| SNCF TGV Duplex | |
|---|---|
 | |
 First class on a TGV Duplex | |
| In service | 1995–present |
| Manufacturer | Alstom |
| Family name | TGV |
| Constructed | 1995–2023 |
| Number built |
|
| Formation | 2 power cars + 8 passenger cars |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Operators | SNCF |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 200 m (656 ft 2 in) |
| Width | 2,896 mm (9 ft 6.0 in) |
| Height | 4,303 mm (14 ft 1.4 in)[2] |
| Doors | 1 per side, per car |
| Maximum speed | 320 km/h (200 mph) |
| Weight | 380 t (374long tons; 419short tons) |
| Traction system |
|
| Traction motors |
|
| Power output | |
| Electric system(s) | |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | Bo′Bo′+2′2′2′2′2′2′2′2′2′+Bo′Bo′ |
| Braking system(s) | Regenerative,pneumatic |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Multiple working | Up to two units (3 on maintenance) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheTGV Duplex is a Frenchhigh-speed train of theTGV family, manufactured byAlstom, and operated by the French national railway companySNCF. They were the first TGV trainsets to usebi-level passenger carriages with aseating capacity of 508 passengers, increasing capacity on busy high-speed lines. While the TGV Duplex started as a small component of the TGV fleet, it has become one of the system's workhorses.
A total of 160 Duplex trainsets were built: the original order of 89 first constructed in 1995, an additional 19Réseau Duplex trainsets created as an extension of theTGV POS project in 2006, and 52 second-generationDasye trainsets were first delivered in 2007 with revised traction motors and safety systems.
The Duplex design was further refined into the third generationEuroduplex.
TheLGV Sud-Est fromParis toLyon is the busiest high-speed line in France.[citation needed] After its opening in 1981 it rapidly reached capacity. Several options were available to increase capacity. The separation between trains was reduced to three minutes on some TGV lines, but the increasingly complexsignalling systems, and high-performance brakes (to reducebraking distance) required, limited this option. Another option is to widen the train but is generally not practicable due toloading gauge restrictions. Running two trainsets coupled together inmultiple-unit (MU) configuration provides extra capacity, but required very long stationplatforms. Given length and width restrictions, the remaining option is to adopt a bi-level configuration, with seating on two levels, adding 45% more passenger capacity. TGV Duplex sets are often run with a single deckRéseau set or another Duplex set.[citation needed]
The Duplex feasibility study was completed in 1987. In 1988, a full-scale mockup was built to gauge customer reactions to the bi-level concept, traditionally associated with commuter and regional rail rather than with high-speed intercity trains. ATGV Sud-Est trailer was tested in revenue service with the inside furnished to simulate the lower floor of a bi-level arrangement, and later that year another TGV Sud-Est was modified to study the dynamic behavior of a train with a higher center of gravity. Discussions withGEC-Alstom began soon after, and in July 1990 the company won the contract to build the "TGV-2N", as it was then known. The contract was finalized in early 1991, at which point the official order was made. The first tests of a bi-level trainset were in November 1994. Soon after their first run, the first rake of eight trailers was tested at 290 km/h (180 mph) on the Sud-Est line. The trainset was powered by TGV Réseau power cars at the time, as the Duplex power cars were not ready. The first Duplex power car was mated to the bi-level trailers on 21 June 1995.
In 2007, a shortened TGV Duplex trainset equipped with distributed traction technology, called theAGV, set a rail speed record of 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) during test runs.[3]
The Duplex design introduced a number of technical changes relative to earlier single-level TGV trainsets. A comparison between the originalTGV Sud-Est and a Duplex trainset illustrates differences in power-to-weight ratio and weight per seat:
| Power-to-weight ratio (kW/tonne) | Weight per seat (tonne) | Power per seat (kW) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TGV Sud-Est | 17 | 1.10 | 18.34 |
| TGV Duplex | 23 | 0.7 | 16.15 |
In this comparison, "power" refers to installed power rather than the power typically used during operation.
Several design features contributed to these differences:
In addition, on Duplex trainsets the lower level of the bar car is used to house equipment, freeing space on the upper level for passenger accommodation.[5]
TheRéseau Duplex was developed as part of theTGV POS program as a variant of the TGV Duplex fleet. As part of this program, Alstom delivered 38 new tri-current power cars and 19 sets of double-deck Duplex passenger coaches to SNCF in 2006.[6]
To form the Réseau Duplex trainsets, the new Duplex passenger coaches were paired with 38 existing dual-current power cars from the originalTGV Réseau fleet. At the same time, the newly delivered tri-current power cars were coupled with 19 sets of single-level Réseau passenger coaches, creating hybrid TGV POS trainsets for international services.
The tri-current configuration was required for operation on theLGV Est, which connects with the German rail network electrified at15 kV 16.7 Hz AC. Meanwhile, the double-deck Duplex coaches on increased seating capacity on high-demand domestic routes.
This arrangement allowed tri-current trainsets to be introduced in time for the opening of the LGV Est without delaying deliveries of Duplex equipment.[6]
Since 2023, TGV POS and Réseau Duplex trainsets have been undergoing rebuilding programs, resulting in reconfigured TGV Réseau and TGV POS Duplex trainsets.[7] The TGV POS Duplex is rebuilt using power cars from former TGV POS sets and passenger coaches from the TGV Réseau Duplex fleet; from 2019 onward, the 15 kV AC electrical equipment was removed from the POS power cars. The 19 TGV POS Duplex sets are being refurbished for domestic service in France under the inOui and Ouigo brands.
Dasye is a contraction ofDuplex Asynchronous ERTMS and refers to the second generation of TGV Duplex trainsets. The exterior design and passenger accommodation are largely similar to those of the first-generation Duplex trains. The primary technical differences are found in the power cars. These include the use ofasynchronous motors, first used on theEurostar e300 trainsets, which allow an individual motor within abogie to be isolated in the event of a failure, and the installation of theEuropean Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).[8]
A total of 50 Dasye trainsets were ordered. A prototype power car was delivered in late 2006 for testing, and the type entered commercial service on 14 February 2008.[9]
From 2013, a number of Dasye trainsets were reconfigured for use on SNCF's low-costOuigo service. These sets use a high-density seating layout with a capacity of 644 passengers, compared with 510 on a standard configuration. The increase in capacity results from the removal of the bar car and first-class accommodation, along with the use of slimline seating.[10][11] By 2024, 38 Dasye trainsets had been converted for Ouigo service, with further conversions planned through 2027.[12]
One Dasye trainset, number 744, was destroyed in theEckwersheim derailment on 14 November 2015.
Eurotrain was a consortium formed bySiemens and GEC-Alsthom (todayAlstom) in 1996 to market high-speed rail technology in Asia. In 1997, it was one of two competitors to supply the core system ofTaiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), and was awarded the status of preferred bidder by concessionaire THSRC.[13]
In early 1998, the consortium created a demonstration train by combining cars of three existing French and German high-speed trains: the intermediate cars of TGV Duplex trainset #224 was joined withGerman RailwaysICE 2 powerheads 402 042 and 402 046 at the two ends. On 4 May 1998, theEurotrain demonstration train made a presentation run on theHanover–Würzburg high-speed railway in Germany, achieving a maximum speed of 316 km/h (196 mph).[14]
In December 2000, THSRC awarded the contract to the rival Taiwan Shinkansen Consortium,[13] leading to a legal battle[15] ending in damage payments for Eurotrain in 2004.[16][17]
