TGV careers into record books
Tuesday, 03 Apr 2007 20:08
French companies hope to boost the profile of the TGV with today's record
A French high-speed train (TGV) has broken the world rail-speed record after travelling at 574.8kph (356mph) today.
The specially-modified V150 train reached its top speed at 13:13 local time (11:13 BST) between Paris and Strasbourg on a yet-to-be-opened portion of track.
Engineering firm Alstom, French railway group SNCF and track operator RFF are using the event to boost overseas sales of the TGV technology.
It was SNCF who set the previous rail speed record of 521kph (320mph) 17 years ago.
But Japan's magnetically-levitated Maglev train still holds the overall record after reaching a speed of 581kph (361 mph) in 2003.
Three double-decker coaches were pulled by two engines and three motorised bogies in today's successful record attempt, which was broadcast live on French and German television.
Alstom president Phillippe Mellier said that the 19.6MW (25,000 horsepower) TGV demonstration would help shape the future of high-speed rail travel.
"Today's achievement offers countries and operators, wishing to make very high-speed rail transport one of their strategic levers of growth, proof of its reliability," he said.
And SNCF chief executive officer Anne-Marie Idrac described the speed record as a "major technological and human achievement".