TGV POS
| Company type | Train service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Alstom |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | France, Germany, Switzerland |
| Products | High-speed trains |
| Owner | SNCF |
The TGV POS is a high-speed train developed by the French manufacturer Alstom and operated by France's national railway company, the SNCF, on the country's high-speed rail network. Commissioned for service on the LGV Est line inaugurated in 2007, the acronym POS stands for Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland (Paris, Eastern France, Southern Germany), highlighting the LGV Est corridor it serves.
History
The TGV POS initiative expanded upon the TGV Duplex fleet with the addition of 38 tri-system power cars and 19 double-deck Duplex passenger sets supplied by Alstom to SNCF. The tri-system power units were matched with single-level passenger coaches sourced from SNCF TGV Réseau trainsets, while Duplex passenger cars were combined with dual-system power cars from Réseau sets. The tri-system functionality was crucial for LGV Est’s international operations into Germany, where the electrification system differs. Meanwhile, Duplex carriages addressed the demand for increased capacity on busy routes traditionally served by Réseau trains.
This approach allowed SNCF to acquire tri-system power cars in advance of LGV Est’s opening without postponing the delivery schedule of Duplex trainsets.
TGV POS power units produce a total power output of under 25 kV 50 Hz and under 15 kV AC, achieving maximum speeds of on both electrification systems. Each trainset has a weight of and is numbered within the 4400 series, sporting the silver and blue livery characteristic of TGV Réseau.
Between 2013 and 2019, all TGV POS trainsets were deployed on the TGV Lyria service—a collaborative operation between SNCF and Swiss Federal Railways—connecting France with Switzerland and replacing older SNCF TGV Sud-Est trains. Since 2019, these units have been assigned exclusively to domestic routes.
World rail speed record
On 3 April 2007, TGV POS trainset number 4402 established a new world speed record for conventional rail vehicles by reaching , as part of the Project V150 experiment. Prior to this, it had unofficially reached on 13 February 2007.
The record-breaking train consisted of two TGV POS power cars flanking three specially adapted Duplex coaches. The cars adjacent to the locomotives featured two powered bogies each, akin to the design of the AGV prototype, equipped with four Alstom 12 LCS 3550 C traction motors per car—adding four extra powered axles compared to the TGV record trainset from 1990. This setup provided a theoretical peak power output of .
Modifications included larger diameter wheels and an elevated overhead line voltage increased to 31 kV rather than the standard 25 kV. The record speed was attained near kilometer marker 193 along the LGV Est line between Meuse and Champagne-Ardenne stations.