SNCF TGV POS

The TGV POS is a French TGV train which is being used on the LGV Est. POS stands for Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland (German for "Paris, Eastern France, Southern Germany).

Each train is formed of eight existing TGV Réseau single-deck carriages paired with new power cars with a total power output of 9.6 MW (12,900 hp) and a top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph) under 25 kV. The TGV Réseau power cars thus freed have been matched to new TGV Duplex carriages to create TGV Duplex - TGV Réseau hybrid sets. This is because traffic on the LGV Est is expected to be less than on the heavily congested LGV Sud-Est and LGV Nord.

Like the Class 373 Eurostar the POS power cars have asynchronous motors and, in case of failure, isolation of an individual motor in a powered bogie is possible. By using IGBT power packs, the new power cars are capable of developing 75% of their full rated power under 15 kV German electrification, compared to 45% for existing TGV power cars. This will allow POS trains to operate at the same speed as InterCityExpress trains in Germany.

Each TGV POS trainset weighs 383 tonnes and is numbered in the 4400 series.

The livery is the same as that of TGV-Réseau sets (silver and blue). Pre-production set No 4401 had a prototype livery similar as the one used on the TGV Duplex sets, but in March 2007 the blue areas were stickered over with silver and is now in appearance the same as the other sets.

World rail speed record

TGV POS trainset number 4402 set a new world speed record (for travel on conventional rails) on April 3, 2007. The train reached 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) [" [http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070007608 "French train sets new world record"] ", NDTV.com, retrieved 3 April 2007] As part of a series of increasingly faster runs that culminated in the official record attempt, it set an unofficial speed record of 554.3 km/h (344.42 mph) on February 13, 2007. The trainset comprised three specially modified Duplex cars, fitted with two powered bogies similar to the AGV prototype, marshalled between the TGV POS power cars. The trainset had four more powered axles than trainset 325 in the 1990 speed record, and had a theoretical maximum power output of 19.6 MW (26,820 hp) instead of the 9.3 MW on a standard TGV. Over 600 sensors were fitted on various parts of both the engines and the cars. The train set ran with larger wheels, and the catenary voltage was increased to 31 kV from the standard 25 kV. [cite web|url=http://news.monstersandcritics.com/business/news/article_1263596.php/French_high-speed_TGV_breaks_world_conventional_rail-speed_record| title=French high-speed TGV breaks world conventional rail-speed record| publisher=Deutsche Presse-Agentur (reprinted by Monsters and Critics)| date=2007-02-14| accessdate=2007-02-14 ] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6521295.stm|title=2007 record attempt|publisher=BBC News Online] The maximum speed was achieved near kilometer post 193 on the LGV Est between Meuse and Champagne-Ardenne TGV stations. Despite making headlines, this run is commercially impractical with the current trainsets designed for 25kV operation.

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