The turbotrain is a series of Train S French propelled by gas turbines. The technique is proposed by Guy Sénac to improve the speed of the trains. The turbotrains of various generations were developed by the the SNCF which commercially exploited them during two decades on not electrified transverse lines railway network. It was used to develop the technical solutions TGV.

Principle

See also: Gas turbine

The use of a gas turbine instead of a diesel engine had as an advantage a first considerable lightening of the motor coaches, which did not exceed 17t by axle, for a strong power. Thus, the allowed speed limits were those of the railcars, are 10 to 15 km/h moreover than the tractor drawn trains. On the sinuous routes, with speed limits of about 80 km/h, that made a difference of more than one hour on the course. Their introduction made it possible to democratize the great transversals, while ensuring, for the example of Lyon-Strasbourg, five daily return tickets in the two classes to replace a return ticket in RGP 1st class plus one or two return tickets of express train 1re/2e class much slower. Ransom of their success, they were replaced by trains tractor drawn on the majority of their grounds. In addition, their important fuel consumption (400g per provided kWh, to compare with the 217g DC 72000) condemned them to a shortened life.

Versions

• the experimental turbotrain TGS (gas turbine of helicopter Lark II). Its tests began the April 25th 1967. This machine was at the origin of the technique of the turbotrains with the SNCF. Called “Zébulon”, it reaches the speed record of 252 km/h the October 15th 1971.
• Turbotrains of first generation: not very sure still the reliability of the turbomotors, the SNCF prefers to order mixed oars, laying out at an end a diesel motor coach similar to the double motorized Elements (EAD), the ETG (element with gas turbine). These oars of four vehicles offer 188 places on the whole, with a diesel motor coach and a turbine motor coach by oar. The oars type ETG are brought into service in March 1971, on the line Paris - Caen - Cherbourg.
• Turbotrains of second generation: RTG (Oar with gas turbine) with hydraulic fluid power, oars of five vehicles, offering on the whole 280 places, motorized by two gas turbines of 820 kw, maximum speed: 160 km/h. The oars type RTG are brought into service in 1973, on the line Strasbourg - Lyon, Lyon - Nantes. They replace there in particular RGP (oars with large course) called “green Lizard” at the time of their delivered green and cream.
• the experimental turbotrain TGV 001.

It is an articulated motorized oar which preceded TGV. It included/understood three cases resting on Bogie S intermediaries and two motor coaches of ends provided with gas turbines. Ordered in 1969, this oar was built by Alstom, Brissonneau and Lotz and was equipped with turbines Turboméca Turmo IV with electric transmission . Its tests began the April 4th 1972.

This oar made it possible to test railway circulations at high speed, above 250 km/h (it made more than 2200 steps above 250 km/h, of which a walk record to 318 km/h on the line of the Landes between Lamothe and Morcenx the December 8th 1972) and the various technical solutions (Freinage, Bogie S, Aérodynamisme in particular) which will be adopted on the TGV, except for the turbine motorization, which will be abandoned following the Oil crisis of 1973 (at reduced power the Cs curve is of pace Hyperbolique).

In France, the RTG were the tools for a considerable development of traffic such as, except for Lyon-Bordeaux, with multiple routes, all the relations thereafter were electrified or transferred on relations TGV (Paris-Calais or Lyon-Nantes).

Trains with turbines in the world

See also: Locomotive with gas turbine

France is not the only country having developed engines with gas turbine. The first were employed in the Années 1940 in Switzerland and their golden age is during the Années 1960, right before the oil crises of the years 1970. To the beginning of the Years 2000 an experimental train, named JetTrain , is offered by Bombardier Transport to develop the trains at high speed in North America. It uses an engine using a turbine PW150 of Pratt & Whitney Canada which is more effective than an equivalent diesel.

See too

Related articles

• JetTrain
• Train Turbo (United Aircraft Corporation)
• National company of the railroads French (the SNCF)
• Material engine of the SNCF

External bond

• Pages of presentation on the " Turbotrain" in France

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