This April 3rd famous French high speed train, the TGV, broke it's own 17 year old world record for the fastest train on wheels by clocking a top speed of 357.2 mph (574.8 km/h) or roughly half the speed of sound.
The new world record was set in a 125 miles long stretch, east of Paris, France. The record breaking TGV train was a specially designed one, code named V150 (for 150 meters per second or more) made up of three double-decker cars between two powerful engines totalling 25,000 horsepower. Its wheels were bigger than a normal TGV train so it can reach high speeds without the engines overheating and the engine's windshield was reinforced.
But the highlight of this feat was its intention. According to reports, Alstom - the developer of TGV trains - has set this new world record for high speed rail trains in a bid to sell the high-speed TGV trains to several fast developing countries, including China, Argentina and Brazil. After all as railfans know it's nothing new for TGV to set train records and TGV means, "train à grande vitesse," French for "high-speed train."
The new world record was set in a 125 miles long stretch, east of Paris, France. The record breaking TGV train was a specially designed one, code named V150 (for 150 meters per second or more) made up of three double-decker cars between two powerful engines totalling 25,000 horsepower. Its wheels were bigger than a normal TGV train so it can reach high speeds without the engines overheating and the engine's windshield was reinforced.
But the highlight of this feat was its intention. According to reports, Alstom - the developer of TGV trains - has set this new world record for high speed rail trains in a bid to sell the high-speed TGV trains to several fast developing countries, including China, Argentina and Brazil. After all as railfans know it's nothing new for TGV to set train records and TGV means, "train à grande vitesse," French for "high-speed train."
