TGV beat the world train speed record
Tuesday. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
PARIS, April 3 (Xinhua) ¨C French President Jacques
Chirac said on Tuesday that he was pleased with the new world record set by
high-speed train known as TGV, describing it as a "fantastic performance" which
represents "a new evidence of excellence for French railway industry."
In a statement issued by the presidential office,
Chirac sent "his warmest congratulations to Alstom company, the French national
railway company (SNCF) and the French railway network (RFF), as well as to all
those who contributed to this success by constructing and by making the new TGV
to reach such a speed."
He said that the new world record of 574.8 km/h was
"a magnificent demonstration of France's formidable capacities in the fields of
research and innovation, and a new evidence of excellence for French railway
industry."
"With the new TGV, Alstom has reinforced its position
as a champion on the world's high speed market," Chirac added. "With a high
economic performance and respect for the environment, the TGV is an important
element for taking up the challenge of sustainable development in the field of
transports," Chirac said.
This record was set on Tuesday by V 150 train along a stretch of
the high-speed line European East, within the framework of a program dubbed French
excellence in Very High-Speed Train (TGV), whose objective was to reach
a speed of 150 meters per second, or 540 km/h, in a project involving three
French companies, namely, Alstom Transport company, RFF and SNCF.
The V 150 train, which is constructed by Alstom Transport Company, has a total length of 106 meters and weighs 268 tons. It is equipped with two engines, three TGV Duplex coaches and two AGV bogies engines. In total, this train develops a 19.6-megawattpower, which is more than 25,000 horsepower, compared with 9.3megawatts, or 12,500 horsepower for a conventional TGV.
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