11 High speed in Europe

In the light of the success with the Tokaido line, a study of new lines designed for High Speeds was embarked upon by the SNCF in 1966.

Declared to be of public interest in March 1976, a new 410 km line, 90 km shorter than the existing normal line

was opened in two stages in September 1981 and 1983

This reduced the journey time from Paris to Lyons to 2 hours as opposed to the 4 hours previously required

Success was instantaneous, with 15 and then 20 million passengers a year

The line was electrified with 25 kV, unlike the rest of the Sud-Est network, and had its own signaling system (TVM).

The steep gradients (3.5 %) called for the design of a special train.

The steep gradients (3.5 %) called for the design of a special train.

The first-generation High Speed Paris-Sud-Est train (TGV/PSE) was about 200 m long and had 12 driving axles concentrated in three powered bogies at each end of the train.

The first-generation High Speed Paris-Sud-Est train (TGV/PSE) was about 200 m long and had 12 driving axles concentrated in three powered bogies at each end of the train.

In 1985 the extension of the High Speed network continued with the construction of the 280 km TGV Atlantique the two branches of which, to Tours and Le Mans, were intended to serve almost the whole of the west and south-west of the country.

In 1985 the extension of the High Speed network continued with the construction of the 280 km TGV Atlantique the two branches of which, to Tours and Le Mans, were intended to serve almost the whole of the west and south-west of the country.

In 1985 the extension of the High Speed network continued with the construction of the 280 km TGV Atlantique the two branches of which, to Tours and Le Mans, were intended to serve almost the whole of the west and south-west of the country.

A new Cologne-Rhine/Main line is currently un­der construction.

It will enable the distance between Cologne and Frankfurt to be reduced from 222 to 177 km.

The work was carried out in record time in order that the line might be operational in time for the opening of the Universal Exhibition in April 1992.

In 1997 GIF was commissioned to construct a second High Speed line between Ma¬drid and Barcelona

gradually opened for service between 2002 and 2004.

To enable the train to compete with the aeroplane this line was designed for 350 km/h, which will thus make it possible to travel between these two major cities

km/h, which will thus make it possible to travel between these two major cities lying 620 km apart in 2 hours 30 minutes as opposed to more than 6 hours 30 minutes at the present time.

which will thus make it possible to travel between these two major cities lying 620 km apart in 2 hours 30 minutes as opposed to more than 6 hours 30 minutes at the present time.

The Master Plan 2000 also provides for new lines from Madrid to Valencia and Valladolid, as well as an extension from Cordoba to Malaga.

The Master Plan 2000 also provides for new lines from Madrid to Valencia and Valladolid, as well as an extension from Cordoba to Malaga.

The new Rome - Florence Diretti-ssima line was in­tended to eliminate the bottleneck on the existing line, which is 314 km long and follows a tortuous route, so that the speed is limited to 90-100 km/h over half the distance.

The new Rome - Florence Diretti-ssima line was in­tended to eliminate the bottleneck on the existing line, which is 314 km long and follows a tortuous route, so that the speed is limited to 90-100 km/h over half the distance.

Commenced in 1970 the work eventually took about twenty years (for budgetary reasons), with the line being gradually put into service between 1976 and 1992.

Commenced in 1970 the work eventually took about twenty years (for budgetary reasons), with the line being gradually put into service between 1976 and 1992.

Another High Speed link is envisaged on the Amsterdam-Emmcrich-Cologne route

Turin - Milan - Verona - Venice, with a branch line from Genoa to Pianura Padana.

Work was started on the 210 km long Rome-Naples line in 1994, and then on the Bologna-Florence line in 1996, this latter line crossing the Appenines through a 72 km long series of tunnels on a stretch of line 79 km long.

Work was started on the 210 km long Rome-Naples line in 1994, and then on the Bologna-Florence line in 1996, this latter line crossing the Appenines through a 72 km long series of tunnels on a stretch of line 79 km long.

It is expected that these lines will be opened for traffic in 2003 and 2007 respectively.

The level of traffic in Sweden did not seem to justify the construc-tion of new lines.

Moreover, the principal routes run through generally favourable topography

; their layout well-suited to upgrading for speeds of 200 km/h at reasonable cost.

As in Sweden, the High Speed network combines upgraded infrastructure with tilt-body trains.

their layout well-suited to upgrading for speeds of 200 km/h at reasonable cost.

The option here consisted in combining an exhaustive High Speed in curves and achieving appreciable savings in time

As in Sweden, the High Speed network combines upgraded infrastructure with tilt-body trains.

The option here consisted in combining an exhaustive High Speed in curves and achieving appreciable savings in tim

As in Sweden, the High Speed network combines upgraded infrastructure with tilt-body trains.

Another High Speed link is envisaged on the Amsterdam-Emmcrich-Cologne route, as part of the Randstad-Rhine/Main project on which it is planned to operate multi-system trains.

bring London within 2 hours 30 minutes of Paris. '1 he railway service will then in­clude a regular interval timetable of trains, which is not possible at the present time on the lines in the south-east of England which are close to saturation.

London within 2 hours 30 minutes of Paris. '1 he railway service will then in­clude a regular interval timetable of trains, which is not possible at the present time on the lines in the south-east of England which are close to saturation.

The new High Speed line will be built using the European loading gauge, unlike the conventional British network which, for historic reasons, adopts a narrower loading gauge.