The Human Factor

Technology alone doesn't explain the TGV's success. The project required navigating complex political, social, and economic challenges. The oil crises of the 1970s helped make the case for electric trains, but convincing politicians to fund the massive infrastructure investment required skillful advocacy.

Marie-Christine Lanne, one of the few women engineers on the early TGV project, brought a different perspective to the team. "The men were obsessed with speed," she recounted. "I kept asking: 'But what about the passenger experience?' We needed to think about comfort, noise, accessibility for elderly passengers, families with children."

Her advocacy led to innovations in the passenger experience: seats that could rotate to face the direction of travel, large windows for viewing the landscape, and careful attention to ride quality. The TGV would be fast, but it would also be comfortable and accessible.

The project also benefited from France's unique approach to labor relations. Unlike in some countries where unions might have resisted new technology, French rail workers were involved in the TGV's development from the beginning. The CGT (Confédération Générale du Travail), France's largest rail union, saw high-speed rail as a way to ensure the future of rail jobs. This collaboration between management, engineers, and workers became a model for large-scale innovation projects.