Alstom V150 train reaches 574.8 km/h rail speed record
Alstom, in partnership with SNCF and RFF, set a new world rail speed record of 574.8 km/h on April 3, 2007. The test run was conducted to evaluate infrastructure and material performance at extreme speeds.
A new world speed record for rail transport was set on April 3, 2007, when the V150 test train reached 574.8 km/h. The record-breaking run, conducted in France, marks a significant increase over the previous record of 515.3 km/h set in 1990.
The project was the result of a collaborative program between Alstom, Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), and SNCF that began in January 2007. Over the course of 40 test runs exceeding 450 km/h, a team of more than 300 engineers and technicians gathered data to study train and infrastructure dynamics. The V150 configuration utilized two TGV POS power cars, three TGV Duplex coaches, and motorized bogies featuring Alstom’s AGV technology, delivering 19.6 MW of output.
Data was collected through 600 on-board sensors to assess aerodynamic, acoustic, and vibratory performance. Alstom officials stated that the information gathered will be used to guide the development of future high-speed rail systems, focusing on safety, passenger comfort, and operational reliability.