From May 13 to 20, 2007 Paris welcomes the record-breaking
train!

This technical and group exploit was implemented by
Réseau Ferré de France, Alstom and SNCF within the
framework of the French Excellence in Very High Speed Rail
Transport Program.



It was a human exploit as well, conducted by the 3 partners whose
teams worked jointly to mobilize the most competent international
experts in very high speed rail transport.



In order to pay a tribute to those involved and present the
project to the general public, the program's partners will
exhibit the train from May 13 to 20 in an exhibition-event
entitled "357.2 mph on the Seine". 357.2 mph on the Seine: a
floating exhibition of the record-breaking train

On Sunday, May 13, from 3 pm to 5:30 pm, the
record-breaking train (V150 trainset), made up of the head power
car and the test car, will pass through the French capital on the
Seine river from the Pont de Bir-Hakeim (Bir-Hakeim Bridge) to
the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF National Library)
aboard a floating pontoon. 357.2 mph on the Seine: the exhibitionFrom May 14 to 20, an exhibition devoted to very high
speed rail transport will be open to the public at the foot of
the Eiffel Tower (Port de Suffren) every day from 9 am to 7
pm.The week's exhibition program will include: noteworthy
photos of the event, a speed simulator, everyday applications of
the exploit and information on very high speed rail transport
both worldwide and on the newly-opened LGV
^TM Est Européenne.  This event marks the very first opportunity for the
general public to board the world's fastest train, and
includes a visit of the driving cab from which Eric Pieczak
operated the vehicle on April 3. The train will be exhibited
on the pontoon anchored at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The train visit is free of charge. Tickets will be
distributed on site and are valid on the day of distribution
only.  Background: the record-breaking trainThe V150 trainset which broke the world rail speed record
at 357.2 mph was comprised of a series of rolling stock: 2
POS power cars (those used for the TGV
^TM Est Européen), 3 standard Duplex cars and 2
AGV
^TM bogies (the latest generation of high speed
trains developed by Alstom).Aboard the train, a test car analyzed data recorded by 600
sensors which measured the behavior of both the infrastructure
and equipment at never-before-achieved speeds.

The world record set on April 3, 2007 is the crowning
achievement of a series of trials launched on January 15, 2007
by the French Excellence in Very High Speed Rail Transport
Program. It brought together over 300 engineers and
technicians. 40 trial runs were performed at speeds of close to
280 mph, for a total of over 200 hours of trials and a distance
of nearly 2000 miles covered. The program has enabled the three partners, RFF, Alstom
and SNCF, to gather a large body of information concerning
high-speed rail transport which will enable them to design and
develop the high speed trains of tomorrow.

For the first time ever, starting June 10, 2007, 100 TGV trains
will run on a daily basis at speeds of 200 mph on the TGV
^TM Est Européen train line.

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