Promised to revolutionise public transport in France, the TGV trains developed by national train carrier SNCF in collaboration with Alstom in 1981 delivered just that.
Today, the 3rd generation, the AGV (the name change is fundamentally linked to its revolutionary technology), allows for an even more efficient mode of transport. Operating at speeds of 350 km/hr and linking various Italian cities, the AGV has got rid of its engines, each wheel now having its own motor and therefore allowing the entire train to be used for carrying passenger.
Furthermore, the train can now be configured to take up 300 to 600 passengers by changing the number of rail cars attached together. There is plan to enable an even longer train with a capacity of 1200 passengers.
The train boast an incredible 2.2 gr of CO2 per passenger/km, a record when compared to other modes of transport. This is due in part to the special brakes on the train that recuperates the energy and puts it back on the electric grid.
Much research has gone into the aero-acoustic properties of the design to allow for a much quieter and comfortable journey. An interesting fact is that a train that travels at 330 km/h creates twice as much noise as one travelling at 300 km/h. The design elements of the train has allowed it to travel at 360km/h while preserving acoustic properties of trains travelling at 300km/h.
Already in operation in Italy, AGV will be introduced in France in 2014.
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