the time taken by one of
Eurotunnel's own Shuttle trains (maximum speed 140 km/h) to traverse the Tunnel. A single
Eurostar running at 160 km/h occupies 2.67 standard paths; a second Eurostar running at
minimum distance (3 minutes) behind the first train only "costs" an additional 1 path, which is
why the Eurostar services are often flighted 3 minutes apart throughout from London to Lille and
vice versa. A freight train running at 120 km/h occupies 1.33 paths. A freight running at 100
km/h occupies 3 paths. This illustrates the problem of mixed traffic at different speeds.[citation needed]

Train Class Speed Paths

Eurostar 160 km/h 2⅔ "catches up" with earlier trains
Eurostar (average for two) 160 km/h 1⅚ consecutive "flighted pair" at same speed
Eurotunnel Shuttle 140 km/h 1 optimal usage, all trains at same speed
Multi-modal freight 120 km/h 1⅓ "holds up" train behind it

[edit] Power supply

LGVs are all electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC. Catenary wires are kept at a greater mechanical
tension than normal lines because the pantograph causes oscillations in the wire, and the wave
must travel faster than the train to avoid producing standing waves that would cause the wires to
break. This was a problem when rail speed record attempts were made in 1990; power wire
tension had to be increased further still to accommodate train speeds of over 500 km/h
(310 mph). On LGVs, only the rear pantograph is raised, avoiding amplification of the
oscillations created by the front pantograph. The front power car is supplied by a cable running
along the roof of the train. Eurostar trains are long enough that oscillations are damped
sufficiently between the front and rear power cars (the British are skittish towards running a
high-power line through passenger carriages, thus justifying the centrally-located locomotive in
their ill-fated Advanced Passenger Train), so both pantographs can be raised - there is no
interconnecting high-voltage cable along the 400 m length of the train. On lignes classiques
slower maximum speeds prevent oscillation problems, and on DC lines both pantographs must
be raised.
[edit] Separation

LGVs are fenced along their entire length to prevent trespassing by animals and people. Level
crossings are not permitted and bridges over the line have sensors to detect objects that fall onto
the track.

All LGV junctions are grade-separated, with tracks crossing each other using flyovers or tunnels,
eliminating crossing other tracks on the level.

[edit] Signalling
Main article: LGV signalling

Because TGVs on LGVs travel too fast for their drivers to see and react to traditional lineside
signals, an automated system called TVM (Transmission Voie-Machine, or track-to-train
transmission) is used for signalling. Information is transmitted to trains via electrical pulses sent
through the rails, providing speed, target speed, and stop/go indications directly to the driver via
dashboard-mounted instruments. This high degree of automation does not eliminate driver
control, though there are safeguards that can safely stop the train in the event of driver error.

The boundaries of signalling block sections are marked by distinctive boards.

The line is divided into signal blocks of about 1500 m (1 mile), with the boundaries marked by
blue boards with a yellow triangle. Dashboard instruments show the maximum permitted speed
for the train's current block and a target speed based on the profile of the line ahead. The
maximum permitted speed is based on factors such as the proximity of trains ahead (with
steadily decreasing speeds permitted in blocks closer to the rear of the next train), junction
placement, speed restrictions, the top speed of the train and distance from the end of the LGV.
As trains cannot usually stop within one signal block, which can range in length from a few
hundred metres to a few kilometres, drivers are alerted to slow gradually several blocks before a
required stop.

Two versions of TVM signalling, TVM-430 and TVM-300, are in use on LGV. TVM-430, a
newer system, was first installed on the LGV Nord to the Channel Tunnel and Belgium, and
supplies trains with more information than TVM-300. Among other benefits, TVM-430 allows a
train's on-board computer system to generate a continuous speed control curve in the event of an
emergency brake activation, effectively forcing the driver to reduce speed safely without
releasing the brake.[clarify]

The signalling system is normally permissive: the driver of a train is permitted to proceed into an
occupied block section without first obtaining authorization. Speed is limited to 30 km/h
(19 mph) and if speed exceeds 35 km/h (22 mph) the emergency brake is applied. If the board
marking the entrance to the block section is accompanied by a sign marked Nf, for non-
franchissable, the block section is not permissive, and the driver must obtain authorisation from
the Poste d'Aiguillage et de Régulation (PAR - Signalling and Control Centre) before entering.
Once a route is set or the PAR has provided authorization, a white lamp above the board is lit to
inform the driver. The driver acknowledges the authorization using a button on the control panel.
This disables the emergency braking, which would otherwise occur when passing over the
ground loop adjacent to the non-permissive board.

When trains enter or leave LGVs from lignes classiques, they pass over a ground loop that
automatically switches the driver's dashboard indicators to the appropriate signalling system. For
example, a train leaving the LGV for a ligne classique has its TVM system deactivated and its
traditional KVB (Contrôle Vitesse par Balise, or beacon speed control) system enabled.

[edit] Stations

The trainshed at Paris Gare de Lyon.

Avignon TGV station.

A TGV Réseau No. 540 trainset at Rennes, in Brittany.

Eurostar and Thalys PBA side-by-side in Paris Gare du Nord.

Main article: List of TGV stations

One of the main advantages of TGV over other fast rail technologies such as magnetic levitation
is that TGVs can take advantage of existing infrastructure. This makes connecting city centres
(such as Paris-Gare de Lyon to Lyon-Perrache) by TGV a simple and inexpensive proposition.
TGVs often use intra-city tracks and stations built for lower speed trains.

However, LGV route designers have tended to build new intermediate stations in suburban areas
or in the open countryside several kilometers away from cities. This allows TGVs to stop without
incurring too great a time penalty, since more time is spent on high speed track; in addition,
many cities' stations are stub-ends, while LGV tracks frequently bypass cities. In some cases,
stations have been built halfway between two communities. The station serving Montceau-les-
Mines and Le Creusot is an example, and a more controversial example is Haute Picardie station,
between Amiens and Saint-Quentin. The press and local authorities criticized Haute Picardie as
being too far from either town to be convenient, and too far from connecting railway lines to be
useful for travellers. The station was nicknamed la gare des betteraves, or 'beet station', as it was
surrounded by sugar beet fields during construction.[9] This nickname is now applied to similar
stations away from town and city centres, whether in the vicinity of beet fields or not.

New railway stations have been built for TGV services, some of which are major architectural
achievements in their own right. Avignon TGV station, opened in 2001, has been praised as one
of the most remarkable stations on the network, with a spectacular 340 m (1,115 ft)-long glazed
roof that has been compared to that of a cathedral.[10][11][12]

[edit] Rolling stock

TGVs are semi-permanently coupled articulated multiple units, with Jacobs bogies between the
carriages, supporting both of them. Power cars at each end of the trains have their own bogies.
Trains can be lengthened by coupling two TGVs together, using couplers hidden in the noses of
the power cars.

The articulated design is advantageous during a derailment, as the passenger carriages are more
likely to stay upright and in line with the track. Normal trains, by contrast, may split at couplings
and jack-knife.

A disadvantage of this carriage design is that it is difficult to split sets of carriages. While TGV
power cars can be removed from trains via standard uncoupling procedures, specialized depot
equipment is needed to split carriages, by lifting the entire train at once. Once uncoupled, one of
the carriage ends is left without a bogie at the split, so a bogie frame is required to support it.

SNCF operates a fleet of about 400 TGVs. Seven types of TGV or TGV derivative currently
operate on the French network; these are:

 TGV Sud-Est (passengers) and La Poste (freight),

 TGV Atlantique (10 rather than 8 carriages)
 TGV Réseau (similar to Atlantique, but only 8 carriages)
 Eurostar (Three Capitals and North of London),
 TGV Duplex (two floors for greater passenger capacity),
 Thalys PBA and PBKA (Benelux countries, derived from Réseau and Duplex
respectively),
 TGV POS (Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland, or Paris-Eastern France-Southern
Germany).

All TGVs are at least bi-current, which means that they can operate at 25 kV, 50 Hz AC on
newer lines (including LGVs) and at 1.5 kV DC on older lines (such as the 1.5 kV lignes
classiques that are common around Paris). Trains crossing the border into Germany, Switzerland,
Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom must accommodate other voltages, requiring
tri-current and quadri-current TGVs. TGVs have two pairs of pantographs, two for AC use and
two for DC use. When passing between areas of different supply voltage, marker boards remind
the driver to turn off power to the traction motors, lower the pantograph(s), adjust a switch to
select the appropriate system, and raise the pantograph(s). Pantographs and pantograph height
control are selected automatically based on the voltage system chosen by the driver. Once the
train detects the correct supply, a dashboard indicator illuminates and the driver can switch on
the traction motors. The train coasts across the boundary between sections.

Power
Equipment Seating Overall Power-to-
Top speed Width Weight (under
type capacity length weight
25 kV)
TGV Sud-Est 270 km/h 345 200.2 m 2.81 m 385 t 6,450 kW 16.7 W/kg
(168 mph) as (657 ft) (9.2 ft)
built
300 km/h
 (186 mph)
rebuilt
*TGV 300 km/h 237.5 m 2.90 m
485 444 t 8,800 kW 19.8 W/kg
Atlantique (186 mph) (780 ft) (9.5 ft)
320 km/h 200 m 2.90 m
TGV Réseau 377 383 t 8,800 kW 23.0 W/kg
(199 mph) (656 ft) (9.5 ft)
Eurostar Three 300 km/h 393.7 m 2.81 m
750 752 t 12,240 kW 16.3 W/kg
Capitals (186 mph) (1,293 ft) (9.2 ft)
Eurostar North 300 km/h 318.9 m 2.81 m
596 665 t 12,240 kW 18.4 W/kg
of London (186 mph) (1,033 ft) (9.2 ft)
320 km/h 200 m 2.90 m
TGV Duplex 512 380 t 8,800 kW 23.2 W/kg
(199 mph) (656 ft) (9.5 ft)
300 km/h 200 m 2.90 m
Thalys PBKA 377 385 t 8,800 kW 22.9 W/kg
(186 mph) (656 ft) (9.5 ft)
320 km/h 200 m 2.90 m
TGV POS 357 383 t 9,280 kW 24.2 W/kg
(199 mph) (656 ft) (9.5 ft)

[edit] TGV Sud-Est

Main article: SNCF TGV Sud-Est

A TGV Sud-Est set in the original orange livery, since superseded by silver and blue.

A TGV Atlantique on an enhanced ordinary track.

A TGV Réseau second-generation train at Marseille St-Charles.

The Sud-Est fleet was built between 1978 and 1988 and operated the first TGV service, from
Paris to Lyon in 1981. There are 107 passenger sets operating, of which nine are tri-current
(including 15 kV, 16⅔ Hz AC for use in Switzerland) and the rest bi-current. There are also
seven bi-current half-sets without seats that carry mail for La Poste between Paris, Lyon and
Provence, in a distinctive yellow livery.

Each set is made up of two power cars and eight carriages (capacity 345 seats), including a
powered bogie in each of the carriages adjacent to the power cars. They are 200 m (656 ft) long
and 2.81 m (9.2 ft) wide. They weigh 385 tonnes with a power output of 6,450 kW under 25 kV.

Originally the sets were built to run at 270 km/h (168 mph) but most were upgraded to 300 km/h
(186 mph) during mid-life refurbishment in preparation for the opening of the LGV
Méditerranée. The few sets that still have a maximum speed of 270 km/h operate on those routes
that include a comparatively short distance on LGV, such as to Switzerland via Dijon. SNCF did
not consider it financially worthwhile to upgrade their speed for a marginal reduction in journey
time.

[edit] TGV Atlantique

Main article: SNCF TGV Atlantique

The Atlantique fleet was built between 1988 and 1992. 105 bi-current sets were built for the
opening of the LGV Atlantique and entry into service began in 1989. They are 237.5 m (780 ft)
long and 2.9 m (9.5 ft) wide. They weigh 444 tonnes, and are made up of two power cars and ten
carriages with a capacity of 485 seats. They were built with a maximum speed of 300 km/h
(186 mph) and 8,800 kW of power under 25 kV.

Modified unit 325 set the world speed record in 1990 on the new LGV before its opening.
Various modifications, such as improved aerodynamics, larger wheels and improved braking,
were made to enable speeds of over 500 km/h (310 mph). The set was reduced to two power cars
and three carriages to improve the power-to-weight ratio, weighing 250 tonnes. Three carriages,
including the bar carriage in the centre, is the minimum possible configuration because of the
articulation.

[edit] TGV Réseau

 Main article: SNCF TGV Réseau

The first Réseau (Network) sets entered service in 1993. Fifty bi-current sets were ordered in
1990, supplemented by an order for 40 tri-current sets in 1992/1993. Ten of the tri-current sets
carry the Thalys livery and are known as Thalys PBA (Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam) sets. As well
as using standard French voltages, the tri-current sets can operate under the Netherlands' 1.5 kV
and Italian and Belgian 3 kV DC supplies.

They are formed of two power cars (8,800 kW under 25 kV - as TGV Atlantique) and eight
carriages, giving a capacity of 377 seats. They have a top speed of 300 km/h. They are 200 m
(656 ft) long and are 2.90 m (9.5 ft) wide. The bi-current sets weigh 383 tonnes: owing to axle-
load restrictions in Belgium the tri-current sets have a series of modifications, such as the
replacement of steel with aluminium and hollow axles, to reduce the weight to under 17 tonnes
per axle.

Owing to early complaints of uncomfortable pressure changes when entering tunnels at high
speed on the LGV Atlantique, the Réseau sets are now pressure-sealed. They can be also coupled
to a Duplex set.

[edit] Eurostar

Main article: British Rail Class 373

Long Eurostar trains connect London with Paris and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel.

The Eurostar train is essentially a long TGV, modified for use in the United Kingdom and in the
Channel Tunnel. Differences include a smaller cross section to fit within the constrictive British
loading gauge, British-designed asynchronous traction motors, and extensive fireproofing.

In the UK, it is known under the TOPS classification system as class 373. In the planning stages,
it was also known as the TransManche Super Train (Cross-channel Super Train). The trains were
built by GEC-Alsthom (now Alstom) in La Rochelle (France), Belfort (France) and Washwood
Heath (England), entering service in 1993.

Two types were built: the Three Capitals sets, consisting of two power cars and 18 carriages,
including two with one powered bogie each, and the North of London sets, consisting of two
power cars and 14 carriages, again with two with one powered bogie each. Full sets of both types
consist of two identical half-sets which are not articulated in the middle, so that in case of
emergency in the Channel Tunnel one half can be uncoupled and leave the tunnel. Each half-set
is numbered separately.

Thirty-eight full sets, plus one spare power car, were ordered: 16 by SNCF, four by
NMBS/SNCB, and 18 by British Rail, of which seven were North of London sets. Upon
privatisation of British Rail by the UK Government, the BR sets were bought by London and
Continental Railways, whose subsidiary Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd. is managed by a consortium of the
National Express Group (40%), SNCF (35%), SNCB (15%) and British Airways (10%).

The sets operate at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), with the power cars supplying
12,240 kW of power. The Three Capitals sets are 394 m (1,293 ft) long and have 766 seats,
weighing a total of 752 tonnes. The North of London sets have 558 seats. All are at least tri-
current and are able to operate on 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (on LGVs, including High Speed 1, and on
UK overhead electrified lines), 3 kV DC on lignes classiques in Belgium and 750 V DC on the
UK former Southern Region third rail network. The third-rail system became obsolete in 2007
when the second phase of High Speed 1 was brought into use between London and the Channel
Tunnel, as it uses 25 kV, 50 Hz AC exclusively. Five of the Three Capitals sets owned by SNCF
are quadri-current and are able to operate on French lignes classiques at 1500 V DC.

The TGV Duplex power cars use a more streamlined nose than previous TGVs.

TGV Duplex power car in profile

TGV Duplex trains feature bi-level carriages.

A Thalys PBKA at Köln Hauptbahnhof

Eurostar, Thalys and TGV PSE No 81 at Paris Gare du Nord

Three of the Three Capitals sets owned by SNCF are in French domestic use and carry the silver
and blue TGV livery. The North of London sets, intended to provide direct regional Eurostar
services from continental Europe to UK cities north of London, using the West Coast Main Line
and the East Coast Main Line, have never seen regular international use: budget airlines in the
UK offered lower fares. A few of the sets were leased to GNER for use on its White Rose service
between London and Leeds, with two of them carrying GNER's dark blue livery. The lease
ended in December 2005[13] and a year later the same sets found themselves working services to
Calais in France for SNCF, remaining in the standard Eurostar livery, minus the logos.

The Chief Executive of Eurostar, Richard Brown, has suggested that the trains could be replaced
by double-decker trains similar to the TGV Duplex when they are withdrawn. A double-deck
fleet could carry 40 million passengers per year from England to Continental Europe, equivalent
to adding an extra runway at a London airport.[14]

Eurostar has higher security measures than other TGVs. Luggage is screened and passengers are
theoretically required to check in 30 minutes before departure, although this requirement is
seldom if ever enforced. In addition, passengers entering or leaving the UK have to pass customs
and identity checks.

[edit] TGV Duplex

Main article: SNCF TGV Duplex

The Duplex was built to increase TGV capacity without increasing train length or the number of
trains. Each carriage has two levels, with access doors at the lower level, taking advantage of low
French platforms. A staircase gives access to the upper level, where the gangway between
carriages is located. This layout provides 512 seats per set. On busy routes such as Paris-
Marseille they are operated in pairs, providing 1,024 seats in a single train of two duplex sets but
multiple transet formations of 1 duplex and 1 reseau are commonly seen for capacities of 800
people. Each set has a wheelchair accessible compartment.

After a lengthy development process starting in 1988 (during which they were known as the
TGV-2N), they were built in two batches: 30 between 1995 and 1998 and 34 between 2000 and
2004. They weigh 380 tonnes and are 200 m (656 ft) long, made up of two power cars and eight
bi-level carriages. Extensive use of aluminium means that they weigh not much more than the
TGV Réseau sets they supplement. The bi-current power cars provide a total power of 8,800 kW,
and they have a slightly increased speed of 320 km/h (199 mph).

[edit] Thalys PBKA

Main article: SNCF TGV Thalys PBKA

Unlike Thalys PBA sets, the PBKA (Paris-Brussels-Köln (Cologne) -Amsterdam) sets were built
exclusively for the Thalys service. They are technologically similar to TGV Duplex sets, but
without bi-level carriages. They are quadri-current, operating under 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (LGVs),
15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC (Germany, Switzerland), 3 kV DC (Belgium) and 1,5 kV DC (the
Netherlands and French lignes classiques). Their top speed in service is 300 km/h (186 mph)
under 25 kV, with two power cars supplying 8,800 kW. When operating under 15 kV power
output drops to 4,460 kW, resulting in a very poor power-to-weight-ratio on German high-speed
lines. They have eight carriages and are 200 m (656 ft) long, weighing a total of 385 tonnes.
They have 377 seats.

Seventeen trains were ordered, nine by SNCB, six by SNCF and two by NS. Deutsche Bahn
contributed to financing two of the SNCB sets.

[edit] TGV POS

Main article: SNCF TGV POS

TGV POS (Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland or Paris-Eastern France-Southern Germany) are

used on the LGV Est.

They consist of two power cars with eight TGV Réseau type carriages, with a total power output
of 9,600 kW and a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). Unlike TGV-A, TGV-R and TGV-D, it has
asynchronous motors, and isolation of an individual motor in a powered bogie is possible in case
of failure.

[edit] Network
TGV lines, with LGVs shown in blue and red, and their connections to neighbouring countries.
Black lines are conventional lines used by TGV trains to reach cities away from high-speed lines.

France has around 1,700 km of LGV, with three lines under construction. The current lines and
those under construction can be grouped into four routes radiating from Paris:

 West: LGV Atlantique to Tours and Le Mans.

 North: LGV Nord and High Speed 1 to London, with a branch going towards Brussels.
 East: LGV Est and LGV Rhin-Rhône to Strasbourg
 South: LGV Sud-Est, LGV Rhône-Alpes and LGV Méditerranée to Marseille, plus a
(planned) branch towards the LGV Perpignan-Figueres.

In addition, the LGV Interconnexion Est connects the LGV Sud-Est to the LGV Nord around
Paris, and the LGV Rhin-Rhône (under construction) will connect Strasbourg and Lyon.

[edit] Existing lines

1. LGV Sud-Est (Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon-Perrache), the first LGV (opened 1981)
2. LGV Atlantique (Paris Gare Montparnasse to Tours and Le Mans) (opened 1990)
3. LGV Rhône-Alpes (Lyon to Valence) (opened 1992)
4. LGV Nord (Paris Gare du Nord to Lille and Brussels and on towards London,
Amsterdam (HSL-Zuid) and Cologne) (opened 1993)
5. LGV Interconnexion Est (LGV Sud-Est to LGV Nord Europe, east of Paris) (opened
1994)
 6. LGV Méditerranée (An extension of LGV Rhône-Alpes: Valence to Marseille Saint
Charles) (opened 2001)
7. High Speed 1 (Channel Tunnel to London St Pancras International) (Phase 1 opened
2003, phase 2 opened 14 November 2007)
8. LGV Est (Paris Gare de l'Est-Strasbourg) (opened 10 June 2007)[15]

[edit] Lines under construction

1. LGV Perpignan-Figueres (due to open 2009, TGV service 2012)

2. LGV Rhin-Rhône (Lyon-Dijon-Mulhouse) (due to open 2011)
3. HSL-Zuid (Brussels to Amsterdam) (although the track has been completed, it will not be
operational until late 2008 at the earliest)
4. Haut-Bugey line - reconstruction of the Bellegarde - Bourg-en-Bresse line to reduce
Paris-Geneva by 47 km and 20 minutes. Due to open in 2009.

[edit] Planned lines

1. Lyon Turin Ferroviaire (Lyon-Chambéry-Turin), connecting to the Italian TAV network

2. LGV Sud Europe Atlantique Tours-Bordeaux and LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire Le
Mans-Rennes, extending the LGV Atlantique (also called LGV Sud-Ouest)
3. Bordeaux-Toulouse-Narbonne
4. Bordeaux-Spanish border-Vitoria-Gasteiz and Irun [1]
5. LGV Poitiers-Limoges [2]
6. LGV Picardie (Paris - Amiens - Calais), cutting off the corner of the LGV Nord-Europe
via Lille.

Amsterdam and Cologne are served by Thalys TGVs running on ordinary track, and these
connections are being upgraded to high-speed rail. London is served by Eurostar trains running
on High Speed 1 - Eurostar now runs on fully-segregated line once in the United Kingdom.

[edit] TGV technology outside France

TGV technology has been adopted in a number of other countries separately from the French
network:

 AVE (Alta Velocidad Española), in Spain

 Korea Train Express (KTX), in South Korea
 Acela Express, a high-speed tilting train built by TGV participant Bombardier for the
United States, which uses TGV motor technology (though the rest of the train is
unrelated).
 The Moroccan government agreed to a €2 billion contract for the French construction
firm Alstom to build a TGV-line between Tangier and Casablanca. The train is to be
operational in 2013.
 The Buenos Aires-Rosario-Córdoba high-speed railway , in Argentina, will feature french
double-decker TGV (TGV duplex), running at 320km/h
  Italian open-access high-speed operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori have signed up
with Alstom to purchase twenty-five AGV eleven car multiple-units (TGV 4th
generation, running at 350km/h) for delivery starting in 2009.[16]

[edit] Future TGVs

SNCF and Alstom are investigating new technology that could be used for high-speed transport.

The new configuration scheme for TGV trains would increase capacity by 10% by 2010.

The development of TGV trains is being pursued in the form of the AGV, automotrice à grande
vitesse (high speed multiple unit). The AGV design has motors under each carriage.
Investigations are being carried out with the aim of producing trains at the same cost as existing
TGVs with the same safety standards. AGVs of the same length as TGVs could have up to 450
seats. The target speed is 360 km/h. The prototype AGV was unveiled by Alstom on February 5,
2008.[17]

In the short term, plans are being considered to increase the capacity of TGVs by 10% by
replacing the central two power cars of a double TGV with passenger carriages. These carriages
would have motorized bogies underneath them, as would the first and last carriage of the train, to
make up for the lost power. [3]

Italian operator NTV is the first customer for the AGV, and intends to become the first open
access high speed rail operator in Europe, when it starts operation of its AGVs in Italy in 2011.

[edit] Safety
Main article: TGV accidents

In more than two decades of high-speed operation, the TGV has not recorded a single fatality
due to accident while running at high speed. There have been several accidents, including three
derailments at or above 270 km/h (168 mph), but in none of these did any carriages overturn.
This is credited in part to the stiffness that the articulated design lends to the train. There have
been fatal accidents involving TGVs on lignes classiques, where the trains are exposed to the
same dangers as normal trains, such as level crossings.

[edit] On LGVs
  14 December 1992: TGV 920 from Annecy to Paris, operated by set 56, derailed at
270 km/h (168 mph) at Mâcon-Loché TGV station (Saône-et-Loire). A previous
emergency stop had caused a wheel flat; the bogie concerned derailed while crossing the
points at the entrance to the station. No one on the train was injured, but 25 passengers
waiting on the platform for another TGV were slightly injured by ballast that was thrown
up from the trackbed.
 21 December 1993: TGV 7150 from Valenciennes to Paris, operated by set 511, derailed
at 300 km/h (186 mph) at the site of Haute Picardie TGV station, before it was built. Rain
had caused a hole to open up under the track; the hole dated from the First World War but
had not been detected during construction. The front power car and four carriages
derailed but remained aligned with the track. Of the 200 passengers, one was slightly
injured.
 5 June 2000: Eurostar 9073 from Paris to London, operated by sets 3101/2 owned by
NMBS/SNCB, derailed at 250 km/h (155 mph) in the Nord-Pas de Calais region near
Croisilles. The transmission assembly on the rear bogie of the front power car failed, with
parts falling onto the track. Four bogies out of 24 derailed. Out of 501 passengers, seven
were bruised[18] and others treated for shock.

[edit] On lignes classiques

 31 December 1983: A bomb allegedly planted by the terrorist organisation of Carlos the
Jackal exploded on board a TGV from Marseille to Paris; two people were killed.
 28 September 1988: TGV 736, operated by set 70 "Melun", collided with a lorry carrying
an electric transformer weighing 100 tonnes that had become stuck on a level crossing in
Voiron, Isère. The vehicle had not been permitted to cross by the French Direction
départementale de l'équipement. The weight of the lorry caused a very violent collision;
the train driver and a passenger died, and 25 passengers were slightly injured.
 4 January 1991: after a brake failure, TGV 360 ran away from Châtillon depot. The train
was directed onto an unoccupied track and collided with the car loading ramp at Paris-
Vaugirard station at 60 km/h (37 mph). No one was injured. The leading power car and
the first two carriages were severely damaged, and were rebuilt.
 25 September 1997: TGV 7119 from Paris to Dunkerque, operated by set 502, collided at
130 km/h (81 mph) with a 70 tonne (77 short ton; 69 long ton) asphalt paving machine on
a level crossing at Bierne, near Dunkerque. The power car spun round and fell down an
embankment. The front two carriages left the track and came to a stop in woods beside
the track. Seven people were injured.
 31 October 2001: TGV 8515 from Paris to Irun derailed at 130 km/h (81 mph) near Dax
in southwest France. All ten carriages derailed and the rear power unit fell over. The
cause was a broken rail.
 30 January 2003: a TGV from Dunkerque to Paris collided at 106 km/h (66 mph) with a
heavy goods vehicle stuck on the level crossing at Esquelbecq in northern France. The
front power car was severely damaged, but only one bogie derailed. Only the driver was
slightly injured.
 19 December 2007: a TGV train from Paris to Geneva collided at about 100 km/h
(62 mph) with a truck on a level crossing near Tossiat in eastern France, near the Swiss
 border. The driver of the truck died; on the train, one was seriously injured and 24 were
slightly injured.[19]

Following the number of accidents at level crossings, an effort has been made to remove all level
crossings on lignes classiques used by TGVs. The ligne classique from Tours to Bordeaux at the
end of the LGV Atlantique has no level crossings as a result.

[edit] Protests against the TGV

The first environmental protests against the building of a high-speed line in France occurred in
May 1990 during the planning stages of the LGV Méditerranée. Protesters blocked a railway
viaduct to protest against the planned route, arguing that it was unnecessary, and that trains could
use existing lines to reach Marseille from Lyon.[20]

Lyon Turin Ferroviaire (Lyon-Chambéry-Turin), which would connect the TGV to the Italian
TAV network, has been the subject of demonstrations in Italy. While most Italian political
parties agree on the construction of this line, inhabitants of the towns where construction would
take place are vehemently opposing it. The concerns of the protesters centre around storing
dangerous materials mined from mountain, like asbestos and uranium, in the open air. This
serious health danger could be avoided by using more appropriate but expensive techniques for
handling radioactive materials. A six-month delay in the start of construction has been decided in
order to study solutions. In addition to the concerns of the residents, RFB - a ten year old
national movement - opposes the development of Italy's TAV high-speed rail network as a
whole.[21]

General complaints about the noise of TGVs passing near towns and villages have led the SNCF
to build acoustic fencing along large sections of LGVs to reduce the disturbance to residents, but
protests still take place where SNCF has not addressed the issue