The TGV is France's intercity high-speed rail service, operated mainly by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 1974 and presented the project to President Georges Pompidou who approved it. Originally designed as turbotrains to be powered by gas turbines, TGV prototypes evolved into electric trains with the 1973 oil crisis. In 1976 the SNCF ordered 87 high-speed trains from Alstom. Following the inaugural service between Paris and Lyon in 1981 on the LGV Sud-Est, the network, centred on Paris, has expanded to connect major cities across France and in neighbouring countries on a combination of high-speed and conventional lines. The TGV network in France carries about 110 million passengers a year.
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired upright and recumbent bicycles. As part of the Streamline Moderne trend, the term was applied to passenger cars, trucks, and other types of light-, medium-, or heavy-duty vehicles, but now vehicle streamlining is so prevalent that it is not an outstanding characteristic. In land speed racing, it is a term applied to the long, slender, custom built, high-speed vehicles with enclosed wheels.
An electro-diesel locomotive is a type of locomotive that can be powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine. For the most part, these locomotives are built to serve regional, niche markets with a very specific purpose.
The SNCF Class Z 26500 and Z 24500 are a series of electric multiple unit (EMU) trains with bi-level carriages, derived from the Coradia Duplex type of Alstom. They are also known as TER 2N NG from their use on regional TER services, bi-level design (2N), and, by replacing the SNCF Class Z 23500, status as a "new generation" (NG) model. The first order from SNCF, commissioned by the French regions, was launched in 2000, the last in 2009, for deliveries that lasted from 2004 to 2010.
EN57 is an electric multiple unit used by the Polish railway operator (PKP). It was built for suburban and long-distance services. Presently it is used by Polregio, SKM Trójmiasto, Koleje Dolnośląskie, Koleje Śląskie, Koleje Wielkopolskie and Koleje Mazowieckie companies in Poland.
The Double-deck Coach is a bilevel passenger railcar currently manufactured by Alstom, which acquired Bombardier Transportation in 2021 used by various European railways and Israel Railways. The current generation of double-deck coaches can be run at speeds up to 200 km/h (125 mph). Depending on their configuration, each coach can seat 100 to 150 passengers.
A control car, cab car, control trailer, or driving trailer is a non-powered rail vehicle from which a train can be operated. As dedicated vehicles or regular passenger cars, they have one or two driver compartments with all the controls and gauges required to remotely operate the locomotive, including exterior locomotive equipment such as horns, bells, ploughs, and lights. They also have communications and safety systems such as GSM-R or European Train Control System (ETCS). Control cars enable push-pull operation when located on the end of a train opposite its locomotive by allowing the train to reverse direction at a terminus without moving the locomotive or turning the train around.
Szybka Kolej Miejska is a mixed rapid transit and commuter rail system in the Warsaw metropolitan area, operated by the city owned company Szybka Kolej Miejska Sp. z o.o. under the management of Public Transport Authority in Warsaw on shared, general railway lines managed by the PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe.
The Polish railways network consists of around 18,510 kilometres (11,500 mi) of track as of 2019, of which 11,998 km (7,455 mi) is electrified. The national electrification system runs at 3 kV DC.
Newag S.A. is a Polish company, based in Nowy Sącz, specialising in the production, maintenance, and modernisation of railway rolling stock. The company's products include the 14WE, 19WE, 35WE types electric multiple units. The company has also developed the Nevelo prototype tram and formed a consortium with Siemens Mobility for final assembly of Siemens Inspiro metro trains for the Warsaw Metro and Sofia Metro.
Stadler FLIRT is a passenger multiple unit trainset made by Stadler Rail of Switzerland. The baseline design of FLIRT is an electric multiple unit articulated trainset that can come in units of two to twelve cars with two to six motorized axles. The maximum speed is 200 km/h (125 mph). Standard floor height is 57 cm, but 78 cm high floors are also available for platform heights of 76 cm.
A battery electric multiple unit (BEMU), battery electric railcar or accumulator railcar is an electrically driven multiple unit or railcar whose energy is derived from rechargeable batteries driving the traction motors.
Koleje Dolnośląskie is a regional rail operator in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland.
The Alstom Aventra is a family of electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger trains produced at Derby Litchurch Lane Works in the United Kingdom, originally by Bombardier Transportation and later by Alstom, as a successor to the Bombardier Electrostar. A large proportion of its design is based on the Electrostar, adding new technologies and achieving compliance with more stringent requirements and operator demands.
An electro-diesel multiple unit (EDMU) or bi-mode multiple unit (BMU) is a form of a multiple unit train that can be powered either by electric power picked up from the overhead lines or third rail or by using an onboard diesel engine, driving an electric generator, which produces alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) electric power.
The British Rail Class 755 FLIRT is a class of bi-mode multiple unit passenger train built by Stadler Rail for Greater Anglia. Part of the FLIRT modular train family, the trains first entered service on 29 July 2019 and are used on regional and local services throughout East Anglia, as well as some intercity services between Norwich and London
The CR200J Fuxing is a Chinese trainset consisting of a power car paired with unpowered passenger cars operated by China Railway. It is the slowest member of the Fuxing series, and only member of Fuxing series designed for existing railways under 200km/h rather than newer high-speed railways. The train was jointly designed and produced by six companies under CRRC.
Newag 19WE is a standard-gauge, four-car electric multiple unit (EMU) produced between 2008 and 2010 at the Newag plant in Nowy Sącz. A total of 4 units were built, which are operated by Szybka Kolej Miejska in Warsaw.
Pesa 218M is a family of two-car standard-gauge diesel multiple units (DMUs) produced by Pesa between 2005 and 2015. Only one single-engine unit of the original 218M model was built, while the remaining dual-engine units were designated as subtypes 218Ma-218Md. A total of 76 units were produced, which are operated by Arriva, Koleje Dolnośląskie, Koleje Wielkopolskie, Polregio, and Szybka Kolej Miejska in Tricity.
Newag 222M is a two-car diesel multiple unit produced by the Newag company from Nowy Sącz. Two units were manufactured for Masovian Railways, and four more for the Subcarpathian Voivodeship.
