The SNCF TGV Réseau (TGV-R) trains were built by

Alstom Alstom SA is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer operating worldwide in rail transport markets, active in the fields of passenger transportation, signalling, and locomotives, with products including the AGV, TGV, Eurostar, Av ...

between 1992 and 1996. These TGV trainsets are based on the earlier

TGV Atlantique The TGV Atlantique (TGV-A) is a class of high-speed trains used in France by SNCF; they were built by Alstom between 1988 and 1992, and were the second generation of TGV trains, following on from the TGV Sud-Est. 105 bi-current sets, numbered 301 ...

. The first Réseau (''"Network"'') sets entered service in 1993. Fifty dual-voltage trainsets were built in 1992-1994, numbered 501-550. A further 40 triple-voltage trainsets, numbered 4501-4540, were built in 1994-1996. The last ten of these triple voltage units carry the

Thalys Thalys (French: ) is a French-Belgian high-speed train operator originally built around the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam to London via ...

livery and are known as Thalys PBA (

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Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

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) sets. As well as using standard French voltages of 25 kV AC and 1,500 V DC (also used in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

), the triple voltage sets can operate under the Belgian and Italian 3 kV DC supplies. They are formed of two power cars ( under 25 kV—like the TGV Atlantique) and eight carriages, giving a capacity of 377 seats. They have a top speed of . They are long and are wide. The dual-voltage sets weigh , and owing to axle-load restrictions in Belgium the triple-voltage sets have a series of modifications, such as the replacement of steel with

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and hollow axles, to reduce the weight to under per axle. Owing to early complaints of uncomfortable pressure changes when entering tunnels at high speed on the LGV Atlantique, the Réseau sets are pressure-sealed. In 2006 the carriages of nineteen sets were used to form TGV POS sets by using new TGV POS motorcars for services on the LGV Est to Germany and Switzerland. The 38 replaced Réseau motorcars were slightly modified and joined to new Duplex carriages, forming nineteen TGV Réseau Duplex units. They now operate as part of the TGV Duplex fleet, being numbered 601-619.

Renovation

After some ten years of successful service, the interior of TGV Réseau sets became outdated and needed a refurbishment. This refurbishment was part of the TGV Est project, as the dual-voltage sets were to assure the domestic services there. The same interiors would also be used in the coaches for POS sets. Three possible interiors were presented to the public between 2002 and 2003 in different stations: *Recaro which teamed up with Brand Company (designer of the "snail" TGV logo) *MBD Design (designer of the noses of Alstom's Prima locomotives and the TGV Duplex) which teamed up with fashion designer Christian Lacroix. *Antolin which teamed up with Kenzo. At the end of the Train Capitale exposition in Paris, MBD Design and Christian Lacroix were announced as the winning design. Work started on the first dual-voltage sets in 2004 at SNCF's Hellemmes workshops, near Lille. In 2006 the last dual-voltage set was finished. Between 2008 and 2009 the three-voltage sets will also be refurbished in the same design. The refurbished sets can be distinguished from the non-refurbished ones by: the slightly changed livery; the fittings in the coaches, which are in new colours (red for 2nd class, yellow-green for 1st class and silver for the bar) and the reflecting stripes on the sides of the motorcars. Although SNCF announced in July 2007 that the Lacroix-design would not be continued because some materials vibrated at , this was later changed: the Lacroix-design will be applied to all TGV Réseau sets.

Fleet details

Gallery

Image:Thalys.JPG, Thalys PBA alongside PBKA at Paris Gare du Nord Image:Tgv sud est.jpg, Triple-voltage TGV-R set 4510 at Marseille St-Charles station Image:TGV Lacroix first class interior.JPG, 1st class interior of a refurbished TGV-Réseau set Image:TGV Lacroix first class interior detail.JPG, 1st class interior of a refurbished TGV-Réseau set Image:TGV Lacroix second class interior.JPG, 2nd class interior of a refurbished TGV-Réseau set Image:TGV R-SG-LH5.JPG, Cab view riding at 313 km/h. Image:TGV_R-SG-LH6.JPG, A TGV Reseau trainset stops at Champagne Ardennes TGV.

External links

SNCF TGV-R profile on Trainspo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sncf Tgv Reseau Reseau Train-related introductions in 1993 de:Train à grande vitesse#TGV Réseau Electric multiple units with locomotive-like power cars 25 kV AC multiple units 3000 V DC multiple units Alstom high-speed trains 1500 V DC multiple units of France

Renovation

Fleet details

Gallery

See also

External links