Logs

An excellent run with this motive power, taking into account lost time at La Réole (preparing the tunnel for electrification)

A series of short but very fast timings thanks to remarkable accelerations for the time (1938).

... without exceeding 160 km/h, and not with a light rake either (12 coaches).

7 mins regained despite losing time at Poitiers and an unscheduled stop at Châtellerault, plus taking it easy after Les Aubrais.

Nothing quite like losing an hour, including 20 mins spent propelling a failed freight train, for itching to run fast afterwards... All timings after Bar-le-Duc are excellent.

15 mins late at the start, on time 120 kms later, high credits to the BB 7200 loco. Most impressive : 145,6 km/h average speed between Muret and Boussens (45 kms).

Toulouse > Narbonne in 1h02 (schedule 1h11), despite leaving Toulouse at 30 km/h...

An X 2800 DMU in a 1 in 33 gradient, one only misses the accompanying sound...

No high performance there, but a special train with traction now long since gone...

Average speed exactly 275,7 from Lyon-St-Exupéry to Aix-TGV, this will only be bettered by 320 km/h on the LGV Est...

This line is now partly closed, traction (X 4300) is now gone, and the final comment is amusing.

A special train for the pre-opening of the line at Pont-à-Mousson (15 march 2007).

An approximate log for this speed record, using the television report. 478 km/h on average over 30 km, no chance of seeing that again for a while...

A troubled start, and then remarkable driving with a remarkable BB 15000 loco.

New high-level performance on short sections : both accelerations and braking are a considerable improvement over the X 4300 of 2004...

... or the first step of a Roanne > Paris journey, because connections no longer take place in St-Germain-des-Fossés.

... indeed : since 14-12-2008 trains run at 200 km/h on the Bourbonnais line, over 3 sections between St-Germain-des-Fossés and Saincaize.

This of course required high class driving, and this was the case on the day, especially when braking...

A special trip in RFF days, no speed record of course but a really pleasant atmosphere...

The continuation of the same trip, from Besançon to Bourg-en-Bresse via Morez... and a good restaurant at Oyonnax.

A test run for RFF, not at 352 km/h [320+10%] but interesting still for judging accelerations.

A test run for the Auvergne Regional Council. The goal was 2 hrs sharp, which failed because of a unwanted signal stop at the St-Germain-au-Mont-d'Or junction...

A detailed analysis of defensive driving "the french way", something unheard of further east...

No great performance with 6 coaches and only 100 km/h, but a pleasant atmosphere...

Note excess speed driving in run #11, something common at the time...

High speed (mostly 250 km/h, very little 280), but typical of the german geography : many stops, unimpressive average speeds.

Again 250-280 km/h, but also 200 km/h in the plains of northern Germany.

The first generation of DB's tilting DMUs.

Standard rolling stock one way (Class 91 loco), but a "White Rose" Eurostar on the way back.

Arrival 6 mins early... without too much haste.

2hrs28 for a scheduled time of 2hrs38, 9 mins early on arrival, RENFE's good habits don't change.

Part of the trip ran on the Mattstetten - Rothrist high speed line.

... but only at 200 km/h for the time being.

Average speed 244 km/h between Milano-Rogoredo and Bologna.

About 56 kms run at 180 km/h between Bologna and Padova, and then about 10 kms at 220 km/h between Padova and Venezia.

A 200 km/h night train with a 178 km/h timing along the way is not really a frequent event...

... with a few glimpses of the high speed line currently under construction, towards the end of the journey.

You just can't make it more rural than that, 300 km southwest of Madrid...

Also very "countryside", with magnificent landscapes, a frequent feature of Spain.

No logs, but a great rail trip, very exotic and tourism-oriented (text is in french only).

If you are a high speed lover, this trip is not for you, but if you like tourism in an exotic place...

The best of rail travel in Egypt, even if these trains do not exceed 140 km/h...

Automatic driving in unnecessary in Japan, train drivers there keep within +/- 15s of scheduled times for hundreds of kms : just amazing...

Not really an impressive acceleration, but figures are interesting / instructive !

4hrs45mins spent waiting during the first 6hrs35mins of the journey : in Canada, freight is definitely more important than a tourist passenger train...