SNCF TGV Réseau

The SNCF TGV Réseau (TGV-R) is a TGV train built by Alstom between 1992 and 1996 for SNCF, the French national railway for use on high-speed TGV services. The Réseau trainsets are based on the earlier TGV Atlantique. The first Réseau (English: Network) sets entered service in 1993.

Fifty dual-voltage trainsets were built in 1992–1994, numbered 501-550. A further 40 triple-voltage trainsets, numbered 4501-4540, were built in 1994–1996. The last ten of these triple voltage units are known as Thalys PBA (Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam) sets, originally built for Thalys and now operated by Eurostar after the companies merged. As well as using standard French voltages of 25 kV 50 Hz AC and 1,500 V DC (also used in the Netherlands), the triple voltage sets can operate under the Belgian and Italian 3,000 V DC supplies.

They are formed of two power cars (8,800 kW (11,801 hp) under 25 kV—like the TGV Atlantique) and eight carriages, giving a capacity of 377 seats. They have a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). They are 200.19 m (656 ft 9+1⁄2 in) long and are 2.904 m (9 ft 6+5⁄16 in) wide. The dual-voltage sets weigh 383 tonnes (844,370 lb), and owing to axle-load restrictions in Belgium the triple-voltage sets have a series of modifications, such as the replacement of steel with aluminium and hollow axles, to reduce the weight to under 17 t (16.7 long tons; 18.7 short tons) per axle. Owing to early complaints of uncomfortable pressure changes when entering tunnels at high speed on the LGV Atlantique, the Réseau sets are pressure-sealed.

In 2006 the carriages of nineteen sets were used to form TGV POS sets by using new TGV POS power cars for services on the LGV Est to Germany and Switzerland. The 38 Réseau power cars were slightly modified and joined to new Duplex carriages, forming nineteen TGV Réseau Duplex units. They now operate as part of the TGV Duplex fleet, being numbered 601-619.