TGV

This article is about the French high-speed railway system.

The TGV is France's train à grande vitesse; literally "high-speed train". Developed by Alsthom (now Alstom) and SNCF and operated primarily by SNCF, it connects cities in France and in some other neighbouring countries, such as Belgium, Italy and Switzerland with the network centred on Paris. TGVs under other brand names connect France with Germany and the Netherlands (Thalys) and the United Kingdom (Eurostar). Trains derived from TGV design also operate in South Korea (KTX), and Spain (AVE).

Development of high-speed rail transport in France began in the 1960s. After a lengthy period of testing which included changing the traction of the trains from gas turbines to electricity from overhead lines after a sharp rise in oil prices, TGV operation began in 1981 with an initial line between Paris and Lyon. The success of the line and the almost total capture of the travel market from airlines led to rapid expansion and the opening of lines to the west and north-east of France as well as further extension to the south. Neighbouring countries have built their own lines to link with the French network and several future lines to expand the network are planned, both in France and surrounding countries. TGV lines have largely replaced air traffic between connected cities. Brussels–Paris in 85 minutes has increased commuting between the two capitals.^[1] Towns such as Tours are becoming a part of the "TGV commuter belt".

TGVs travel at up to 320 km/h (200 mph). This is made possible by the use of tracks specifically designed for the purpose without any sharp curves. Trains are built with features which make them suitable for high speed running including high-powered electric motors, articulated carriages and in-cab signalling which removes the need for drivers to see lineside signals at high speed. The TGV is a very safe mode of transport; since operations began there have been no fatalities due to accidents while running at high speed.

TGVs are manufactured primarily by Alstom, now often with the involvement of Bombardier. Except for a small series of TGVs used for postal freight between Paris and Lyon, TGV is primarily a passenger service.

The idea of the TGV was first proposed in the 1960s. At the time the French government favored new technologies: hovercraft and maglev trains, such as Aérotrain. Simultaneously, SNCF started research for high speed trains running on conventional tracks.

Originally, it was planned that the TGV, then standing for très grande vitesse (very high speed), would be propelled by gas turbine-electric locomotives. Gas turbines were selected for their small size and good power-to-weight ratio, capable of delivering a high power output for a long period of time. The first prototype, TGV 001, was the only TGV built with this type of engine. The 1973 energy crisis caused a sharp increase in the price of oil, after which it was deemed impractical to use oil to power the TGV.

TGV 001 was not, however, a wasted prototype. The type of traction was only one part of a large experiment researching various technologies required for high-speed rail travel. High speed brakes were tested, capable of dissipating the large amount of energy of a train at high speed, and other aspects of research included aerodynamics and signalling. The train was articulated, meaning that two carriages share a bogie between them. On test, it reached 318 km/h (198 mph), which remains the world speed record for a non-electric train. The styling of TGV 001, both inside and out, was the work of the British-born designer Jack Cooper, and it was he who created the basis of all subsequent TGV design, including the distinctive shape of the nose of TGV power cars.

Changing the specification of the TGV to electric traction required a large overhaul in the design of the train. The first fully 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 (3.3 tons) to be dropped from the weight of the power cars. The prototype travelled almost 1,000,000 km (621,000 miles) during testing.

In 1976 the French government gave full funding to 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).

File:SNCF TGV-A 359 at Poitiers Futuroscope.JPG

After two pre-production trainsets had been rigorously tested and substantially modified, the first production version was delivered on 25 April 1980 and the 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 for them a faster solution than normal trains, cars, or airplanes. The client base soon expanded across the population, which welcomed a practical and fast way to travel between cities.

Since then, further LGVs have opened in France: the LGV Atlantique (LN2) to Tours/Le Mans (construction began 1985, operation began 1989); the LGV Nord Europe (LN3) to Calais and the Belgian border (construction began 1989, operation began 1993); the LGV Rhône-Alpes (LN4), extending the LGV Sud-Est to Valence (construction began 1990, operation began 1992); and the LGV Méditerrannée (LN5) to Marseille (construction began 1996, operations began 2001). A line from Paris to Strasbourg, the LGV Est, is under construction. High speed lines based on TGV technology have also been built in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom to connect with the French network.

The Eurostar service began operation in 1994, connecting continental Europe to London via the Channel Tunnel. The line used the LGV Nord-Europe in France from the outset. The first phase of the British high speed line, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, was completed in 2003. The project, built with SNCF engineering expertise, is due for completion in 2007, by which time London-Brussels will take only 2 hours and London-Paris only 2h15.

The TGV was not the world's first commercial high-speed service; the Japanese Shinkansen connected Tokyo and Osaka from 1 October 1964, nearly 17 years before the first TGVs. The TGV holds, however, the world speed record for conventional trains: in 1990 it reached speeds of 515.3 km/h (320.2 mph) under test conditions with a shortened train (two power cars and three passenger cars). It is also the world's fastest conventional scheduled train in 2005, with one journey having an average start-to-stop speed of over 260 km/h (162 mph) ^[2]

On 28 November 2003 the TGV carried its one billionth passenger since operations began in 1981. The two billion mark is expected to be reached in 2010.

The TGV runs on dedicated tracks known as LGV (ligne à grande vitesse, "high-speed line"), allowing speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph) in normal operation on the newest lines. Originally defined as a line permitting speeds greater than 200 km/h (125 mph), this has now been increased to 250 km/h (155 mph). TGV trains can also run on conventional tracks (lignes classiques), albeit at the normal maximum line 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 it means that TGVs can serve far more destinations and can use city-centre stations (for example in Paris, Lyon, and Dijon). They now serve around 200 destinations in France and abroad.

The LGVs are similar to normal railway lines, but there are key differences. The radii of curves are larger so that the trains can travel at higher speeds around them without increasing the centrifugal force felt by passengers. This radius is usually greater than 4 km (2.5 miles), but new lines have minimum radii of 7 km (4 mi) to allow for future increases in speed.

If used only for high-speed traffic, lines can incorporate steeper gradients. This facilitates the planning of LGV routes and reduces the cost of construction. The momentum of TGV trains at high speed means that they can climb steep slopes without greatly increasing their energy consumption, and they can coast on downward slopes. On the Paris-Sud-Est LGV there are gradients of 35‰ and on the German high-speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt they reach 40‰.

Track alignment is more precise than on normal railway lines, and ballast is placed in a deeper-than-normal profile, resulting in increased load bearing capacity and track stability. There are more sleepers per kilometre and all are made of concrete (either mono- or biblocs, the latter being when the sleeper consists of two separate blocks of concrete joined by a steel bar). Heavy rail (UIC 60) is used, and the rails themselves are more upright (1/40° as opposed to 1/20° on normal lines). Use of continuous welded rails in place of shorter, jointed rails means that the ride is comfortable at high speeds, without the usual "clickety-clack" vibrations induced by rail joints.

Track must be at least standard gauge, 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½in), or wide gauge to allow speeds greater than 200 km/h (125 mph). Japanese and Taiwanese LGV networks are therefore separated from the original narrow gauge networks. On the Iberian Peninsula, however, which uses wide gauge track on normal lines, standard gauge is used on LGVs so that they remain compatible with the rest of Europe. If tunnels are required, their diameter must be greater than that required by the gauge of the trains travelling through them, especially at the entrances. This is to limit the effects of air pressure changes.

LGVs have a minimum speed limit. In other words, trains which are not capable of high speed may not use LGVs, which are limited for the most part to passenger trains. Capacity is sharply reduced when trains of differing speeds are mixed. Passing freight and passenger trains also pose a risk due to the destabilisation of cargo caused by the air currents around TGVs. Nor can slower traffic use LGVs after dark, when TGVs are not running, because the line infrastructure is maintained at night.

The steep gradients on TGV lines limit the weight of slow freight trains. Slower trains also mean that the maximum track cant (banking on curves) is limited, so for the same maximum speed LGVs would need to be built with curves of even higher radius. A mixed-traffic LGV would therefore be more expensive and difficult to plan to take account of the relief of land and obstacles. The problems have been overcome on certain stretches of less-used track, however, namely on the Tours branch of the LGV Atlantique, and on the planned Nîmes/Montpellier branch of the LGV Mediterranée.

LGVs are all electrified. Apart from the constraints involved in refuelling and carrying fuel on board trains, diesel traction cannot produce the continuous thrust required for high-speed running. All LGVs connected directly to the French network are electrified at high voltage AC: 15 kV, 16 2/3 Hz in Germany and 25 kV, 50/60 Hz everywhere else. The original Italian line between Rome and Florence, currently electrified at 3 kV DC, is to be converted to 25 kV 50 Hz AC to faciliate direct trains from France once new high-speed lines link it with the French network at Lyon via Turin.

Catenary wires are kept at a higher tension than normal lines. This is because the pantograph causes oscillations in the wires, and the wave must travel faster than the train to avoid producing standing waves which would cause the wires to break. This was a problem when attempting the rail speed record in 1990 when the tension had to be increased further still to accommodate train speeds of over 500 km/h (310 mph). This also means that while trains are on LGVs, only the rear pantograph is raised, to avoid the rear pantograph amplifying oscillations created by the front pantograph. The front power car is supplied by a cable running along the roof. Eurostar trains are, however, long enough that oscillations are damped sufficiently between the front and rear power cars and both pantographs are raised. On lignes classiques this is not a problem due to the slower line speed, and both DC pantographs are raised.

LGVs are fenced along their entire length to avoid animals on the line. Level crossings are not permitted and bridges over the tracks are equipped with sensors to detect if anything has fallen onto the line.

All junctions on LGVs are grade-separated, i.e. the tracks are designed so that tracks crossing each other always use flyovers or tunnels in order to avoid the need to cross over in front of trains travelling in the opposite direction. Crossing over in front of other trains would require large gaps in the timetable in the opposite direction to allow the movement, greatly reducing capacity.

The TVM (Transmission Voie-Machine, or track to train transmission) system is used for signalling on LGVs. Information is transmitted to trains via electrical pulses through the rails, giving indications (speed, target speed, stop/go) directly to the train driver through dashboard-mounted visual indicators rather than lineside signals - trains are travelling too fast to be sure of the driver seeing lineside signal aspects. Trains are under the driver's control, though there are safeguards against driver errors that can safely bring the train to a stop.

The line is divided into signal blocks of about 1500 m (1 mile), the boundaries of which are marked by blue boards with a yellow triangle. The indicators on the dashboard show the maximum permitted speed for the block where the train is and also a target speed based on the profile of the line. The maximum permitted speed is based on factors such as the location of trains ahead (with steadily decreasing maximum permitted speeds in blocks closer to the rear of the next train), junctions, speed restrictions, the maximum speed of the train and an approaching end of LGV. As trains cannot usually stop in the distance of one signal block (which varies between a few hundred metres and a few kilometres), drivers are alerted when there is a requirement to slow down gradually several blocks in advance.

Two types of signalling are in use on the LGV: TVM-300, the older system and TVM-430. TVM-430 was first installed on the LGV Nord to the Channel Tunnel and Belgium, and supplies trains with more information than the older system, allowing the on-board system to generate a continuous speed control curve in the event of an emergency brake activation, and force and guide the driver to control the speed without releasing the brake. However, drivers can always anticipate braking as they know the maximum authorized speed in the block in front of them as well as in the block which they are in from the signalling system.

The signalling system is permissive; the driver of a train is permitted to proceed into an occupied block section without first obtaining authorization. Speed in this situation is limited to 30 km/h (19 mph; proceed with caution) and if the speed exceeds 35 km/h (22 mph), the emergency brake is applied and the train stops. If the board marking the entrance to the block section is accompanied by a sign marked NF, the block section is not permissive, and the driver must obtain authorization from the LGV control centre prior to entering. Once a route is set, or the control centre has provided authorization, a white lamp above the board is lit to inform the driver. The driver then acknowledges the authorization using a button on the control panel. This disables the emergency brake application 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 which automatically switches the driver's dashboard indicators to the appropriate signalling system. For example, a train leaving the LGV onto a French ligne classique would have its TVM signalling system deactivated and the KVB (Contrôle Vitesse par Balise, or beacon speed control) system used on the lignes classiques would be enabled.

One of the main advantages of TGV compared to other technologies such as magnetic levitation is that it can run on existing tracks and use existing stations, or stations shared with other types of trains. This means that it is easy to serve routes from city centre to city centre (say, Paris-Gare de Lyon to Lyon-Perrache) without having to build new tracks or stations inside cities. Building new stations in city centres can be expensive, usually involving either long tunnels or bridges so that the new route can pass through densely populated areas.

However, there has been a tendency to build new stations serving smaller locations in suburban areas or in the open countryside some miles away from the town, so as to be able to make a stop without incurring too great a time penalty. In some cases, such as the station serving Montceau-les-Mines and Le Creusot, the station was built in the middle between the two towns. Another example is the Haute Picardie station between Amiens and Saint-Quentin. This latter one was rather controversial, criticized in the press and by local government as too far from either town to be useful, and situated near a trunk road rather than a connecting railway line: it was often nicknamed la gare des betteraves, or 'beetroot station', as it is surrounded by beetroot fields.^[3] This name has now been adopted to describe any similar stations located away from town and city centres, whether the station is in the vicinity of beetroot fields or not.

A number of major new railway stations were built, some of which have been major architectural achievements in their own right. Avignon TGV station, opened in 2001, has won particular praise as one of the most remarkable stations on the network, with a spectacular 340 m (1,115 ft) long glazed roof that has led to the building being compared to a cathedral.^[4][5][6]

TGV rolling stock differs from other types in that trains consist of semi-permanently coupled multiple units. Bogies are located between the carriages, supporting the carriages on either side, so that each carriage shares its bogies with the two adjacent to it. Locomotives at either end of the trains have their own bogies.

This design means that in the case of a derailment, the locomotive derails first and can move separately from the passenger carriages, which are more likely to stay upright and in line with the track. This is unlike normal trains which tend to split at the couplings and jacknife.

The disadvantage of the design is that it is difficult to split sets of carriages. The locomotives can be removed normally by uncoupling them, but to split the carriages requires the use of lifting equipment in maintenance depots which can lift an entire set at once. Once uncoupled, one of the carriage ends is left without a bogie at the split, so a bogie frame is required to hold it up.

SNCF operates a fleet of about 400 TGV trainsets. Six types of TGV or TGV derivative currently operate on the French network: TGV Sud-Est (passenger and La Poste varieties), TGV Atlantique, TGV Réseau/Thalys PBA, Eurostar, TGV Duplex and Thalys PBKA. A seventh type, TGV POS (Paris-Ostfrankreich-Suddeutschland, or Paris-Eastern France-Southern Germany), is currently being tested.

All TGVs are at least bi-current, that is to say they can operate under 25 kV, 50 Hz AC on newer lines, including LGVs and under 1.5 kV DC on older French lignes classiques, especially around Paris. Trains crossing the border into Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom must accommodate foreign voltages. This has led to the construction of tri-current or even quadri-current TGVs. All TGVs are equipped with two pairs of pantographs, two for AC use and two for DC use. When passing between areas of different supply voltage, marker boards are installed to remind the driver to lower the pantograph(s) and turn off power to the traction motors, adjust a switch on the dashboard to the appropriate system, and raise the pantograph(s) again, pantographs and pantograph height control being selected automatically depending on the voltage system selected. Once the train detects the correct supply to its transformers, an indicator lights and the driver can switch on power to the traction motors. The train coasts across the border between voltage sections while traction motor power is off.

Equipment type	Top speed	Seating capacity	Overall length	Width	Weight	Power output (under 25 kV)
TGV Sud-Est	270 km/h (168 mph) as built 300 km/h (186 mph) rebuilt	345	200 m (656 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	385 tonnes (424 tons)	6,450 kW
TGV Atlantique	300 km/h (186 mph)	485	237.5 m (780 ft)	2.9 m (9.5 ft)	444 tonnes (489 tons)	8,800 kW
TGV Réseau	300 km/h (186 mph)	377	200 m (656 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	383 tonnes (422 tons)	8,800 kW
Eurostar Three Capitals	300 km/h (186 mph)	794	394 m (1,293 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	752 tonnes (829 tons)	12,240 kW
Eurostar North of London	300 km/h (186 mph)	596	~315 m (1,033 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)		12,240 kW
TGV Duplex	320 km/h (199 mph)	512	200 m (656 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	386 tonnes (425 tons)	8,800 kW
Thalys PBKA	300 km/h (186 mph)	377	200 m (656 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	385 tonnes (424 tons)	8,800 kW
TGV POS	320 km/h (199 mph)		200 m (656 ft)	2.81 m (9.2 ft)	423 tonnes (466 tons)	9,600 kW

The TGV Sud-Est fleet was built between 1978 and 1988 and operated the first TGV service from Paris to Lyon in 1981. Currently there are 107 passenger sets operating, of which nine are tri-current (including 15 kV, 16 2/3 Hz AC for use in Switzerland) and the rest bi-current. There are also seven bi-current half-sets without seats which carry mail for La Poste between Paris and Lyon. These are painted in a distinct 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 (424 tons) 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 their mid-life refurbishment in preparation for the opening of the LGV Méditerranée. The few sets which still have a maximum speed of 270 km/h operate on routes which have a comparatively short distance on the lignes à grande vitesse, such as those to Switzerland via Dijon. SNCF did not consider it financially worthwhile to upgrade their speed for a marginal reduction in journey time.

The TGV 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 (489 tons), and are made up of two power cars and ten carriages with a capacity of 485 seats. They were built from the outset with a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) with 8,800 kW total power under 25 kV.

A modified model 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 also reduced to two power cars and three carriages to improve the power-to-weight ratio, weighing 250 tonnes (275 tons). Three carriages, including the bar carriage in the centre, is the minimum possible configuration because of the way the sets are articulated.

The first TGV Réseau ("TGV Network") sets entered service in 1993. 50 bi-current sets were ordered initially 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. The tri-current sets, as well as the standard French voltages, can operate under the Low Countries' and Italian 3kV 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 2.81 m (9.2 ft) wide. The bi-current sets weigh 383 tonnes (422 tons), but due 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 (18.7 tons) per axle.

Due to early complaints of uncomfortable pressure changes when entering tunnels at high speed on the LGV Atlantique, the Réseau sets are now pressure-sealed.

File:Eurostar at Vauxhall.jpg

The Eurostar train is essentially a long TGV, modified for use in the United Kingdom and in the Channel Tunnel. In the UK, it is known under the TOPS classification system as a Class 373 Electric Multiple Unit. 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) at its sites in La Rochelle (France), Belfort (France) and Washwood Heath (England), entering service in 1993.

Two types were built: the Three Capitals sets consist of two power cars and eighteen carriages, including two powered bogies; the North of London sets consist of two power cars and only fourteen carriages, again with two powered bogies. 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.

38 full sets, plus one spare power car, were ordered by the railway companies involved: 16 by SNCF, 4 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 sets were bought by London & Continental Railways who named the subsidiary Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd., now managed by a consortium of companies made up of the National Express Group (40%), SNCF (35%), SNCB (15%) and British Airways (10%).

The Three Capitals sets operate at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), with the power cars supplying 12,240 kW of power. They are 394 m (1,293 ft) long and have a capacity of 766 seats, weighing a total of 752 tonnes (829 tons). The North of London sets have a capacity of 558 seats. All of the trains are at least tri-current and are able to operate on 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (on LGVs, including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and on UK overhead electrified lines), 3 kV DC (on lignes classiques in Belgium) and 750 V DC on the UK Southern Region third rail network. The third rail system will become superfluous in 2007 when the second phase of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is completed 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 also able to operate on French lignes classiques at 1500 V DC.

Three of the Three Capitals sets owned by SNCF are used for French domestic use and currently carry the silver and blue TGV livery. The North of London Eurostar sets have never seen international use but were originally intended to provide direct services from continental Europe to UK cities north of London, using the West Coast Main Line and the East Coast Main Line. These never came to fruition, however, and 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. ^[7]

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

After a lengthy development process starting in 1988, they were built in two batches: thirty were built between 1995 and 1998, then a further thirty-four between 2000 and 2004. They weigh 386 tonnes (425 tons) 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 do not weigh 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 over their predecessors of 320 km/h (199 mph).

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 do not feature bi-level carriages. All of the trains are quadri-currrent, operating under 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (LGVs), 15 kV 16 2/3 Hz AC (Germany, Switzerland), 3 kV DC (Belgium) and 1,500 V DC (Low Countries and French lignes classiques). Their top speed in service is 300 km/h (186 mph) under 25 kV, 50 Hz AC, with two power cars supplying 8,800 kW of power. They have eight carriages and are 200 m (656 ft) long, weighing a total of 385 tonnes (424 tons). They have a capacity of 377 seats.

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

TGV POS, standing for Paris-Ostfrankreich-Suddeutschland (Paris-Eastern France-Southern Germany) are under test for use on the LGV Est, currently under construction.

The trains will 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 adopted asynchronous motors and in case of failure, isolation of an individual motor in a powered bogie is possible. They will weigh 423 tonnes (466 tons).

France has around 1,200 km of LGV built over the past 20 years, with four new lines either proposed or under construction.

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 Nord Europe (Paris Gare du Nord to Lille and Brussels and on towards London, Amsterdam and Cologne) (opened 1993)
4. LGV Méditerranée (An extension of LGV Sud-Est: Lyon to Marseille Saint-Charles) (opened 2001)
5. LGV Interconnexion (LGV Sud-Est to LGV Nord Europe, east of Paris)

1. LGV Est (Paris Gare de l'Est-Strasbourg) (under construction, to open 2007)^[8]
2. LGV Rhin-Rhône (Strasbourg-Lyon)
3. Barcelona-Perpignan-Montpellier, which would connect the TGV to the Spanish AVE network
4. Lyon Turin Ferroviaire (Lyon-Chambéry-Turin), which would connect the TGV to the Italian TAV network
5. LGV Sud-Ouest Tours-Bordeaux and LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire Le Mans-Rennes, extending the LGV Atlantique
6. Bordeaux-Toulouse-Narbonne
7. Bordeaux-Spanish border-Vitoria and Irun
8. Poitiers-Limoges
9. LGV Étoile du Nord (Paris - Amiens - Calais), cutting off the corner of the LGV Nord-Europe via Lille.

Amsterdam and Cologne are already served by Thalys TGV trains running on ordinary track, though these connections are being upgraded to high-speed rail. London is presently served by Eurostar TGV trains running at high speeds via the partially-completed Channel Tunnel Rail Link and then at normal speeds along regular tracks through the London suburbs, although Eurostar will use a fully-segregated line once Section 2 of the link is complete.

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

• AVE (Alta Velocidad Española), the high-speed network in Spain
• Korea Train Express (KTX), the high-speed network 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)

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

The development of TGV trains is being pursued in the form of the AGV, standing for automotrice à grande vitesse (high speed self-propelled unit). The design does not include locomotives: engines are instead located under each carriage. Investigations are being carried out with the aim of producing trains at the same cost existing TGVs, with the same safety standards. An AGV train of the same length as existing TGVs could have a capacity of up to 450 seats. The target speed of the train is 350 km/h (217 mph).

One area being explored is magnetic levitation. This is, however, on hold as the cost of implementing maglev technology is too high. An entirely new network would be required, as maglev trains require track designed specifically for their use, and unless significant demolition or tunnelling took place in city centres, the new system would only be able to reach the outside of towns and cities.

In more than two decades of high-speed operation, the TGV has not recorded a single fatality due to accidents while running at high-speed. There have been several accidents, including three high-speed 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, however, been fatal accidents involving TGVs on lignes classiques, where the trains are exposed to the same dangers as normal trains, such as level crossings.

• 14 December 1992: TGV 920 from Annecy to Paris, operated by set 56, derailed at 270 km/h (168 mph) on the way through 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 which 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 the current TGV Haute Picardie station (before it was built). Rains 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 the front four carriages derailed, but remained aligned with the track. Out 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 of France 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 ^[9] and others treated for shock.

• 31 December 1983: A bomb allegedly planted by the terrorist organization 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 electronic transformer weighing 100 tonnes (110 tons) which 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; two died (the driver and a passenger) and 25 passengers were lightly injured.
• 4 January 1991: after a brakes 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, but were later rebuilt.
• 25 September 1997: TGV 7119 from Paris to Dunkirk, operated by set 502, collided at 130 km/h (81 mph) with a 70 tonne (77 ton) ashpalt paving machine on a level crossing at Bierne, near Dunkirk. The power car spun round and fell down an embankment; the front two carriages left the track bed and came to a stand in woods beside the track. 7 people were injured.
• 31 October 2001: TGV 8515 from Paris to Irun derailed at 130 km/h (81 mph) near Dax in south-west France. All 10 carriages derailed and the rear power unit fell over onto the track. The cause was a broken rail.
• 30 January 2003: a TGV from Dunkirk 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.

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.

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 in order to protest against the planned route of the line, arguing that a new line was unnecessary, and that trains could use existing lines to reach Marseille from Lyon. ^[10]

The extension of the TGV network into Italy, where NIMBY movement is very strong, has been the subject of demonstrations. On November 1 2005, about 1,000 protesters blocked the mainline between Lyon and Turin, along the proposed TGV route. The demonstration was timed to coincide with geological surveys along the route by Lyon Turin Ferroviaire (LTF); protesters' concerns centered around the environmental impact of the new service, while LTF is the proposed operator of the service. After some clashes between protesters and police, the road to Mount Rocciamelone, where the surveys are taking place, is completely closed to all but the survey crew.^[11][12]

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. ^[13]

1. ^ Railway Gazette (November 1 2005), Railway Gazette International 2005 World Speed Survey Tables. Retrieved November 29 2005.
2. ^ Railway Gazette, as above
3. ^ Le Point (issue 1682, December 9 2004), « Terre des sens » sur de nouveaux rails (in French). Retrieved November 24 2005.
4. ^ The Sunday Times Online (29 May 2005), Party like a pope in Avignon. Retrieved 12 December 2005.
5. ^ Bulletin annuel de l'AFGC (issue 3, January 2001), Les gares nouvelles de Provence du TGV Méditerranée (in French), pp. 49–51.
6. ^ Guardian Unlimited (23 July 2001), Gee whizz! Jonathan Glancey takes in three stunning new TGV stations as he hurtles towards the Cote d'Azur at 200 mph. Retrieved December 13 2005.
7. ^ RAIL (pages 14-15, issue 527, November 23 2005 - December 6 2005), Class 91s to replace GNER's Eurostars
8. ^ Le Moniteur-Expert (October 24 2005), Fin des travaux de génie civil de la LGV Est européenne (in French). Retrieved November 23 2005.
9. ^ Associated Press (5 June 2000), Eurostar derails; seven passengers bruised. Retrieved 24 November 2005.
10. ^ New Scientist (issue 1719, June 2 1990), High-Speed Protest. Retrieved November 15 2005.
11. ^ Planet Ark (reprinted from Reuters November 1 2005), Environmental Protesters Block French-Italian Railway. Retrieved November 1 2005.
12. ^ Agencia Giornalistica Italia (November 1 2005), Turin-Milan: Police guard new railway area. Retrieved November 1 2005.
13. ^ Environmental Science and Engineering (November 2001), Train à grande vitesse causes distress. Retrieved November 24 2005.

• Soulié, Claude and Tricoire, Jean. Le grand livre du TGV. La Vie du Rail (2002) ISBN 291503401X (in French).
• Cinotti, Éric and Treboul, Jean-Baptiste. Les TGV européens. ISBN 2130505651 (in French).
• TGV Official Network Map from tgv.co.uk
• Eurostar Official Site - About Eurostar
• TGVweb, an unofficial website with photos and information

• Aérotrain
• Land speed record for railed vehicles

• English version of SNCF official TGV website
• Official UK TGV Online Reservation System
• The history of the TGV
• TGV - The French High-speed Train Service at h2g2
• Under the Hood of a TGV from TrainWeb
• TGVweb Accidents page from TrainWeb
• LGV2030: an unofficial website about TGV Network in 2030
• LGV Est
• Railway-Technology