the SNCF beat three world speed records on rail with TGV at the time of four operations called TGV 100 (1981), TGV 117 , TGV 140 (1989 - 1990), and V 150 (2007) which were held on several lines, the line at high speed Paris-South-Is, the line at high speed Atlantique and the line at Eastern-European high speed.

Three speed records were established:

Another speed records and of endurance were beaten by the SNCF at the time of the Opération sardine, on May 26th, 2001, during which a TGV traversed 1067,2 km between Calais and Marseilles in 3:29, with the mean velocity of 306 km/h .

Program of 1981 (TGV 100)

August 1st The February 26th 1981, the oar TGV South-eastern n° 16 of the SNCF reached 380 km/h on the line at high speed Paris-South-Is in the north of Pasilly, in Yonne. The tension was increased to 29 Kv and the wheels were of a largeer diameter.

The 100 of the name of the operation TGV 100 referred to the objective speed of 100 m/s (360 km/h).

Programs of 1989 and 1990 (TGV 117 and TGV 140)

The world speed records of TGV (515,3 km/h) are the result of a test routine carried out by the SNCF in 1989 and 1990 (before the opening to the business service of the southern branch of LGV Atlantique), tests aiming at exploring the extreme possibilities of system TGV. The objective of these tests was to reach possible maximum speed with an oar TGV under permanent conditions of safety.

Operations TGV 117 and TGV 140, in reference to the objectives speed expressed in meters a second were carried out by the SNCF of November 1989 in May 1990. The point of organ of these tests was the establishment the May 18th 1990 of the new world records railway speed to 515,3  km/h by the oar n° 325.

The course of tests

The tests proceeded on a section of LGV Atlantique a few months before the commercial startup of the line. The realization of the tests did not require significant modifications of the way or an overhead line. Certain sections of the line had been planned as of 1982 (little time after the record of February 1981 on South-eastern LGV) to very allow steps high-speeds.

The section of tests started on the joint base, with kilometer 114, the junction of Dangeau. It extended beyond the junction from Courtalain on the south-western branch in direction from Tours. Kilometer 135 with kilometer 170, the line was traced with increasingly broad curves, reaching a minimum ray of 15  km after kilometer 150. These curves were built with a warped higher than what was strictly necessary for a block speed of 300  km/h. To kilometer 160, the line crosses the station of Vendôme TGV. With kilometer 166, there is a long descent, with a slope of 2,5%, towards the valley of the Loir, affluent of the the Loire that the line crosses by a Pont of 175  meters. It is the point where it was envisaged to reach the highest speeds and most of the activity concentrated in this zone.

The south-western branch (Turns) of the line was controlled using computerized special equipment of maintenance of the way, direction of the Infrastructure of the SNCF. As on all the LGV, the rails are aligned with a tolerance of 1 mm, and the ballast was puffed up to purge it too fine gravel S. The trial runs had few effects on the way. There was up to four steps per day. After the tests the way required only light recoveries. It is about a notable difference with the conditions of the speed records of 1955, during which the way was strongly deformed during the walk of the BB 9004 to 331 km/h. strain gauges were placed in several places, in particular on the joint expansion at the ends of the bridge on the Dormouse.

The overhead line was a standard overhead line LGV, without any modification, setting with share the tension of the wire because when a pantograph moves under an overhead line, it creates a disturbance in form of Onde which is propagated along the wire at a speed determined by the tension of the wire and its mass per unit of length. If the pantograph moves at the same speed that the disturbance, it causes an important and dangerous vertical displacement wire of contact with a risk of separation and interruption of the contact. This speed is the “critical” speed, which constitutes a limit with that being able to be reached by the train. This problem was in the middle of the tests, since one wished to reach speeds quite higher than the critical engine failure speed of the overhead line standard of the LGV. There were two solutions: to increase the tension of the wire or to reduce its mass per unit of length.

It was planned to replace the wire of contact out of copper by a lighter wire in Alliage of Cadmium but it has was necessary to give up for questions of time and cost. The critical engine failure speed of the overhead line of the line of tests thus had to be only concerned by the increase the mechanical tension the wire of contact. For the trial runs, the usual tension of 2000 daN was carried to 2800  daN and exceptionally with 3200  daN.

With kilometer 166, the catenary posts were equipped with sensors to measure the displacement of the wire of contact. At the time of the record to 515,3 km/h, on May 18th, 1990, vertical displacements of almost 30  cm were recorded, to 1 or 2 cm only of the forecasts carried out by data-processing simulations. The critical engine failure speed of the overhead line for this particular walk was of 532  km/h.

Because of the powers called by the oar, for some of the fastest steps, beyond 500  km/h, the electric Tension of food of the overhead line was carried to 29,5 Kv, the nominal voltage of the lines in exploitation being of 25 Kv.

Trains of tests

During first stages whereas operation TGV 117 was still in phase of definition, various criteria were retained in the preparation of a train of tests. They related to the Aérodynamique, the traction and the systems electric, the rails and the contact with the overhead line, the old Frein, without forgetting the Confort.

The main aim of the test routine was to explore the limits of system TGV and to characterize its behavior with very high-speeds. A principle had guided the technicians: to use an oar TGV of series and to modify it the least possible. The oar n° 325 of Atlantic TGV (the 25e of the Atlantic series) was selected in an arbitrary way to be the starting point of the modifications. It should be stressed that this oar did not have anything special, and that it turned over after the tests to the business service to which it was intended. Currently, the only distinctive signs of oar 325 which dissociate it other Atlantiques oars are a blue ribbon painted on the nose and of the bronze plates rivetted on the sides of the two motor coaches to commemorate the event.

Rows 325, first version

The modifications, during the preparation of the second trial run, started with a shortening of the oar which passed from its normal composition to ten cases to only four cases, involving a big raise of the specific Power. The composition was the following one: motor coach TGV24049, trailer R1 TGVR241325, trailer R4 TGVR244325, trailer R6 TGVR246325, trailer R10 TGVR240325 and driving TGV24050. The length of the oar was reduced to 125  m instead of 237  and its mass with 300 tons instead of 490.

The aerodynamics of the Atlantic TGV was already very good and was improved very little. One decided that oar 325 would have “front” and a “back” for the steps at high speed, in order to simplify the modifications. Normally, an oar TGV is symmetrical and reversible, but both driving S of oar 325,24049 and 24050, were defined, respectively, like motor coach of head and motor coach of tail. On the roof of the element of head, 24049, the pantographs were deposited and the careenage of the roof extended on the opening, one made in the same way for the pantograph 1500  V Cd. of the motor coach of tail 24050. Only one pantograph was to be used at high speed: model GPU (Large Single Plunger) of Faiveley remaining on motor coach 24050. As in a normal TGV, the motor coach of head was to be fed since the motor coach of tail by the line of roof running over the entire length of the oar. Other improvements, like membranes of rubber sealing space between two trailers, and a back Spoiler on motor coach 24050 were considered, then abandoned.

The driving of traction synchronous to alternative course (standard SM47) of motor coaches 24049 and 24050 could not turn too quickly, because of the limitations of the commutation of Fréquence of the electronic food . The technicians chose 4000  turns per minute with 420  km/h like optimum Ratio, following the tests of oar 325 at high speed with the equipment of traction of series. The new ratio of traction was obtained by changing the report/ratio of transmission and by increasing the Diamètre wheels. As for the trial run of 1981 on oar TGV PSE n° 16, the wheels of origin of motor coaches 24049 and 24050 of 920  mm were replaced by wheels of 1050  Misters.

To prevent electric problems, components Semi-conducteur S (in particular of the Thyristor S) were selected with a special attention with their quality. The principal Transformateur of each motor coach was replaced by a model larger, able to support 6400  kVA, nearly 45% of more than the transformers of series. Thorough tests were carried out on the electric systems, to determine their operational limits. These tests made it possible to make sure that acceptable temperatures would never be exceeded during the tests.

Then, the interface wheel-rail was studied. The bearings of the Essieu X were not modified, a rupture for 10.000  km in business service on South-eastern LGV. The Amortisseur S anti Lacet were tightened and doubled each side, which increased their number to a total of four shock absorbers anti-laces on each bogie, redundancy intended to face a possible damage at high speed. Following the first tests and data-processing simulations, the transverse shock absorbers were tightened on the driving bogies.

The trial run of 1981 had provided invaluable data and model data processing on the interaction between the pantograph and the wire of contact of the overhead line, and had given a lighting on the very significant dynamics of this system. A very great vertical excursion of the wire of contact (more 30  cm) was observed during the tests of 1981, and was allotted to the correction by the pantograph of the wave which it creates in front of him in the wire of contact. For this reason, it was not only necessary to regulate the overhead line to increase the propagation velocity of the wave, but also to finely adjust the pantograph itself.

The model of pantograph equipping oar 325 was the GPU of Faiveley. The bow equipping this pantograph weighs less 8  kg and is assembled on a vertical Amortisseur with a clearance of 150  Misters the principal structure of the pantograph makes up of cylindrical tubes , which (according to Faiveley) reduced sensitivity of the pantograph to the random variations of the environmental factors. The only modifications made to pantograph GPU were an increase in the rigidity of the pneumatic shock absorbers and a reduction of the aerodynamic bearing pressure of the structure.

The suspension of the trailers was raised of 20  mm by surgonflant the rolls of the secondary suspension and while inserting Hold S, to increase the clearance of the suspension and to adapt to the largest wheels of the motor coaches.

The brakes of the trailers were regulated to allow a dissipation of energy of 24  MJ by disc instead of the 18  Usual MJ, with a total of 20 discs.

Many the modifications enumerated above, including on the synchronous engines of traction, were tested with high speeds with 400  km/h on South-eastern oar TGV n° 88. During a test at high speed, the technicians sought to cause an unstable oscillation on a bogie by strongly reducing damping anti-lace, without reaching that point.

Lastly, the majority of the seats of the R1 trailer were removed and spaces it transformed into Laboratoire to produce and record the data of tests on the dynamics of the vehicles, dynamics and the contact with the overhead line, the efforts tractive, aerodynamics, interior comfort and the noise, as well as a series of other parameters.

The November 30th 1989, oar 325 left the workshops of Châtillon and conveyed for the course of tests for its first test run. The technicians of Châtillon devoted 4500 work hours on the modifications, which is impressive if it is considered that their first mission, and their priority, is the maintenance of routine of the park of the Atlantic TGV ensuring the business service. The first trial run carried out with oar 325, until the 1990 is summarized in the chronology of the steps of the record below.

Rows 325, second version

February 1st, 1990 with 15:30, oar 325 is turned over to the workshops of Châtillon for a long moment. It had then established new world records with 482,4  km/h. The technicians had until March 1st to carry out a new program of modifications intended to allow to collect new data and to carry out an advertizing blow around the 500  km/h. This second turn of modifications was to draw a direct advantage from the experiment garnered at the time of the first phase.

The axles of motor coaches 24049 and 24050 were deposited and sent to the workshops of Bischheim in Alsace the February 2nd to adapt them to larger wheels of 1090  Misters the axle of head of motor coach 24049 was equipped with strain gauges and returned in Châtillon 8 days after the other axles the February 22nd. At the origin, the second axle was to also be equipped with the kind, but the expiry of March 1st did not leave time of them. To adapt to the larger wheels, of the special brake shoes were machined for the brake shoes of motor coaches 24049 and 24050. With 15  mm thickness, two stops urgently only were guaranteed.

The February 6th, the trailers were raised and tows it R6 removed from the oar. That carried oar 325 to the possible minimum composition since the trailer bar R4 makes keystone function of “” in the articulated design of the TGV. Oar 325 weighed 250 tons now and measured 106  m length. From the 7 with the February 14th, the three remaining trailers underwent other modifications. The line of roof in 25  Kv being used to supply the motor coach of head was replaced by a simple cable; what made it possible to deposit the Isolateur S which supported it between the cases and which disturbed the air flow. Rubber membranes were installed to cover space between the trailers and bogies Y237B were raised of 40 Misters.

In the interval between motor coaches and trailers, of great careenages were installed. These “snow-plows”, assembled under the attachments, were designed to prevent the formation of a basic zone Pression between the vehicles, which had caused a significant Traînée during the preceding tests. On the motor coaches, metal sheet shields were affixed on the bogies, and the frontal careenage was lengthened to the bottom of 10  cm to compensate for the biggest size of the wheels. Lastly, a removable spoiler was installed on the nose of the motor coach of tail 24050.

The improvements of aerodynamics were supposed to involve a reduction of 10% of the trail. During the preceding phase of tests, the force of the atmospheric trail had reached the value of 9 tons at the speed of 460  km/h. On the new version of oar 325, this value was not to be reached, according to the forecasts, before 500  km/h.

The February 27th 1990, after coupling of the two oars, oar 325 left the workshops of Châtillon for the second time, with two days in advance on the program. This time, it took 2000 work hours in workshop to carry out the modifications. The second trial run, which culminated with the establishment of the world records speed of 515,3  km/h is summarized in the Chronologie record below.

Chronology of the tests

First countryside: from November 1989 in February 1990

; November 30th, 1989: First day of test. With 7:29, oar 325 leaves the workshops of Châtillon behind oar 308. Oar 325 could not join the sector of the tests by its own means because the continuous system of traction under 1500 V had been deposited and that several sections of ways between Paris and Massy are electrified in 1500 V. Arrived at Massy with 7:49. After control of the detectors of hot boxes and electric system, oar 325 is dissociated from oar 308 with 8:21 and leaves Massy. With 8:52, oar 325 exceeds the siding of Dangeau, with kilometer 114, and penetrates in the test area. The conditions weather are communicated by radio with the team of control: temperature, - 7 °C; temperature of the rail, - 6 °C; east wind, 3  km/h; visibility, 500 Mr. a stag on the ways delays the first walk and a team is called to deaden it. The second walk of the day starts with 12:03 and oar 325 reached 391  km/h with kilometer 169, stopping with 12:24 with kilometer 210, the end of the sector of test. During the return on Dangeau at fallback speed, oar 325 is launched for a third trial run and reached 407  km/h with kilometer 142.

; December 1st, 1989: The conditions weather create concern, with the presence of white frost on the overhead line. During the first walk of the day, the video monitors show intense sparks between the pantograph and the wire of contact. The tests are stopped and the overhead line put at the ground while the technicians climb on the roof of motor coach 24050 to examine the pantograph. The pantograph is regulated to ensure a firmer contact with the wire and the following steps do not encounter problems. During the third and last walk of the day, oar 325 reached the speed of 442.6  km/h with kilometer 164,3.

; December 4th, 1989: As with the practice, oar 308 opens the course of tests and announces white frost on certain sections of the overhead line and weak Adhérence of the rail. In spite of a light slip, oar 325 reached 463  km/h at the time of its first walk, with kilometer 165. The second walk, 473  km/h. The third walk reaches only 463  km/h because of a double release of the cut principal circuit. The evening, the decision is made to increase the mechanical tension of the overhead line of 2700 daN to 2800 daN in the fastest section of the course of tests. (The normal tension is of 2000 daN).

; December 5th, 1989: The day starts with a very cold time with the first walk with 474,5  km/h. Oar 325 turns over to be parked in Dangeau and awaits the authorization to again spring. With 11:07, oar 308 announces by radio that the way is ready, after a passage to 350  km/h. The director of the tests, Pierre Delfosse, expresses his hope which following walk will be good. Oar 325 leaves Dangeau with 11:36 and starts to accelerate: measure in kilometres 124,1: 300  km/h; measure in kilometres 129: 350  km/h; the needles of the junction of Courtalain are crossed with 363  km/h without a jolt; measure in kilometres 149,5: 450  km/h; measure in kilometres 154,8: 460  km/h; measure in kilometres 163,9: 470  km/h; measure in kilometres 166: 480  km/h. 600 meters further, with 11:37, the new world records is established with 482,4  km/h . Kilometer 169, one asks the driver, Michel Boiteau, to put the power at zero. The figures of walk are calculated. Starting from a standing start: 6 min 15 S and 22 km for 400  km/h, 8 min and 33 km for 440  km/h, 9 min and 40 km for 460  km/h. the end of this walk, oar 325 traversed 337 km with high speeds with 400  km/h. A recording of the steps of the record is diffused in the whole world.

; From December 6th, 1989 to January 29th, 1990: The tests continue. Oar 325 calls 13 MW on the rail, about the same power as two oars of series of the Atlantic TGV. Tests of crossings at high speed are carried out with oars 308 and 325, carrying out a relative speed of 777,7  km/h. All the tests proceed without hitch and the parameters of safety defined by precaution in the beginning are never exceeded. The data collected during the tests since the record of the December 5th indicate that the limits of system TGV were not reached yet. In the light of these results, one decided to try one second phase of tests, to test speeds about 500  km/h. The team charged of the tests was to go quickly because the commercial startup of the line was programmed for the month of September 1990.

; January 29th, 1990: For the first time, the trial runs at high speed are tried on way 2. Rolling on the way of right-hand side (“with misinterpretation”) oar 325 crosses the needles in station of Vendôme to 462  km/h.

; February 1st, 1990: Last walk of this first series of tests. To 15:30, oar 325 turns over to the workshops of Châtillon. It will remain one month there, to undergo there new modifications for the second series of tests.

Second countryside: from March in May 1990

; March 5th, 1990: The first walk of oar 325, version 2, with 408  km/h. For the return to the garage of Dangeau, the team of control changes cabin for the one second walk. When the oar is given under tension, an electric breakdown destroys the principal transformer of the motor coach postpones 24050. That puts an end to the day tests and oar 325 is returned of Châtillon coupled with oar 308. The evening even, the damaged transformer is replaced by a smaller standard transformer. The technicians spent all their night to repair the electric system of motor coach 24050. Many circuits 1500 V and 72 V had been seriously damaged by 25 Kv at the time of the breakdown.

; March 6th, 1990: After many steps with the idle on the ways of the workshops to regulate the new transformer finely, oar 325 sets out again once again for the ways of tests to 10:05. She did not reach that point, breaking down again to Saint-Leger, before being towed towards Châtillon by oar 308.

; March 9th, 1990: With 6:30, the technicians are still occupied changing an engine of traction and electronics low tension. It takes even more time to give oar 325 in form. With 19:00, one announces that the SNCF decided to push back the tests until motor coach 24050 is re-equipped of the transformer installed before the incident of the March 5th. It is doubtful effect that oar 325 can have enough power with the standard transformer to reach the 500  km/h.

; May 4th, 1990: Oar 325 is of return on the ways of tests for its second day. the record of the December 5th is beaten, with a speed of more than 485  km/h. the threshold of the 500  km/h seems close.

; May 9th, 1990: A stag on the section of tests delays the first walk of the day of more than one hour. At the time of the third walk, started with Dangeau with 14:38, oar 325 writing history by crossing the 500  km/h with kilometer 164,8. With 14:49, oar 325 reached the speed record of 506,5  km/h, with kilometer 165,9. During this walk, more than 3 km are traversed with high speeds with 500  km/h. The fourth walk starts with the usual bulletin weather. Courtalain: temperature 23 °C, temperature of the rail 32 °C; measure in kilometres 166: temperature 24 °C, temperature of the wire of contact 25 °C, wind, west, 10  km/h. walk proceeds as follows: ; *kilometer 124,4,300  km/h; ; *kilometer 130,1,360  km/h; ; *kilometer 137,0,400  km/h; ; *kilometer 146,6,450  km/h; ; *kilometer 153,0,480  km/h; ; *kilometer 156,6,490  km/h; ; *kilometer 162,0,500  km/h.

; With 16:43, a few seconds later, the figures flicker on the screens: 510,6  km/h. This walk is remarkable in the sense that this speed was reached without the assistance of the slope to kilometer 166. The needles in station of Vendôme had passed to 502  km/h.

; May 10th, 1990: The first impeccable walk with 509,9  km/h. The second walk, not so good. The third walk, problem. At the speed of 300  km/h, the bow of the pantograph start to jump on the wire of contact. Oar 325 turns over to Dangeau at fallback speed and the overhead line is put at the ground to make it possible to the technicians to inspect the pantograph. It is supposed that a wire of accelerometer interfered with the bow; the wire is replaced. The fourth walk, the bow starts again to jump on the wire of contact. At the time of the return to Dangeau, the shock absorber of the pantograph is replaced. The fifth walk, even phenomenon, with 339  km/h. The tests are stopped for the day.

; May 11th, 1990: The SNCF announces an interruption of the test routine because of a “minor problem” on the interface pantograph/wire of contact. After a meticulous examination of the pantograph, oar 325 continues the tests in spite of the bad news and carries out steps with 505  km/h and 508,9  km/h.

; May 14th, 1990: A delicate adjustment of oar 325, intended to very optimize the tractive effort at high speed, causes an electric problem. The technicians choose less ambitious adjustments to avoid this problem. Photographs taken this day there: 1 at the beginning of the field of tests in Dangeau; with the passage to Vendôme.

; May 16th, 1990: The first walk reached 505,8  km/h with kilometer 166,2. Jacques Baker, president of the SNCF, present at edge of oar 325 this day, congratulates the team on control for this new walk with the top of 500 km/h. The second walk: 506  km/h. The third walk: 510.8  km/h with kilometer 166,8. These two last steps are impeccable, without any the electric problems encountered previously.

; May 17th, 1990: Day of rest for the team. Oar 325 stations in its base, the workshops of Châtillon.

; May 18th, 1990: It is the last day of programmed test. At dawn, oar 308 again accosts the 325 and the Attelage Scharfenberg is engaged. Oar 325 is towed towards the test area, with the usual stop with Massy to embark the engineering team. The trailer R1 laboratory was converted into studio, since this day the steps are programmed like a media event. The R10 trailer will be filled journalists. At 8:08, oars 308 and 325 arrive at Dangeau and are disconnected. Oar 313 arrives behind and allows Michel Delebarre, Minister for transport, to go up in the cabin of oar 325. Oar 313 continues to the station of Vendôme with a quota of leaders of the SNCF, led by the president Jacques Fournier, and various invited personalities. To 8:43, a stag is announced on the course of tests. After a light delay to release the way, oar 325 leaves the garage of Dangeau to 9:51. The tension of the overhead line was carried from 25 to 29,5 Kv. 15 minutes later, to 10:06, oar 325 hangs the new world records from speed to 515,3  km/h with the bottom of the descent to kilometer 166,8 - See photo. The train stops a few minutes later with kilometer 210 and the crew sabers champagne with the minister. At once after, oar 325 turns over to way 4 of the station of Vendôme all lit fires and actuating its warning signals, congratulated by a crowd on journalists.

Program of 2007 (V 150)

At the time of the 25 years celebration of the TGV, Anne-Marie Idrac, president of the SNCF, announced that the company considered a new trial run aiming at improving the world speed records on rail at the time of the tests of the news LGV Is European.

Before the startup of the line of the TGV Is on June 10th, 2007, the the SNCF, RF and Alstom carried out a campaign at high-speed having made it possible to reach 574,8 km/h. The code name of the trial run was V 150 , for 150 m/s (540 km/h) and its cost estimated at 30 million euros (financed with equality by the SNCF, RF and Alstom). Two independent factors made it possible to beat the old record of 1990:

  • a long section of the LGV Is present curves of very large ray, favorable to circulation at very high speed. The whole of the line is designed to allow the trains circulating to at least 360 km/h. The block speed with the opening will be of 320 km/h (against 300 km/h for the LGV Atlantique on which the record of 1990 took place).
  • the oar of tests mobilizes most recent technologies of Alstom. Modified starting from an oar POS of the TGV Is, it includes an intermediate car on driving bogies of a new type built especially on this occasion.

Test 4402 rows (V150)

The new drawing of the trains, the rounder forms, arrived with the third generation of TGV (Duplex TGV) in 1996, ensures a better aerodynamics the trains and thus a better behavior of materials at very high speed (more than 500 km/h). This railway technology which made progress in 17 years makes it possible to approach 600 km/h that only the trains with magnetic lift are supposed capacity to reach.

Oar 4402, so called oar V 150 (for 150 m/s = 540 km/h), is an oar of service modified as at the time of the record of 1990, except the specifically built central trailer R4. This one consists of 2 motor coaches of TGV POS and 3 cars of Duplex TGV. With a 106 meters length, it is approximately twice shorter than a TGV of series and weighs 268 tons.

Contrary to the oar used for the tests of 1990, oar 4402 lays out of two Bogie S additional engines, with two axles, located on both sides central car using the technology of AGV of Alstom. The engines are new permanent magnet synchronous motors of a unit power of: 1000 kw (approximately 600 kw for the engines of series), characterized by a better specific power (lower than 1 kg/kW). Their low size allows them a use in traction distributed, like in the case of future oars AGV. The power of this oar was thus increased to 19.600 kw in order to limit the number of revolutions of the engines.

The electric tension of the overhead line assembled to 31 Kv compared with 25 Kv in normal weather and its mechanical tension to 4.000 daN against 2.600 daN usually. The oar is supplied by a pantograph of the type CX (reduced, autopilot, controlled at speed and measurement: efforts, acceleration and displacement) - to see photo - Faiveley company whose effort, which is function speed, is controlled via an electronic chart. The reaction controlled of the pantograph according to speed makes it possible to cancel the aerodynamic effects which start starting from 530 km/h. The goal is to avoid disjunctions between the overhead line and the pantograph to transmit the maximum of power. The head of collecting is of the monobande type. The material employed for this band is a composite carbon called “Plywood” which is already used on the oars Paris-South-Is for collecting in D.C. current, it is provided by the company Carbone Lorraine. This material is a metallized carbon base to which elements of vertical structure are grafted, strongly impregnated and thus allowing the passage of a very high current. The current collected on this single tape is about 800 has for this application.

In order not to waste energy, aerodynamics was optimized; avoid breeze levelling, lowering of the guard to the rail (under motor coaches), complete hooding of the driving roof of head, hooding partial of the roof of the motor coach of tail (with the site of the pantograph 15kV deposited), continuity under motor coaches/section, caesura closed laterally by continuous bellows.

Finally the ends fronts were reinforced to improve the behavior with the potential shocks with animals: metal stem, film of reinforcement of the polyester parts. Reinforcements were also added to improve the behavior with the air: points of abutments, straps in roof on cap. The oar was stripped essuie-panes.

More than 600 sensors were installed on board in order to very collect technical informations on the tests at high speed. Â full speed one needs a distance of 33 km to stop the TGV.

Trial run

Before carrying out the official and approved attempt aiming at exceeding 515,3 km/h of the preceding world records, a trial run was carried out starting from January 15th, 2007 is in a a whole hundred people. The TGV sprang with 13:01 of the commune of Prény (Meurthe-et-Moselle) in the direction Metz - Paris.

After 10 km, the single pantograph of the oar is dropped during 2 km, and the train crosses the zone in which the food passes from 25 Kv to 31 Kv, tension allowing to provide the power necessary to exceed 500 km/h. The pantograph is then again raised, and at the end of 10 minutes, the speed of 515,3 km/h (preceding official record) is exceeded. After 13 minutes of course, the maximum speed of 574,8 km/h

See too

References

Random links:List place names in German in Belgium | Anonymus | Drivecleaner | Bed linen with water | Basler Herbstmesse

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org