TGV driver's eye view

[Mario_v]

Hello all

Just browsing thru the net, I have found out some TGV cab driving footage. This one is a 6 part one, from a trip from Bourdeaux to Paris. I know it's in french and that might be an added difficulty for most of you, but I think this kind of cab videos is a must see, since every detail of the job is explained - they even show how to connect the train, and also the meaning of most wayside signals - I hope it is a nice thing to bee seen. And now, on to the videos

Part 1  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAVzC6MYBeY

Part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50OmQVZ1BrQ

Part 3  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdOB8J8hk2I

Part 4  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ZCDGivkGQ

Part 5  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_w7I_w_aaU

Part 6  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5b1r5rdO_U

 

[Steve_F]

Most enjoyable, although it would be a lot more interesting if I could understand it!

[Mario_v]

I know the language would be a problem, but even tough I thought it would be good to show a different way of driving. For a start, this trais is operated with a single engineer, alone in the cab, and a conductor to deal with the passengers, a 2 man crew fr the whole train (note : bar service is provided by a contractor).

In terms of a somehow free translation, in the first part all the procedures for setting up the train on duty services are described, with several systems identified (2 cab signal systems,  conventional - the little black one -l and high speed - the one with the colour coded speed indications).

TGVs are dual voltage trains, wich operate at 1,5 Kv DC, and 25 Kv AC, wich is used in the high speed lines. This implies a curious operation, wich menas that somwere along the trip, in most cases, the engineer has to lower down the DC pantograph, and rise the AC. In the first part, as soon as the first part begins, the 'select pantograph' operation is shown (DC, 'normal' being selected) , with the pantograph change operation being presented in part 4, as soon as the train leaves St. Pierre des Corps and enters the high speed line.

Thruout the parts, the narrator presents not only this info, but other relevant stuff, such as the kilometre posts of stations and location of speed limits. Also the meaning of all wayside signals, not only speed limits, but signal approach indicators, speed limit types, direction indicators. In this particular case, french signaling is quit complete and complicated, with numerous speed limit types (normal trains up untill 140 kmhr, trains with speed limits over 140, railcars - TGVs are considerd in this cathegory - and freights), speed resuming, catenary signs and so on, besides off course the colur light indications.

I hope this brief explanation can enlighten something..   

[john_edwards]

That was a neat series of videos.  Thanks for posting the links.  And for those unfamiliar with the conversion its 1.6 kilometers to the mile so 300 kph = 187.5 mph.  Pretty darn swift.

 

John

[Mario_v]

Well, most of the trip is done in conventional line. The train only enters its 'natural environment' after the St. Pierre des Corps stop, wich means that only 217 kilometres of a total of 565 (135 of 350 miles) is done in trully high speed, using the 'Aquitaine' branch of the TGV Atlantic line. But that doesn't means that thistrains move at pace speed, since there are several sections where the maximum permitted speed for these trains varies between 112, 125 and 137 mph. In fact, the Bourdeaux to Paris line is famous for it's speedy trains for a long time. Before the TGVs, there were TEE (Trans Europe Express) trains, with a beautifull CC6500 highly powered loco and some 10 to 12 'Grand Confort' cars, wich were already allowed to move at 200 kmhr (125 mph), and would cover the 579,9 km (366 miles) between Paris and Bourdeaux in 3 hours 50 minutes nonstop, at an average speed of 151,28 kmhr, 92 mph. This happened on a daily bases in the late 70s  

[al-in-chgo]

Would anyone like to take a whack at some of the French terms in the TGV cab?  "Panne" has me stumped, for example.  If your car is "en panne," it means it has a flat, but since we are not talking about the Paris Metro it couldn't mean that!  -  a.s.

 

[Mario_v]

In the case the tterm en panne, refers to the fact that one of the numerous systems might be out of service. When the narrator talks about the Lsdg stuff it is referring to the main switch,. When closed, the train doesn´t recieves any current. The Lssl light that is sometimes referred, is an idication from the conventional cab signal system. Everytime there's a restriction, wether speed or waysign signal, the driver has to aknowledge, by pressing a small yellow button.

There's a lot more of indications, I will be going thru it with time: I have to see he video with lots of stops to identify everyting with detail

[blue streak 1]

Too bad we cannot get an english dubbing over these videos. Since the EU is so cosmopolitan maybe someone in Britain has or can provide a real time translation. I know my French is terrible.

[Mario_v]

Iknow french, but I will have to go slow i n the tranlation, because they use a lot of tech terms wich are very proper to TGV trains.