Rail travel

Secret plan to break 600 kph speed barrier

     

French Railways has a secret plan to pass the 600 kph barrier, thereby breaking its own world speed record for conventional trains running on steel tracks. Although officially denied, the plan is said to have been mentioned in memos between SNCF and Alstom, the French engineering company manufacturing the second-generation TGV trains.

The high speed run will be attempted on a brand new stretch of track between Paris and Metz, due to open next June. Engineers believe the best chance to set this extraordinary record would come before the rails are worn through regular use and while a new type of TGV designed to haul double-decker carriages is at its peak of efficiency. The new TGV power units start to come on stream next month. Safety tests on the Metz route also begin early this year and in the past such runs have often been used by SNCF for record attempts.

   
Lyon                             Lyon                              Avignon

However, the conditions for setting a record are liberally interpreted and SNCF would not need to operate a normal train to qualify. Nor would it need to maintain this speed for more than a measured kilometer. The train, for safety reasons, is unlikely to have any normal passengers, fare paying or otherwise: just a few officials from Alstom and SNCF and some independent observers. It will consist of two power cars and two special carriages. Laboratory tests indicate that a speed of 550kph (342 mph) is easily attainable, 570kph (354mph) rather more difficult, and 600 kph (372 mph) only possible under optimum conditions.

Speeds of this magnitude are hard to comprehend but would make it theoretically possible to reach Paris by rail from London in about 1 hour 15 minutes, an extraordinary concept. In reality such speeds are unlikely to be permitted in normal service because of the consequences of mechanical failure, potentially aggravated by the huge distance needed to stop. However, SNCF has plans to upgrade many of its lines to enable trains to run in service at speeds of 360 kph (224 mph), which would make it much more competitive over long distances. 

The current record of 515.3 kph (just over 320 mph) was set by SNCF as long ago as 1990. The fastest speed reached in the UK is 335 kph (208 mph), set by a driver during trials on the first section of high speed track on the British side of the Channel Tunnel, back in 2003. When the entire high-speed link from St Pancras opens later this year, the maximum permitted speed will be 300 kph (186 mph), and Eurostar will take 2 hours 15 minutes between London and Paris. This of course is still hugely faster than the current top speed on, for example, the UK’s west coast main line of 125 mph and 140 mph on the east coast.

The investment on the French side of the Channel in ever-faster trains reflects French determination not to be left behind in the multi-billion high speed market. Alstom and SNCF are competing with Siemens of Germany and the Japanese company, Kawasaki-Mitsubishi, to supply high-speed trains to Argentina, China, South Korea and Spain. France, not unexpectedly, won the first major orders from its Spanish neighbour but Siemens has been awarded the big China contract.