The TGV POS is a high-speed trainset designed and constructed by French manufacturer Alstom. POS was the first of the new-generation TGV trains produced by GEC-Alsthom. The train incorporated redesigned power cars, capable of producing 8800 kW of power. This allowed POS to be Europe's first high-speed train capable of maintaining service speeds. These second-generation locomotives used on POS have since also been incorporated onto the TGV Duplex. The train entered service in 1996 with operator Thalys, who refers to the train as the PBKA. From 1996-2016, the Thalys PBKA was the only train servicing the LGV Nord at a speed of. From 2016 onwards, its speed has been matched by the Eurostar e320. In 2004, French high-speed operator SNCF ordered POS sets to be used on the LGV Est between Paris and Strasbourg. However, SNCF has since retired their POS fleet, and transferred it over to the Swiss high-speed rail operator Lyria.
Operation
The TGV POS is the only TGV set to not be initially developed for SNCF, but rather for Thalys. It first entered service on the LGV Nord as the Thalys PBKA in 1996, and was the first TGV to be able to hit a top speed of. The POS debuted the second-generation TGV locomotive, which has rounded ends and a higher power output. Two of these locomotives, along with eight traditional single-deck TGV coaches, make up the POS. Like the TGV TMST, the TGV POS power cars have asynchronous motors and, in case of failure, isolation of an individual motor in a powered bogie is possible. By using IGBT power packs, the new power cars are capable of developing 75% of their full rated power under 15 kV German and Swiss electrifications, compared to 45% for existing TGV power cars. This allows POS trains to operate at the same speed as Intercity-Express trains in Germany. The TGV POS links France with Germany and Switzerland. In Switzerland, it travels from Basel to Zurich and on the line from Vallorbe to Lausanne coming from Paris. Each TGV POS trainset weighs and is numbered in the 4400 series. The livery is the same as that of TGV Réseau sets. Pre-production set No 4401 had a prototype livery similar as the one used on the TGV Duplex sets but, in March 2007, the blue areas were stickered over with silver and was now in appearance the same as the other sets. Since 2013, all of the TGV POS trainsets operate under the TGV Lyria brand and livery with services between France and Switzerland, replacing the nine SNCF TGV Sud-Est trainsets that were taken out of service. Since end of 2019, all TGV POS series trainsets have left the TGV Lyria fleet and got reintegrated into SNCF Voyages, where they replaced the retiring TGV Sud-Est trains. They now serve on conventional French high speed lines, as well as on some high speed regional service in Northern France. Subsequently, the trainsets have been repainted into TGV inOui livery, and got their original German signaling equipment removed. Passenger cabins remain vastly the same, as the TGV Lyria's product was very close to the TGV Est product. In a few years time, the POS series trains will all be converted into more classic TGV 2N2 trains, as the power cars will be coupled to bi-level Euroduplex cars. The original POS, single level, Reseau-type cars will be dismantled.
On 3 April 2007 a train using both power cars of the TGV POS trainset number 4402 set a new worldspeed record for travel on conventional rails. The train reached. As part of a series of increasingly faster runs that culminated in the official record attempt, it set an unofficial speed record of on 13 February 2007. The trainset comprised three specially modified Duplex cars, fitted with two powered bogies similar to the AGV prototype, marshalled between the TGV POS power cars. The record trainset, configured as Bo'Bo'+2'Bo'Bo'2'+Bo'Bo', had four more powered axles than trainset 325 during the 1990 speed record, and had a theoretical maximum power output of instead of the on a standard TGV. Over 600 sensors were fitted on various parts of both the engines and the cars. The train set ran with larger wheels, and the catenary voltage was increased to 31 kV from the standard 25 kV. The maximum speed was achieved near kilometer post 193 on the LGV Est between Meuse and Champagne-ArdenneTGV stations.
