Yellow, blue and grey... some TGVs

[disturbman]

 

I never saw a TGV "La Poste" in action myself, nice to see a video showcasting one.

[to2leo]

Thanks, you just made my day! 

 

Cannot wait for the next generation TGV that SNCF will purchase!

[Guest ___]

It was the TGV that first got me turned on to electrics back in the early 80's.

[disturbman]

leo: You're welcome. 

 

I'm not sure you will be so happy with the actual SNCF's purchase policy. With the economic downturn, SNCF scrapped the big scheme of replacing all the 300 one-level sets by a new generation of trains. Instead, it placed a tender for only 35 sets (plus 65 in options) they will replace the older stock and expand the fleet in service within SNCF and its subsidiaries Lyria and Thalys. It seems that most of the new sets will be put in hold for "international opportunities".

 

In fact, some of the new double-deckers (daisy or 2N2) are delivered but still not in service.

 

Myself, I'd like to see how the CAREX trains will look like (if this scheme ever comes to fruition).

 

@Aaron: since I'm born in the 80's, TGVs (like many other things) allways looked like granted and quite normal to me. But true it really make an impact in Europe (and seemingly in the US).

[CaptOblivious]

Wait, that train hauls postal mail? That suddenly makes me feel like I'm living in some technological backwater…

[Bernard]

Thanks, you just made my day! 

 

Cannot wait for the next generation TGV that SNCF will purchase!

 

Gee Leo, you like TGVs?  (nothing like me stating the obvious )

For members who don't know, a good part of Leo's roster is TGVs. :icon_thumright:

[disturbman]

Yes, that train hauls (and is equiped to sort) postal mail and parcels but their use is in decline. The number of daily rotations were cut from 8 to 6 in 2009. Instead La Poste is looking to invest in less expensive and more normal postal train to haul letters and such.

 

But there is a plan in France (called Euro Carex) to develop high speed fret in Europe using TGV technology and Alstom seems to be working on a plan to develop an intermodal fret TGV with the capacity to haul 80 to 100 metric ton of fret in containers. La Poste and FedEx are part of the program.

[disturbman]

For members who don't know, a good part of Leo's roster is TGVs. :icon_thumright:

 

Happy man! I'd love to have some in my roster (but I don't know which one) but they are definately too pricey (even more if you try to have a complete set)... but wait! I already own one, I almost forget that the Eurostar is a TGV (equiped with third rail pick up).

 

And to complete the first video I posted here, another one.

 

 

And to finish this post, a TGV Atlantique pasisng by.

 

[Mudkip Orange]

duuude that first video is FAST.

[to2leo]

I can watch these videos over and over again 

[disturbman]

duuude that first video is FAST.

 

True.   I think the La Poste is at full speed or close (around 270kph). That makes for in impressive video but that's not as fast as the last record. I rewatched the vid yesterday and that's really impressive. Looking at that train rocket under the bridge at 570kph still give me chills.

 

@leo: yeah, me too. 

[grumbeast]

Just for those who haven't seen it, here's  a short version..

 

This one gets me every time

 

 

 

 

Graham

[alpineaustralia]

check out the scene at 1.06 to 1.10 as it looks backwards!!!

[railzilla]

Rumors say that the TGV should set a new world record but not too fast as Alstom wants that the AGV breaks the 600km/h barrier. The AGV is also the reason that SNC doesn't replace the old TGV sets now as a replacement with AGV would make much more sense. Although TGV are fast and reliable the waste lots of space for the two locomotives.

[disturbman]

Never heard of such rumors and I usually go on french forums. And I think they are totaly false, let me explain you why:

 

The last world record was set in very peculiar circumstancies that doesn't exist nowadays, they had a brand new HSL still not open to commercial trafic to play with. It also doesn't make so much sense to try to brake this record on such a short notice. First, the record still stands as it is. Why try to break it? Second, a record costs a lot of money to do. You have to prepare a special train set and it's very costly in term of maintenance and consumption. Third, trying to brake the record means that HST circulation will have to be disrupt for a long period of time on a HSL. I'm not sure anyone (SNCF, RFF and SNCF's clients) would be too happy with it. RFF was already relunctant to the 360kph test campaign, I don't see them accept two new world record trial on their system. Last point, it doesn't make any sense to try to brake this record with a normal TGV set since Alstom is abandoning this technology. The last one was also made to validate some technological decisions (I think this world record break took place at the end of a two week test campaign) and now Alstom is totaly focused on the AGV technology. Which is, by the way, not at all suited for world record breaking. It's an EMU and as such the motive power is distributed, which means you can't really give steroïds to these motors like you can with a push-pull set.

 

Beside, the SNCF could totally replace the old TGV sets by some AGV or Velaro. It just has to make sure the tender specifications require an EMU and not a push-pull set. That's how they gave all double-deckers contract to Alstom, they jsut have to specify they need a double-decker push-pull design. And that's done, because Alstom is the only one to produce those. As a matter of fact, I do think the Velaro and the AGV (and some others) are contesting for the new (smaller) tender released last year by the SNCF. There is no other choice since nobody makes any one-level push-pull HST anymore. But the what really want the SNCF to buy is a double-decker EMU capable of VHS (360kph).

[disturbman]

check out the scene at 1.06 to 1.10 as it looks backwards!!!

 

You mean, something like that (there is now backwards shot but that still)?

 

 

And a last one for all TGV's lovers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG7Y1FSUwGg

[scott]

Wait, that train hauls postal mail? That suddenly makes me feel like I'm living in some technological backwater…

 

You We are. 

[quinntopia]

Ouch, all this talk of the TGV's being retired makes me like them even more...the thought of these trainsets being replaced by EMU's makes me kind of bummed out.  It seems like the logical/functional and practical thing to do, but I will miss the motor cars if this is the way of the future.

[Mudkip Orange]

EMU is definitely the future, although I hope they at least run the original Sud-Est style train sets as "joyful train" type excursions once they're withdrawn from service...

[disturbman]

I wouldn't count on it but, who knows.

 

Regarding the retirement of all the push-pull TGVs... that won't be done before a veryyy long time. Simply because most of SNCF fleet is composed of Duplexes and there is still no EMU version of those trains. Also, they are quite young (some of them are still being delivered) and won't retire so soon. Thus said, in 20 years you won't see a TGV Sud-Est anymore and the TGV Atlantique will also being put out of service.

[Mudkip Orange]

in 20 years you won't see a TGV Sud-Est anymore and the TGV Atlantique will also being put out of service.

 

I gotta get to Europe at least once before this happens.

[scott]

Let's hope the airfares come down. We haven't been to visit my wife's relatives in Basel for 12 years, but right now just the plane tickets would cost about twice as much as our entire week in Costa Rica.