Line at high speed

A line at high speed , or LGV , is a railway line built especially to allow the circulation of trains at high speed (initially above 200 km/h, today starting from 250 km/h). The first line of this type was brought into service at the Japan in 1964 (see the article Shinkansen). In Europe, the first line at high speed was the Direttissima Rome - Florence, brought into service starting from 1977.

Characteristics

Technical

The lines at high speed (LGV) show common features:

  • the ray of the curves is high, according to the Speed S concerned (with the difference of the old lines built at times when 120 km/h were high speed). This ray goes from 2,5 km (for the line of Shinkansen Tōkaidō open in 1964 to 210 km/h) to 7 km (up to 10 km on the LGV Is) for recent or future lines planned for speeds of about 350 km/h. This characteristic is a constraint.

  • the profile (slopes and slopes) can, if the line is specialized with circulations at high speed, being as severe as that of the lines of mountain. The kinetic energy stored by the trains with high speed and them specific Power very high enables them to assemble very strong slopes without penalizing their electricity consumption too much (and they make it possible to go on the wanders in descent). LGV Paris-South-Is comprises slopes of 35 ‰ (crossed Morvan), on the LGV Cologne-Frankfurt they reach 40 ‰. This characteristic facilitates the insertion of the lines and reduces the costs of construction.

  • They must be with normal way '' '' (1,435 m) or with broad Way. The metric gauge or narrow Track does not make it possible to reach 200 km/h in servicing. This is why with the Japan as with Taiwan the network at high speed was to be distinct from the traditional network. In the Iberian peninsula, zone with broad ways, the LGV are built or envisaged with the standard spacing only to preserve compatibility with the rest of Europe.

  • the way must have geometrical and mechanical qualities very high. For the ways on ballast: profile of reinforced ballast, many cross-pieces to the more important km, concrete cross-pieces (mono or biblocs) everywhere, including under the trackside equipment, heavy rail (UIC 60 - U80 today), more important slope of the rail to reduce the amplitude of the Slide-lathing (1/40° against 1/20° on traditional line). In several countries (Japan, Germany) the use of ways on concrete flagstones develops, even spreads.

  • the distance between centres of the ways must be increased (4,2 to 4,5 m) to limit the effect of blast to the crossing of two trains.

  • works of art require the calculations adapted at the practiced speeds. The wavelength of slide-lathing being always the same one, the frequency of the side undulations imposed on the way can double compared to those reached at the traditional speeds.

  • If they comprise tunnels, the section of those must be (on) dimensioned, in particular at the ends, to limit the effects of aerodynamic pressure.

  • They are generally specialized with the passenger traffic and even with the traffic at high speed. The mixed traffic produces strong constraints. The possible flow of a line decreases circulate strongly however there of the trains very different speeds (300 vs. 200 km/h, a fortiori 300 vs. 120-160 km/h). The crossing of trains at high speed and goods trains “all coming” is hardly possible because of the risks of destabilization of loadings per effect of breath. Also the goods trains can circulate only for the periods of closing to the traffic at high speed - the night, for example. But these periods are used for the maintenance of the infrastructure. The strong slopes limit much the possible tonnage of the goods trains. Slow circulations prevent from applying to the way the maximum cant for the TGV: for the same speed one limits must then envisage curves of larger ray. Consequently a mixed line will be more expensive in works of art and more difficult to insert in the landscape. Co-education is often limited to particular sections (skirting of Turns on the LGV Atlantique, future Nimes by-pass and Montpellier on LGV the Mediterranean); elsewhere it relates to a low number of “slow” circulations (German LGV or Paris-South-Are).

  • They are electrified. In addition to the constraints of carrying of fuel and refeeding, thermal traction does not allow the specific powers and the instantaneous powers necessary to high speed. Put aside the continuous LGV electrified Rome-Florence into 3 Kv (as the remainder of the Italian network), the LGV are electrified with high tension: 15 Kv 16,7 Hz in the networks using this system (Germany, Austria), 25 Kv 50 Hz or 60 Hz everywhere else (even future Italian LGV). The Caténaire S are tended than the overhead lines of the traditional lines, so that the propagation velocity of the mechanical Onde (undulation of the wire of contact of the overhead line caused by the contact of the pantograph) remains higher at the speed of the train. Indeed, if the train went more quickly than the wave, there would be an accumulation of the deformation in front of the pantograph which would cause a rupture of the overhead line (phenomenon similar to the Mur of the sound).

  • They are equipped with systems of indication with transmission of information ground-train (TVM or Transmission way-machine, LZB or Linienzugbeeinflussung, ERTMS, TBL,…), with permanent control of the speed and posting of the data on the instrument panel of the driver. High speed in full safety does not allow the observation of side signals on the ground.

  • They are generally enclosed to avoid the intrusions of animals. The level crossings are proscribed and the bridges are equipped with systems of detection to avoid the fall of objects on way (DCV - Detectors of Falls of Vehicles) as well as monitoring systems of the cross-winds (DVL - Detectors of Cross-winds). Certain zones are also equipped with measuring equipments of freezing (LGV Is).

Cost

Taking into account their features, the construction of railway lines at high speed involves a relatively heavy investment.

The price with the kilometer is function various parameters:

  • Relief of the zones to cross

  • Works of art to be built, communications to restore (road in particular)
  • Standard of line considered, reserved for circulations at high speed or mixed travellers/freight
  • Insertion in the landscape and observance of the local regulations as regards environment
etc

At the beginning of 2007, one estimated the average costs at 1,7 current billion d'€uros/100 km, for an influence of 40 m (total width) and a platform of 14 m, is approximately three times the cost of construction of a highway 2×2 ways. In certain countries with the broken relief (Spain in particular), these average costs can double. It is the same when the population density is such as the lines must pass in tunnel over an important length (service road of the London station - Pancras Saint).

The heavy investment east seems it compensated if the passenger traffic is sufficient. Rail network of France indicates on its site that a LGV used with its maximum potential by Duplex TGV is equivalent to a highway 2×5 ways.

Lines at High speed in Africa

Algeria

Lines in project

(startup envisaged between 2009 and 2010)

These new lines will connect Oran has Annaba while passing by the capital, Setif, Constantine, etc and will join the borders Morrocan woman and Tunisian. These lines will connect also certain cities of the desert like Ghardaia Touggourt Hassi Messaoud, etc the new trains will roll at a mean velocity of 250km/h.

Morocco

Lines in project

  • Line Tangier - Kénitra - Casablanca: Following feasibility studies launched in 2004 by French and Moroccan the Prime Ministers of the time, Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Driss Jettou, a bilateral agreement was signed on October 22nd, 2007 for the realization of a line of 200 kilometers, limited initially to Tangier-Kénitra. Its delivery is planned for 2013. This line will make it possible to reduce run time between Tangier and Casablanca to 2 a.m. 10, against 5 a.m. currently. The half of the contract, evaluated to 2 billion euros, was entrusted to three French companies, RF, the SNCF and Alstom, the latter being more particularly in charge of the delivery of 18 oars Duplex TGV.

Lines at High speed in Asia

China

Line in construction

  • Beijing - Tianjin: (116,907 km, served by ICE, the building site began on July 4th, 2005 for an opening envisaged in July 2008).

Line in project

  • Beijing - Shanghai (1 318 km, speed max 350km/h, reduced way of 9:00 to 4:00)

South Korea

Control line

Line in construction

  • Daegu - Pusan (KTX, Kyongbu line 1st phase, brought into service envisaged between 2008 and 2010)

Line in project

  • Osong - Mokpo (KTX, Honam line, Seoul - Mokpo in 1:37, possible opening in 2017)

Japan

Control lines

  • Tōkyō - Shin-Ōsaka (Line Shinkansen Tōkaidō, 1964)
  • Shin-Ōsaka - Okayama (Line Shinkansen Sanyō 1st phase, 1972)
  • Okayama - Hakata (Fukuoka) (Line Shinkansen Sanyō 2nd phase, 1975)
  • Ōmiya - Morioka (Tōhoku-Shinkansen 1st phase, 1982)
  • Ōmiya-Niigata (Jōetsu-Shinkansen, 1982)
  • Ueno-Ōmiya (Tōhoku-Shinkansen 2nd phase, 1985)
  • Tokyo-Ueno (Tōhoku-Shinkansen 3rd phase, 1991)
  • Takasaki- Nagano (Hokuriku-Shinkansen 1st phase, 1997)
  • Morioka - Hachinohe (Tōhoku-Shinkansen 4th phase, 2003)
  • Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima-Chuō (Kyūshū-Shinkansen 1st phase, 2004)

Lines in construction

  • Hachinohe - Shin-Aomori (Tōhoku-Shinkansen 5th phase, brought into service envisaged in 2011)
  • Hakata (Fukuoka) - Shin-Yatsushiro (Kyūshū-Shinkansen 2nd phase, brought into service envisaged in 2011)
  • Nagano - Kanazawa (Hokuriku-Shinkansen 2nd phase, brought into service envisaged in 2015)
  • Aomori - Shin-Hakodate (Hokkaidō-Shinkansen 1st phase, brought into service envisaged in 2015)

Lines in project

  • Hakata-Nagasaki (Kyūshū-Shinkansen)
  • Hakodate- Sapporo (Hokkaidō-Shinkansen)
  • Kanazawa-Ōsaka (Hokuriku-Shinkansen)

Taiwan

Control line

Lines at High speed in Europe

The continent of Europe only concentrates with him 60% of the railway lines at high speed, in service or advanced project for the years 2007-2020.

The balance is:

  • to 30% for the continent of Asia
  • to 10% for the remainder of the sphere, America and Africa primarily.

Germany

Control lines

Lines in construction

Lines in project

  • Stuttgart - Ulm (- München) (beginning of construction envisaged in 2008)
  • Frankfurt - Mannheim (beginning of construction not projected yet)

Austria

Belgium

Control lines

Lines in construction

Lines being studied

  • (Eurocaprail) Brussels-Luxembourg (If built, probably line 5)

Denmark

Spain

Spain engaged in an ambitious plan of construction of lines at high speed, aiming at putting all the regional capital of the country at less of 3:00 of Madrid and 6:30 of Barcelona by 2020.

Within the framework of this plan, it is not less than 7000 km of new lines which would owe beings put in services during the next years.

New lines in service (speeds 270-350 km/h)

New lines in construction (speeds 270-350 km/h)

  • Madrid - Segovia - Olmedo - Valladolid (brought into service envisaged on December 22nd, 2007)
  • Antequera - Malaga (last section of the line Cordoue-Malaga, brought into service envisaged on December 23rd, 2007)
  • Ground of Barà - Barcelona (last section of the Madrid-Barcelona line, brought into service envisaged on February 27th, 2008)
  • Madrid - Cuenca - Valence (brought into service envisaged in 2010)
  • Cuenca - Albacete (brought into service envisaged in 2010)
  • Variante of Pajares (Robla-Pobla of Lena) (startup envisaged in 2011)
  • Barcelona - French border (Perpignan) (brought into service envisaged at the origin in 2009, shifted at 2012)
  • Albacete - Alicante (brought into service envisaged in 2012)
  • Seville - Antequera - Grenade (brought into service envisaged in 2012,300 km/h)
  • Olmedo - Zamora (last section of the Olmedo line - Saint-Jacob, brought into service envisaged in 2013)
  • Orense - Saint-Jacob de Compostelle (last section of the Olmedo line - Saint-Jacob, startup envisaged in 2013)
  • Mérida - Badajoz (last section of the Madrid-Lisbon line, brought into service envisaged in 2013)
  • Vitoria-Gasteiz - Bilbao/Saint-Sebastien (" Y" Basque, brought into service envisaged in 2014)

New lines in project (speeds 270-350 km/h)

Lines modernized in service (speeds up to 250 km/h)

Lines modernized in construction (speeds up to 250 km/h)

  • Xàtiva - Valence (brought into service envisaged in 2009)
  • Seville - Cadiz (brought into service envisaged in 2010)
  • Ferrol - Corogne - Saint-Jacob de Compostelle - Vigo - Portuguese border (startup envisaged in 2011)

Lines modernized in project (speeds up to 250 km/h)

Finland

France

France counts 1847 km of New Lines in service at June 10th, 2007 (LN1 Paris - Lyon with LN6 Paris - Baudrecourt Is). This figure accounts for approximately 6% of the railway lines in service to semi-2007 (12% of the electrified lines). At the time of the Grenelle of the environment, the government announced the starting of 2000 km new lines at high speed for 2020, then 2500 km additional for 2030.

The high cost of the construction of these lines relatively limited the development of these infrastructures. For lack of prolongation or completion of the lines at high speed, the TGV must often continue its course on traditional or arranged line, at speeds going from 160 to 220 km/h, to reach many metropolises. It is the case into 2007 of Rennes, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Strasbourg, the LGV Is current stopping in Baudrecourt (see further lines in project) .

Control lines

Lines in construction

  • Perpignan - Figueras (Spain) in construction by a consortium deprived since 2004 (with inter alia boring of a new tunnel to cross the Pyrenees), brought into service at the origin envisaged in 2009, shifted at 2012. Page on structurae

  • Mulhouse - Dijon (LGV the Rhine-Rhone branch Is): a first section is in construction since July 2006. Construction began without the totality of the financing not being buckled, it will thus miss a second section of 50 km east coast to rejoin Mulhouse and 10 km west coast to enter Dijon. Startup envisaged in 2011.

Lines in project

Projects planned by RF
  • Southern LGV Atlantic Europe (Turns - Bordeaux): The Turn-Bordeaux section constitutes the prolongation of the line known as LGV Atlantique , of which only the first third had been built and put in servicing 1990. Construction should be entrusted to a consortium gathering RF and of the companies of the private sector, on the model of the Perpignan-Figueras line. An invitation to tender is launched by RF in 2007. The startup is envisaged in 2013 for the Angouleme-Bordeaux part (DUP July 2006), and in 2016 for Turn-Angouleme.
  • LGV Brittany-Country of the Loire (Mans - Rennes): DUP the 10/26/2007, construction as from 2009, brought into service of the section Mans-Rennes awaited by 2013.
  • LGV Is European, second section of Baudrecourt to Vendenheim (the Low-Rhine): It is the final stage of the project, having to allow a Strasbourg-Paris connection in the long term in 1:48. This second part is still not financed and its construction would begin as well as possible in 2010. Meanwhile the trains bound for Strasbourg and beyond towards Germany and Switzerland circulate to the maximum to 160 km/h on the traditional line Metz-Strasbourg starting from connection of Baudrecourt.
  • transalpine Rail link Lyon-Turin (Lyon - Chambéry - Turin). This line free - Italian requires the boring of three important Tunnel S under the the Alps. Construction as from 2012 on the section Lyon - Chambéry (Page on structurae)
  • LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse (Bordeaux - Toulouse): construction starting from 2013
  • Spanish Bordeaux-border: construction starting from 2013

Project to be planned
  • LGV Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure (Marseilles - Nice) - the line will belong to the rail link Italy-Catalonia, whose construction was considered by 2025 in the last information system strategic plans (June 2006);
  • Lyon - Dijon (LGV the Rhine-Rhone connects Southern), construction being studied of a mixed line Fret/High speed on this section, decision not yet taken by RF and public authorities;
  • Aisy-on-Armançon - Dijon (LGV the Rhine-Rhone connects Western);
  • LGV Picardy, construction being studied of a line Paris-Tunnel under the more direct sleeve and passer by in the vicinity immediate of the town of Amiens;
  • Line at high speed Poitiers-Limoges, consultations and summary preliminary draft (APS) in progress ().
  • Doublement of the Southern TGV Is because of its progressive saturation (evoked vaguely in the report/ratio of the SDRIF)

Other projects
The by-pass Nimes and Montpellier (prolongation of LGV the Mediterranean by mixed line TGV/fret), although intended to fit in the Mediterranean arc of the lines at high speed, cannot be in the immediate future qualified LGV. Indeed the double indication installation (traditional by side light signals + ERTMS) will impose a speed limit on 220 km/h for all the trains, in on this side thus of 250 km/h from which it is considered that it is about high-speed.

For the time being RF clearly intends this line for the routing of freight, from where its connection with the current section " Right Bank of Rhône". It could be converted into true LGV (suppression of side indication, construction of a station Nimes-TGV) by 2030, after the completion of the section Montpellier - Perpignan.

The construction of this line, initially envisaged as from 2006, was deferred to 2009 per Rail network of France.

In the actual position of the projects, the same speed limit should apply for the Ligne Languedoc-Roussillon (Montpellier - Perpignan), always because of the double indication employed.

The statute of the connection Valenton-Orly-Massy ( LGV Southern Interconnection ) is dubious. Its construction was to begin in 2007, however the project is still not financed and remains suspended with political decisions and budgetary.

Semi-official projects
There exist also several projects nonofficial but carried by associations or areas. These projects are not officially studied, are promoted or are not supported by RF.

Great Britain

Control line

  • Chanel Tunnel Rail Link : exit of the Channel tunnel - London (1st open section in 2003)
  • Chanel Tunnel Rail Link : exit of the Channel tunnel - London (brought into service of the second section on November 14th, 2007)

Italy

Control lines

  • Rome - Florence (the Direttissima , first line at European high speed, brought into service section by section between 1977 and 1992) (“reelectrification” envisaged in 25 Kv)
  • Rome Naples (December 2005)
  • Turin - Novare (February 2006)

Lines in construction

  • Milan - Bologna (brought into service envisaged in 2006)
  • Florence-Bologna (brought into service envisaged in 2007 or 2008)
  • Milan-Novare (brought into service envisaged in 2009)

Lines in project

Netherlands

Line in construction

Line in project

Portugal

Lines in project

Sweden

Swiss

Control line

  • Line Mattstetten-Rothrist
  • basic Tunnel of Lötschberg. 34km. The tunnel was inaugurated in June 2007 and will be indeed in service in December 2007, during the change of schedule.

Lines in construction

  • basic Tunnel of Gothard. 57km. Brought into service for 2015.
is planned

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • LGV2030 : Committee of reflection on the lines at high speed
  • Intermodalite.com: propose a partial LGV between Paris and Toulouse with junction towards Clermont Ferrand
  • Association ALTRO: propose a transverse LGV freight and travellers between Rennes and Lyon while passing by Nantes, Poitiers, Limoges and Clermont-Ferrand
  • Rapport on the interconnections of the European LGV (pdf)
  • Trains at High speed

Sources

Random links:Isabelle de France (1292-1358) | Charles Mackerras | Count of the Unicode/UA620 characters | Titoff | RS-702 | Claudette_Colbert