TGV

Rail speed records achieved by TGV.

TGV (acronym for the French Train à Grande Vitesse) is the brand used by the French national railway company SNCF on the high-speed lines it operates in France.

The inauguration of these services took place with the route between Paris and Lyon in 1981. Currently the TGV network connects Paris with other cities in France and with its neighboring countries. It is mainly dedicated to the transport of passengers, although there is a postal version. Between 1981 and 2013 the TGV network transported two billion passengers.

The TGV is one of the fastest conventional trains in the world; in some sections it operates at speeds of up to 320 km/h. He holds the record for the fastest speed in special test conditions when on April 3, 2007 he surpassed his own record by reaching 574.8 km/h on the Paris-Strasbourg line.

The success of the first line favored the expansion of the service, with new lines built to the south, west and northeast of France. Eager to imitate the success of the French network, some neighboring countries such as Belgium, Italy or the Netherlands also built their own high-speed lines. Currently, French high-speed lines link with those of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and even with those of the United Kingdom. Other high-speed networks use trains derived from the TGV (KTX, S100...).

Features

They are trains designed to run on high-speed lines, which have some special characteristics, such as the ability to feed high-power trains, sleepers and special track devices or signaling systems in the cabin that eliminate the need for the driver to identify signals at high speed. They can also travel on conventional lines at a lower speed.

The TGV has absorbed a large number of national trips that were previously made by plane, due to the reduction in travel time, especially for journeys of less than 3 hours. The train trip is completed in less time due to the absence of waiting times typical of airports (check-in, security controls, boarding, delays...). It also benefits from the location of the stations, located within the cities. On the other hand, the TGV is a very safe means of transport, which has had hardly any accidents when traveling on high-speed lines.

History

TGV 001 prototype of gas turbines.

The idea of implementing the TGV was first proposed in the 1960s, after Japan had begun construction of the Shinkansen in 1959. The Japanese Shinkansen was the first high-speed train connecting Tokyo with Osaka and was put into operation. service on October 1, 1964, approximately 17 years before the first TGVs. At the same time, the French government favored research into new technologies, delving into fields such as the production of the hovercraft or magnetic trains, such as the aerotren. Simultaneously, SNCF began to investigate the operation of high-speed trains on traditional tracks.

Originally it was planned that the TGV, then an acronym for très grande vitesse (very high speed) or turbine grande vitesse (high speed turbine), would be powered by locomotives gas turboelectric. Gas turbines were selected for their small size, good power-to-weight ratio, and ability to handle high power output over a long period. The first prototype, the TGV 001, was the only TGV built with this type of engine, due to the great rise in the price of oil during the energy crisis of 1973, the gas turbines were described as impractical and the project turned towards high voltage electrification on train lines. The electricity was to be generated by France's new nuclear power plants.

However, the TGV 001 was not a useless prototype. Its turboelectric gas turbine was just one of many technologies required for high-speed travel on rails. High-speed brakes that were necessary to dissipate the large amount of kinetic energy of the train operating at high speed, as well as high-speed aerodynamics and signaling, were also tested. The design of this train had articulated trailers, which means that between two trailers, a bogie is shared. This model reached 318 km/h and this speed still stands as the world speed record for a gas turbine train. Its interior and exterior were designed by Britain's Jack Cooper, who worked on the basic shapes of subsequent TGV designs, including the sharp nose of the cab cars.

Changing the specifications of the TGV to incorporate electric traction required a significant design overhaul. The first electric prototype, nicknamed the Zebulon, was completed in 1974. Features such as the novel body-mounted engine, pantographs, suspension and brakes were tested. The assembly of the engines in the bodywork itself made it possible to reduce the weight of the train motor cars by about 3 t. This prototype traveled for more than 1,000,000 km in its testing period.

TGV Project

TGV with its original colors in 1987.

In 1976 the French government founded the TGV project and soon after construction began on the LGV Sud-Est, the first high-speed line, the line was called LN1, Ligne Nouvelle 1 (New line 1). LGV is the French acronym Ligne à Grande Vitesse used for High Speed Line, LAV in Castilian.

Following the two pre-productions of the trains, these were rigorously tested and substantially modified, the first production version was delivered on April 25, 1980. The TGV service began operating for the public between Paris and Lyon on the 27th September 1981. The passengers for whom this train was initially intended were business people who needed to travel between these two cities. And as a means of transportation, the TGV was considerably faster than conventional trains, automobiles, and airplanes. So this train started to become popular very soon, even outside of its initial target market. The fast and practical trip between these cities was widely and quickly accepted in the passenger transport market.

Since then, new high-speed lines have been built in France, there are currently 6 lines in this country:

• LN1 between Paris and Lyon operating since 1981.
• LN2 between Paris and Operational Tours since 1989.
• LN3 between Paris and Calais and Lille operating since 1993.
• LN4 LN1 extension to Valence operating since 1992 (north part) and 1994 (south part).
• LN5 extension of the LN4 to Marseille operating since 2001.
• LN6 between Paris and Strasbourg operating since 2007.

There are also connections with lines in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

Eurostar

The Eurostar began operating in 1994 connecting the European continent with London through the famous Eurotunnel with trains derived directly from the TGV. The Eurostar service uses the Northern High Speed Line (LN3) in France. In the United Kingdom, trains initially ran on the conventional track linking Folkestone with London at speeds well below their capabilities, and using the third rail at 750 V as a means of power. Faced with this reality, the British government commissioned the construction of a new high-speed line that would link the Eurotunnel exit with the city of London. The first phase of this new High Speed Line was inaugurated in 2003, reducing travel time between Paris and London by 2.35 hours (services without intermediate stops). The second phase of the project is the access to the city of London (almost completely underground) and it has been operational since 2007. Now it takes 2 hours to link London with Brussels and 2.15 hours to link London with the French capital.

On November 28, 2003, the TGV transported its 1,000,000,000 passengers, a number of passengers second only to the Japanese Shinkhansen, which reached 5 billion passengers in 2000. It is expected to reach two billion in 2010.

Ways

TGV-R entering Béziers, Hérault

The TGV runs on high-speed lines allowing it to reach speeds of up to 320 km/h on the newest lines. Originally, high-speed lines were defined as lines to allow speeds greater than 200 km/h, although this directive was redefined to reach 250 km/h. TGV trains can also run on conventional routes, although to maintain safety on these lines, their maximum speed is 220 km/h. This is an advantage of the TGV over other trains, such as magnetic levitation trains, since the TGV can serve more destinations even if there is no specific line, currently they have 200 destinations in France and surroundings.

Layout Design

The construction of the high-speed lines is quite similar to that of the traditional lines, but with a small difference, the radius of the curves is larger so that the trains can go through the curves at higher speeds without increasing the centrifugal force what the passengers will feel. The radius of high-speed tracks was historically limited to curves over 4 km in radius but new lines have to have a minimum radius of 7 km for future speed increases.

If the line is only used for high-speed traffic, the lines may have steeper grades. This facilitates the planning of high-speed lines and reduces construction costs. The considerable linear momentum of high-speed TGV trains allows them to be able to climb these slopes without a large increase in energy consumption. They can also ride out dips, improving consumption efficiency. The characteristics of the LN1 (Paris-Sud-Est) reach slopes of up to 3.5% and layouts such as the German line between Cologne and Frankfurt reach 4%.

The alignment of the tracks is more precise than in conventional layouts and the ballast is placed deeper than in the common profile, the result is an increase in the load that the tracks can carry and an improvement in stability. The tracks are anchored by more sleepers per kilometer than usual and all have special characteristics. The rail is of the UIC 60 type, (60 kg/m) and a concrete sleeper. The use of continuous welding on the rails instead of short welds to join them increases the comfort of the high speed ride, avoiding the chatter that the joints of the rails produce in a conventional line.

The diameter of the tunnels should also be larger than normal, especially the entrance; The purpose of this increase in diameter is to reduce the effects of air pressure changes that can be more problematic in high-speed trains due to the speeds reached by the TGV.

Traffic limitations

Normally, trains that are not capable of reaching high speed should not run on LAVs, lines reserved especially for TGVs. The justification for this restriction is the severe decrease in the capacity of the line when trains of different speeds run at the same time, since the fast ones catch up with the slow ones and it is necessary to stop the fast ones or leave a lot of space between them. Freight and passenger traffic as a whole also constitutes a safety risk, as the cargo of freight cars can be destabilized by the air turbulence that accompanies fast TGVs at crossings. Maintenance on high-speed lines is carried out at night, when there are no TGVs in circulation.

On the other hand, the slopes of these lines could limit the weight of the slow freight trains, to solve these problems the radius of the curves should be increased even more with the associated cost increase.

Food

The high-speed lines of the TGV network are electrified with alternating current at 25 kV and 50 Hz. The catenary wires are maintained at a higher voltage than in normal lines, since the pantograph causes oscillations in them, and the wave must travel faster than the train to avoid producing standing waves that could cause the cable to break. This was one of the problems that arose when the rail speed record was achieved in 1990. The catenary tension had to be further increased to allow the train speeds in excess of 400 km/h, but not before also changing the transformer-reducer inside motor cars. On high-speed tracks, only one of the train's two pantographs is in operation, the rear one is the one that is raised, preventing the expansion of oscillations that the front pantograph would cause. The voltage for the engines of the front engine car is transferred by a high tension cable that runs across the roof of the train. However, Eurostar trains, being longer, do not have this problem, because the oscillations are reduced enough between the head and tail of the train that both pantographs can be safely raised, thus preventing them from that high tension cable runs through the train. In classic lines, as much lower speeds are considered, there are no oscillation problems, so that in direct current lines both pantographs are raised.

The various series of TGV trains also admit several electrifications to be able to access the conventional lines of different countries, which use different systems.

Separation

High-speed lines are fenced off along their entire length to prevent animals or people from crossing the tracks. Level crossings are not allowed and the bridges over the line are equipped with sensors that detect objects falling onto the tracks.

All the crossings of a HSL are produced by overpasses, either through tunnels or overpasses, thus avoiding the need to cross the route frontally.

Signage

Cabin of a TGV Duplex in Figueras-Vilafant.

Sign of the block limit.

Due to the high speed of the TGVs, the drivers of these trains are not able to see and react to the railway signals as they are on normal lines. That is why the TGVs incorporate a signaling system in the cabin. The French network uses the TVM system (Transmission Voie-Machine, or via-to-train transmission) used for signaling LAVs. The information is transmitted to the train by transmitting electrical pulses through track circuits, reporting speed, maximum speed, or stop and start indications directly to the control panel in the train cabin. This automation does not release the train driver from driving control of the train, but it is a safety system that can stop the train in case the driver is making a mistake.

The line is divided into signal blocks every 1.5 km. The limits are marked by boards with a blue background with a yellow triangle. The maximum speed allowed for the trains on the section in use and also the target speed based on the profile of the line are displayed on the dashboard in the cabin. The maximum allowable speed is determined based on factors such as proximity to the trains ahead (with a drop in speed based on the number of blocks away from the train ahead), placement of turnouts, speed restrictions, the maximum speed of the train and the distance to the end of the line. Since trains cannot normally stop in a single block (stopping distance ranges from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers), drivers are alerted to gradually slow down several blocks before the required stop.

There are two versions of the TVM signaling systems, the TVM-430 and the TVM-300, which are used on the high-speed TGV lines. The TVM-430 is a newer system, which was first installed on the LGV Nord in the Channel Tunnel and Belgium, and which provides trains with more information than the TVM-300. Among other benefits, the TVM-430 allows the on-board computer to generate continuous control of the speed curve in the event of emergency brake activation, forcing the driver to reduce speed more safely without releasing the brake.

The signaling system is normally permissive: the train driver can enter a block occupied by another train without obtaining any authorization, but the speed in this situation is limited to 30 km/h and if the speed exceeds 35 km/ h the emergency brakes are applied until the train comes to a stop. If the control panel has marked the entrance to the block with the code Nf, the entry to the block is not allowed and the driver must obtain an authorization from the PAR (Poste d'Aiguillage et de Régulation, Signage Control Center) before entering. Once circulation is enabled or the PAR has accepted the authorization, a white lamp on the dashboard lights up to inform the driver. He confirms the authorization using a button on the train's control panel. This deactivates the emergency braking that would occur when passing through the track circuit adjacent to the block of illegal passage.

When trains enter or exit LAVs from classic lines, the train passes over a track circuit that automatically changes an indicator on the driver's dashboard to activate the appropriate signaling system. For example, a train leaving an LAV to a classic line should deactivate its TVM signaling system and activate the traditional French KVB system (Contrôle Vitesse par Balise, Speed control by beacon).

TGVs also incorporate other security systems, typical of those countries where installations are carried out.

Seasons

One of the main advantages of the TGV over other rail rapid transport technologies such as maglev trains is that TGVs take advantage of existing infrastructure. This makes it possible to connect city centers (such as Paris-Gare de Lyon to Lyon Perrache) making a minimum economic expense in the stations; TGVs often use intercity tracks and stations built for slow-speed trains.

However, designers of high-speed routes have been careful to build new stations in suburban areas or on the outskirts of cities. This allows TGVs to stop without incurring a large time penalty. In some cases, the stations have been built halfway between two communities. The station serving Montceau-les-Mines and Le Creusot is an example of this approach, and another more controversial example is the Haute Picardie (Upper Picardy) station, between Amiens and Saint-Quentin. The press and local authorities criticized Haute Picardie as being too far away for the convenience of the population and too far from rail connections to be useful to passengers. The station was called la gare des betteraves translated as beetroot station because it is surrounded by beetroot fields. This nickname is now applied to stations that are in similar conditions, due to the distance from the center of the cities, regardless of whether they are surrounded by fields of beetroot cultivation or not.

But a large number of new stations for TGV services have also been built, some of them being great architectural achievements. The Avignon TGV station, inaugurated in 2001, has been one of the most highly praised of the entire network, with a spectacular 340m glass dome that has been compared to a cathedral.

• 

  Paris-Lyon Station

• 

  Avignon Station

• 

  Anden from Avignon Station with Brompton

Rolling stock

A TGV in Paris.

Eurostar and Thalys face to face in Paris.

Main article: Annex: TGV Trains

TGV cars differ from other types of trains in that they are semi-permanently attached. The bogies are located between two cars, each one having two bogies at the ends and each bogie is shared with another car, except in the case of the head and tail motor cars, which, in addition to the shared bogie, have their own one.. Therefore they have n+1 bogies, where n is the number of cars that the train has.

This design used more than 60 years ago by Talgo in its articulated trains has multiple advantages, during a derailment the motor car, which is the first of the composition and moves independently of the passenger trailers, will remain without tipping over with this system, in normal trains the coupling can break and the first cars overturn or leave in any direction.

A disadvantage of this design is the difficulty to separate the composition, while the motor cars of the TGV can be uncoupled from the rest of the train and moved by other trains through special couplings between the screw hook, and the scharfenberg, the cars must be removed from the trains with a system that lifts the entire train at once. Once unpaired, each of the cars is left with a single bogie, preventing it from being towed on the tracks.

SNCF operates a fleet of about 400 TGVs. There are 7 types of TGV or TGV derivatives currently operating on the French rail network; TGV Sud-Est (passenger and postal variety La Poste), TGV Atlantique, TGV Réseau, Thalys PBA, Eurostar, TGV Duplex and Thalys PBKA, and a seventh type, TGV POS (which will link France with the southern Germany) is currently in testing.

All TGVs are at least bi-voltage, which means that they can operate at 25 kV 50 Hz AC on the new lines (LAV) and at 1.5 kV DC on the old lines. The trains that cross the border of Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are tri-tension, or poly-tension to be able to circulate on foreign lines. In the case of Italy and Belgium, the Thalys and TGVs that circulate in those countries are equipped with an improvement in the main transformer of the motor cars that allows them to use the 3 Kv CC of the lines of both countries, and those that circulate in Switzerland or Germany are equipped with a special transformer that allows, in addition to these three voltages, the 15 Kv 16 (2/3) Hz of those countries. All TGVs are equipped with two pairs of pantographs, two for alternating voltages and another two for direct voltages. The special branches to circulate through Switzerland, have Swiss gauge pantographs, that is, smaller ones, to be able to adapt to the many tunnels of the Swiss network.

When passing between areas of different tensions, the cab reminds the driver to turn off the power to the traction motors, lower the pantographs, adjust the proper tension system in the cab, and raise the pantographs again.

The pantographs, as well as the control of their height, are automatically selected according to the tension system chosen by the machinist. Once the train detects in its transformers that the supply is correct, this is indicated in the cabin by a light and the driver can power up the traction motors again.

TGV Sud-Est

A composition of the TGV Sud-Est with its original colors.

The Sud-Est fleet was built between 1978 and 1988 with the aim of handling the first TGV service, which began operating between Paris and Lyon in 1981. There are currently 107 operating passenger units, nine of which are tri-voltage (the third voltage is 15 kV, 16 2/3 Hz AC for Swiss lines) and the rest bi-voltage. There are also 7 bi-tension compositions without seats prepared to transport postal mail for La Poste between Paris and Lyon. These trains are quite peculiar, due in part to their yellowish colours.

Each configuration consists of 2 tractor units and 8 passenger trailers with 345 seats. With a bogie with traction in each of the cars adjacent to the heads. They are 200 m long and 2.81 m wide, weigh 385 tons, and have a power output of 6,450 kW at 25 kV voltage.

Initially, this model was built to travel at 260-270 km/h, but most were upgraded to 300 km/h during their mid-life restoration, preparing them for the opening of the LGV-Mediterranée . A few configurations that still maintain the maximum speed of 270 km/h operate on these routes, which in comparison with an LAV, represent a relatively short distance, as is the case with the link with Switzerland via Dijon. SNCF does not believe that a financial outlay should be made to update these models, since the increase in speed would hardly reduce travel time.

TGV Atlantic

The TGV Atlantique (TGV-A) fleet was built between 1988 and 1992, consisting of 105 bi-voltage compositions that were built for the LAV Atlantique that entered service in 1989. These compositions measure 237 m in length and have a width of 2.9 m. Its mass is 444 tm, it is made up of two motor heads and ten passenger trailers with a capacity of 485 seated seats. They were built to reach a maximum speed of 300 km/h and offer a power of 8,800 kW under a voltage of 25 kV.

Unit 325 with a series of modifications achieved the world speed record on the new LAV on May 18, 1990 before its inauguration. Among the modifications were several aerodynamic improvements, larger diameter wheels, an improved braking system to enable speed tests above 500 km/h. The composition was reduced to 2 powerheads and 3 passenger trailers to increase the power/mass ratio, the mass of this composition being 250 tons. The three trailers, including the bar car in the center, is the minimum possible composition due to the way they are articulated. To reach this record, the tension in the catenary was also increased, as well as the tension of the catenary wire so that the convoy had greater power.

TGV Réseau

TGV-R 526 at the Gare du Nord station in Paris.

The first Réseau composition (TGV-R) started operating in 1993. 50 bi-voltage trains were ordered in 1990 and another 40 tri-voltage trains in 1992 and 1993. Ten of the tri-voltage trains make up Thalys and are also known as Thalys PBA (Paris Brussels Amsterdam). While the bi-voltage trains can only use the two standard French voltages (1.5 kV DC and 25 kV AC), the tri-voltage trains also work at 3 kV DC, which is the voltage used in Belgium and other countries.

They are made up of 2 traction trailers that manage a power of 8,800 kW at 25 kV, like the TGV Atlantique, and 8 passenger trailers, which represent a capacity of 377 seated seats. The maximum speed is 300 km/h. They are 200 m long and 2.9 m wide. The bi-tension configurations have a weight of 383 tons and the tri-tension configurations, enabled to circulate in Belgium, have a series of modifications, to respect the maximum load per axle of the lines in that country, among the modifications has been replaced steel for aluminum, in hollow axles reducing the load to 16 t/axle

Due to complaints about the discomfort of pressure changes when entering the LGV-Atlantique tunnels at high speed, the Réseau compositions now have pressure isolation.

Eurostar

Two Eurostar units in Waterloo.

The Eurostar train is essentially a long TGV, modified to run in the UK and the Eurotunnel. Differences include less width, to be able to adjust to the British gauge. The British design has asynchronous traction motors and great fire protection in the event of a tunnel fire.

In the United Kingdom, following the TOPS classification they use, this train is called class 373 and in the planning stages of the project it was called TransManche Super Train. The trains were built by GEC-Alsthom in La Rochelle (France), Belfort (France) and Washwood Heath (England), entering into operation in 1993.

Two types were built:

• Settings Three capitalsconsisting of 2 tractor heads and 18 trailers including two of these with one of the tractor bogies.
• Settings North London, consisting of 2 tractor heads and 14 trailers, again, with two of these trailers with traction bogies.

All configurations of both types consist of two identical halves not hinged on the central trailer, so in the event of an emergency in the Channel Tunnel one of the halves could disengage and thus exit the tunnel. Each half is numbered differently.

There are 38 complete compositions, plus a spare cabin, of these units: 16 were ordered by SNCF, 4 by NMBS/SNCB and the remaining 18 by British Rail, of these 7 compositions consist of the North of London. In the privatization of British railways by the UK Government, the BR compositions were bought by London & Continental Railways which is a subsidiary of Eurostar (U.K.) Ltd. which is controlled by National Express Group (40%), SNCF (35%), SNCB (15%) and British Airways (10%).

The composition Tres Capitales operates at a maximum speed of 300 km/h, with a nominal power of 12,240 kW. It is 394 m long with a capacity for 766 seats and a weight of 752 tons. The North London composition has a capacity of 558 seats. All trains are at least tri-voltage and are capable of operating at 25 kV 50 Hz AC (LAVs, including the Eurotunnel link), 3 kV DC (classic lines from Belgium) and 750 V CC (in the network of the British southern region that has the third rail, used to feed the trains). The third rail system will be unnecessary from 2007 when the 2nd phase of the Eurotunnel link from London is completed. Five of the Tres Capitales models owned by SNCF are four-voltage, adding the capacity to withstand the 1.5 kV DC of conventional lines in France.

Three of the Three Capitals that SNCF owns are for French use and even carry the silver and blue colors of the TGV services. The North London compositions have never been used for international use, but were intended to provide a direct service from the European mainland to the cities of North London, using the east coast corridors and the from the west coast, but these services never came to fruition due to the cheap fares offered by UK airlines. A few of these compositions were loaned to GNER to use their White Rose service between London and Leeds, two of these carry GNER's dark blue colors but the loan ended in December 2005.

The current president of Eurostar, Richard Brown, has suggested that the trains could be replaced by double-decker trains similar to the TGV Duplex when they are retired. A fleet of double-decker Eurostars could carry 40 million passengers a year between the UK and mainland Europe, which would be equivalent to adding an extra runway at one of London's airports.

TGV Duplex

TGV Duplex

The TGV Duplex (TGV-D) was built to increase the capacity of TGVs without increasing the length of the train or the number of trains. Each trailer has two floors, with a single access through the doors at the bottom that take advantage of the low height of the French platforms. A ladder allows access to the upper deck, where the walkways between trailers are located. This distribution allows a capacity of 512 seats for each composition (135 seats more than the TGV-R). On the busiest lines, such as Paris-Marseille, compositions of two trains depart, achieving a capacity of 1,024 seats. Each composition has a compartment for access by people with reduced mobility.

After a long development that began in 1988 (in which they were known as TGV-2NG), they were built in two batches, 30 between 1995-1998 and 34 more between 2000-2004. Its weight is 386 tm, they measure 200 m, each train consists of 2 tractor heads plus 8 double-decker trailers. The large amount of aluminum and carbon used means that the mass of these is not much greater than that of the TGV Réseau. They are also bi-voltage models and have a total nominal power of 8,800 kW and their maximum speed has been increased to 320 km/h.

Thalys PBKA

A Thalys PBKA in Cologne.

Unlike the Thalys PBA (Paris Brussels Amsterdam), the Thalys PBKA (Paris Brussels Cologne Amsterdam) is used exclusively for Thalys services. They are technologically similar to the TGV Duplex, but instead of supporting two different voltages, they are four-phase, being able to operate under 25 KV 50 Hz AC (high-speed line), 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC (Germany, Switzerland), 3 KV DC (Belgium) and 1500 V DC (Conventional lines from France and the Netherlands).

Its top speed is 300 km/h under the 25 kV catenary, but the power rating drops down to 4,460 kW with a poor power to weight ratio in the German NBS. They have 2 tractor heads and 8 trailers, with which their total length is 200 m, with a total mass of 385 tm and a capacity of 377 seated places.

Of the 18 trains manufactured, 9 are from SNCB, 7 from SNCF and 2 from NS. Deutsche Bahn contributed by financing two of SNCB's compositions.

TGV POS

The TGV POS trains, destined for Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland (Paris-Eastern France and Southern Germany) are in the testing phase to be used on the LGV Est, they are currently under construction.

The 19 trains consist of two motor cars and 8 rebuilt TGV Réseau type trailers, the nominal power of these trains is 9,600 kW and the maximum speed is 320 km/h. Unlike the TGV-A, TGV-R and TGV-D, their motors are three-phase asynchronous, so in case of failure, a motor can be isolated individually on the traction bogie. Its weight is 383 t

TGV Dasye

TGV 2N2 in Perpignan.

The TGV Dasye is an evolution of the TGV Duplex series.

They are double-decker trains with a maximum speed in commercial service of 320 km/h. They are intended to cover international services, as they support electrification and security systems used outside of France. Dasye stands for “Duplex ASYnchrone ERTMS”. They are classified as the SNCF 700 series.

TGV 2N2

The TGV 2N2, also called Euroduplex, is a new high-speed train version of the TGV series. It succeeds the TGV Dasye.

TGV network

TGV lines (shown in blue and red) and their connections to the rest of European high-speed networks.

France has around 1,200 km of LAVs built in the last 20 years, with four more lines planned or under construction.

Existing lines

1. LGV Sud-Estfrom Paris to Lyon-Perrache, the first LAV opened in 1981.
2. LGV AtlantiqueParis - Montparnasse Station to Tours and Le Mans, open in 1990.
3. LGV Rhône-Alpes, extension of the LGV Sud-Est from Lyon to Valence opened in 1992.
4. LGV Nord Paris-North Station to Lille and Brussels and to London, Amsterdam and Cologne, opened in 1993.
5. LGV Interconnexion Est, joining the LGV Sud-Est and Nord east of Paris, via the CDG and Disneyland Paris Airport, opened in 1994.
6. LGV Méditerranée, an extension of the LGV Rhône-Alpes line, from Valence to Marseille with an open Nimes Avignon branch in 2001.
7. LGV Estfrom Paris to Strasbourg. Official opening 15 March 2007 and commercial opening 10 June 2007. The stage opened in 2007 corresponds to the first 300 km of the line between Vaires-sur-Maren (near Paris) and Baudrecourt.
8. LGV Rhin-Rhône, first phase of the eastern branch, from Dijon to Mulhouse, opened in December 2011.

Lines under construction

1. LGV EstSecond phase, from Baudrecourt to Strasbourg.
2. LGV Sud Europe Atlantique, extension of the LGV Atlantique line from Tours to Bordeaux,
3. LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire, extension of the LGV Atlantique line from Le Mans to Rennes.
4. Circumvalation of Montpellier and Nimes, extension of the LGV Méditerranée de Nimes to Montpellier.

Planned lines

1. LGV Rhin-Rhône, second phase of the branches east and south (Dijon-Lyon) and west (Dijon-LGV Sud-Est).
2. LGV Lyon-Turin, line from Lyon to Turin, connected to the TAV network of Italy.
3. LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse
4. LGV Toulouse-Narbonneconnected to the LGV Montpellier-Perpignan, completing the Bordeaux line to Marseille.
5. LGV Bordeaux-Frontière espagnole, line of Bordeaux to Irún via Dax, connected to the Vitoria-Bilbao-Frontera French
6. Ligne nouvelle Montpellier-Perpignanconnected to the Montpellier and Nimes circumvalration on one side and to the LAV Perpignan-Figueras on the other, completing the line from Spain to Paris.
7. Ligne Nouvelle PACA, line from Marseille to Nice, connected to the LGV Méditerranée.
8. LGV Poitiers-Limoges,
9. LGV Barreau Picard, (Paris - Amiens - Calais), cutting the rodeo LGV Nord-Europe via Lille.
10. LGV Normandie, Paris-Ruan-Le Havre-Caen
11. TGV-ER, Lille-Aulnoye regional line for high speed.

Amsterdam and Cologne are already connected by TGV Thalys running on conventional lines, although these lines are being upgraded with high-speed rails. London is also served by Eurostar trains running at high speed on the nearly completed Channel Tunnel link which will be fully functional when the second section of the Channel Tunnel link is completed in 2007.

TGV technology outside France

TGV technology has been adopted in various countries that are not interconnected with the French network:

• Renfe 100 Series, first model of AVE in Spain.
• Korea Train Express (KTX), South Korea's high-speed network.
• Acela Express, a high-speed pendular train built by TGV with the participation of Bombardier for the United States that uses TGV engine technology.

TGV Futures

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

The development of TGV trains is looking for a way to achieve the Automotrice à grande vitesse (English:Automotrice à grande vitesse (AGV), self-propelled high-speed units. The design includes traction cars distributed, the engines are located under each trailer.Research is oriented towards the production of trains at the same cost as existing TGVs, with the same safety standards.But AGVs of the same length as TGVs could have a capacity of 450 seats and the speed would be 350 km/h.

In a few words, the idea that is being considered to increase the capacity of TGVs by 10% is to replace the front and rear cars with cars with capacity to transport passengers, in the style of Deutsche ICE-3 Bahn. All trailers would have motorized bogies under the car as is currently the case with the first and last cars. In addition, the power loss is less.

Another area that is being researched is magnetic levitation. This technology requires a very high maglev technology implementation cost. Also, an entire new network would have to be built, as maglev trains require tracks specifically designed for their use. The new system would only predictably reach the outskirts of cities.

Security

In more than two decades of high-speed operation, the TGV has not had a fatality due to an accident while traveling at high speed. There have been several accidents, including three derailments over 270 km/h, but on no occasion has a trailer overturned. This is partly due to the rigidity of the articulated train design. There have, however, been serious accidents while the TGV was running on conventional lines, where the trains are exposed to the same dangers as normal trains, such as level crossings.

On high-speed lines

• On 14 December 1992, TGV n.o 920 from Annecy to Paris, in circulation with branch 56, derailed 270 km/h at the Mâcon-Loché station. Previously an emergency braking broke a shaft and the affected bogie barked while crossing the station entrance. None of the train passengers were injured, but 25 people who were waiting on the platform were injured by the bullet that was thrown from the tracks.
• On 21 December 1993, TGV n.o 7150 from Valenciennes to Paris, in circulation with branch 511, derailed 300 km/h at the point of the Haute Picardie station before it was built. The rain caused a socavon to be opened under the tracks. This hole was dated from World War I but had not been detected during the construction of the line. The motor car, and the first four trailers derailed, but the composition remained aligned with the tracks. Of the 200 passengers, only one was slightly injured.
• On 5 June 2000, Eurostar n.o 9073 from Paris to London, branch 3101 in multiple command with branch 3102, owned by NMBS/SNCB derailed at 250 km/h in the North-Pase of Calais near Croisilles. The assembly of the transmission of the rear bogie of the front motor car failed, detaching parts to the tracks. 4 out of 24 bogies derailed and 501 passengers, 7 suffered injuries of different consideration and others had to be treated by shock.

In conventional lines

• On December 31, 1983, a bomb allegedly planted by the terrorist organization of Carlos "el chacal" exploded on board the TGV from Marseilles to Paris, two people were killed.
• On 28 September 1988, No. TGV 736, circulating with Branch 70 Melun, collided with a truck carrying a 100-tn electric transformer that had been stuck in a step at level in Voiron (Isère). La Direction départementale de l'équipement French had not allowed the vehicle to cross. The weight of the truck caused a very violent collision; the train engineer and a passenger died and 25 more passengers were slightly injured.
• On 4 January 1991, following a brake failure, TGV n.o 360 lost control in the Châtillon tank. The train went directly to a bus stop and collided with the car load ramp at 60 km/h. Nobody got hurt. The motor car, and the first two trailers were seriously damaged and had to be rebuilt.
• On 25 September 1997, the TGV n.o 7119 from Paris to Dunkerque, circulating with branch 602, collided 130 km/h against a 70 tn asphalt machine in a step at level in Bierne, near Dunkerque. The motor car flew down a embankment; the first two trailers left the tracks and went against a forest that was next to the tracks. 7 injured
• On 31 October 2001, TGV n.o 8515 from Paris to Hendaya and Irún derailed 130 km/h near Dax in the south-west French, derailing the entire branch The cause was a broken lane.
• On 30 January 2003, a TGV from Dunkirk to Paris, collided 106 km/h against a heavy vehicle stuck in a step at the level in Esquelbecq, north of France. The motor car was seriously damaged and only a bogie was derailed. The only minor injured man was the machinist.

After the number of accidents at level crossings, an effort has been made to eliminate all level crossings from the traditional lines used by TGVs. As a result, the conventional route between Tours and Bordeaux at the end of the LGV Atlantique does not have any level crossing.

Protests against the TGV

The first protests against the construction of a high-speed line in France occurred in May 1990 during the planning stage of the LGV Méditerranée. Demonstrators blocked a railway viaduct to protest against the planned route of the line, arguing that the new line was unnecessary and that trains could use existing lines to reach Marseille from Lyon.

Lyon Turin Ferroviaire (LTF-SAS), a company that intends to connect the TGV to the Italian high-speed network, has also been the target of demonstrations in Italy. While the majority of Italian politicians agree with the construction of this line, the inhabitants of the cities where the line would be built are very much against it. The protesters' complaints mainly centered on the danger of storing materials extracted from the mountain, such as asbestos and uranium, in the open. These serious health hazards could be avoided by using more appropriate, but more expensive, techniques for handling radioactive materials. The beginning of the works was delayed by six months to study other solutions. A national NIMBY movement against the Italian TAV is trying to alarm the inhabitants to criticize and worry about the development of the LAV throughout Italy.

The main complaints relate to the noise from the TGVs as they pass near cities and towns, which has led the SNCF to build noise protection screens on large sections of the LAVs to reduce disturbance to residents, but protests still take place where the SNCF has not made these decisions.