Very-high-speed tests on the french railway track

The campaigns conducted by SNCF at very high speeds allowed improvement in the knowledge of the actual TGV vehicle/track system and, in particular of the dynamical behavior of numerous components, which were obtained under very hard working conditions, for instance:

• — mechanical components (axle boxes, transmissions, etc.)
• — suspensions, damper particularly,
• — bogies,
• — pantograph,
• — electrical traction equipments (transformer of power, electric motors, power electronics, cooling systems),
• — signalling equipment.

Made with a TGV Atlantic series train set equipped with series components, it allowed demonstration to our passengers the very large safety margin of the whole system, track and vehicle as well, for revenue speeds of 300 km/h. At last, the tests allowed dramatically to raise the limit of the wheel and rail system, up to the mythic figure of 500 km/h, thus demonstrating that railways will reamin the first guided transport system during the 21st century.