TGV Track Construction - Finishing Construction

Finishing Construction

Now that the first track is almost complete, work begins on the adjacent track. This time, however, it is not necessary to lay a temporary track. Trains running on the first track bring the sleepers, and then the rail, which is unloaded directly onto the sleepers by dispensing arms that swing out to the proper alignment. The Nabla fasteners are secured, and the ballast is stuffed under the track as before.

The two tracks are now essentially complete, but the work on the line is not finished. The catenary masts need to be erected, and the wire strung on them. Once the catenary is complete, the track is given final alignment adjustments down to millimeter tolerances. The ballast is then blown to remove smaller gravel fragments and dust, which might be kicked up by trains. This step is especially important on high-speed tracks, since the blast of a passing train is strong. Finally, TGV trains are tested on the line at gradually increasing speeds. The track is qualified at speeds slightly higher than will be used in everyday operations (typically 350 km/h, or 210 mph), before being opened to commercial service.

TGV Class – Train à Grande Vitesse

Lines in service	LGV Sud-Est LGV Est (phase 1) LGV Atlantique LGV Rhône-Alpes LGV Nord LGV Interconnexion Est LGV Méditerranée LGV Perpignan–Figueres LGV Rhin-Rhône

Lines under construction	LGV Est (phase 2) LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire LGV Sud Europe Atlantique

Planned lines	LGV Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur LGV Poitiers-Limoges LGV Bordeaux–Toulouse LGV Picardie Turin–Lyon high-speed railway LGV Normandie Contournement Nîmes - Montpellier

Rolling stock	TGV Sud-Est TGV Atlantique TGV Réseau TGV TMST TGV Duplex TGV Thalys PBKA TGV POS TGV 2N2

International services	Artésia Eurostar Elipsos TGV Lyria Thalys

Associated high-speed lines	High Speed 1 HSL 1 HSL 2 HSL 3 Cologne-Aachen HSL 4 HSL-Zuid Madrid-Barcelona

Export trainsets	AVE Class 100 KTX-I Acela

Other	stations TGV accidents LGV construction LGV signalling TGV history

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