French joy as TGV sets new rail speed record

FRANCE’S TGV train smashed the world rail-speed record yesterday, providing an important image boost for the country’s industry in an increasingly competitive world market.

An experimental version of the train, equipped with two supercharged locomotives and extra-large wheels, hit 574.8 kilometres per hour on a specially prepared stretch of track east of Paris.

The record smashed the 515.3km/h set by a TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse or high-speed train) in 1990, but narrowly missed the overall world train speed record of 581kph reached in 2003 by a Japanese magnetic levitation, or Maglev, train.

Manufacturer Alstom arranged the exploit to test its latest engineering designs in extreme conditions, and to display the TGV’s technological prowess to potential international clients.

President Jacques Chirac sent his congratulations on “this new proof of the excellence of the French rail industry”.

Facing stiff competition from German and Japanese rivals, Alstom is angling for future bids from Argentina, China and Italy — as well as California.

France’s electrically powered fast trains have been operating since 1981, daily reaching speeds of 320km/h over some 1,600km of track. The latest line — to open in July — reduces travel time from Paris to the eastern city of Strasbourg from four hours to two hours and 20 minutes.