Breaking the Speed Barrier

The technical challenges were immense. At speeds above 200 km/h, conventional trains faced multiple problems: wheel and track wear accelerated dramatically, aerodynamic drag increased exponentially, and the pantograph (which collects electricity from overhead wires) would bounce, causing arcing and power loss.

The TGV team's solutions were elegant in their simplicity. They designed a train with power cars at each end and unpowered passenger cars in between, reducing the train's weight. The articulated design, with cars sharing trucks (wheel assemblies) between them, improved stability and reduced the number of wheels needed. Advanced aerodynamics, borrowed from the aerospace industry, minimized drag.

Perhaps most importantly, they decided to build entirely new tracks for high-speed segments. These LGV (Lignes à Grande Vitesse) featured gentle curves, no level crossings, and grades carefully calculated to work with the train's momentum. This decision, initially controversial due to cost, proved crucial to the TGV's success.

On February 26, 1981, during testing, a modified TGV reached 380 km/h, setting a new world speed record for conventional wheeled trains. The engineers had proven that steel wheels on steel rails could achieve aircraft-like speeds.