TGV Paris Sud-Est trainset 83

Location: Paris-Gare du Nord, Paris, France
Operator of Vehicle: SNCF
Date of Photo: May 18, 2008

While Americans wait (and wait) for the second generation Acela trainsets to enter service, they can always look at the French National Railway and wonder “what if” with regards to the development of high speed rail in the United States.  The second generation Acela trains were expected to enter service between 2021 and 2022, and as of this writing, they are not in service.  Once the second generation Acela trains are in service and delivered, the first generation fleet will be retired after approximately 25 years in service.  Meanwhile in France, the TGV Sud-Est such as the one pictured here debuted in 1981 on France’s first TGV line between Paris and Lyon and remained in service for about 38 years until December 2019.  Additionally, the TGV has a higher maximum speed (200 MPH versus 150 MPH for the first generation Acela) and uses dedicated high speed tracks, providing for faster trips over longer distances than the Acela can manage.  

Have you been on the TGV and/or the Acela?

For more photos of TGV trainsets, please click here.