Paris Est - Saarbrücken Via Lgv Est Européenne

LGV Est européenne Route suggestion (Paris - Saarbrücken) Updated August 11, 2023

​

Today, I am suggesting to add the LGV Est européenne (East European High-Speed Line) to the Train Sim World universe.

Table of contents

• Introduction & Generals
• Maps
• Rolling stock
  • High speed
    • TGV Réseau
    • TGV Euroduplex (TGV 2N2 3UA)
    • DB ICE 3MF (BR 406F)
    • DB ICE 3 MS “Velaro D” (BR 407)
  • Regional transportation
    • SNCF Class X 73900 (A TER)
    • SNCF Class Z 24500
• Gallery
• Conclusion
• Bonus: Cab rides
• Sources

Introduction

The line
First of all, a little information about what the line is in real life: It is a high-speed railway line located in northeastern France. It stretches approximately 480 kilometres (300 miles) from Paris to Strasbourg, passing through cities like Reims, Metz, and Nancy. Opened in stages between 2007 and 2016, the LGV Est européenne was designed to provide faster and more efficient rail connections between major cities in France and neighboring countries, particularly Germany. The line is capable of accommodating high-speed trains traveling at speeds of up to 320 kmph (200 mph), reducing travel time between Paris and Strasbourg to around 1 hour and 45 minutes.

My suggestion
To make things more interesting and a bit more varied (watching the speed go up and down for almost 2 hours may be a little bit tiring), I would branch the route off the high-speed line at one point and continue on an old-fashioned line for a while, eventually crossing the German borders and reaching the destination of Saarbrücken. Or the other way around.

So I am actually not only proposing a part of the LGV Est européenne high-speed line, but also including the railway line from Saarbrücken to Rémilly. The inclusion of this section of track provides mor variety and also offers the possibility of adding regional traffic to this DLC (which I have also used) without having to extend the main line with other railway lines.
Furthermore, the part of the classic (!) railway line from Paris to Strasbourg, between the Paris East station and the junction to the high-speed line, should not be missing.

Some train drivers may not feel like driving the entire route from Paris to Saarbrücken (which can also take up to 1h50) or just don’t have enough time for that. Therefore, I propose to provide also the lines from the respective branch from LGV Est to the stations of Reims and Metz. Should this then become a bit too extensive, it would also be an option to offer these partial sections as "DLC for the DLC", as has already been done in the past with additional locomotives.

I have chosen the year 2016 for the chronological location of this route add-on. The reason for this can be found in the section "ICE 3 MS "Velaro D" (BR 407)".

Maps
It might be difficult to get an idea of the route just by reading the text. Therefore, I would like to help you with a few self-designed route maps.

Full map including the lines to Reims and Metz


Line between Saarbrücken and Rémilly in detail


Rolling stock

Let's move on to the rolling stock. There are four trains I provided for high speed services and two for regional TER services. As it is an international route, I intend to use both German and French trains.

High speed trains

French trains

TGV Réseau



The TGV Réseau is a high-speed train model introduced by the French National Railway Company (SNCF). It is part of the TGV family and was designed to operate on France's high-speed rail network. The TGV Réseau features improved aerodynamics, increased passenger capacity, and advanced technology for smooth and efficient travel at speeds of up to 320 kmph(200 mph). It entered service in the late 1990s, connecting major cities across France and contributing to the expansion of high-speed rail travel in Europe. The TGV Réseau has been a cornerstone of modern French rail transportation, known for its speed, comfort, and reliability.
Some experts among you will know that the TGV Réseau series is divided into the 28000 and 38000 series. While the trains of the 38000 series are primarily intended for international traffic (but not to Germany!) and can be operated with three different power systems, the trains of the 28000 series are limited to two power systems and are thus more or less only used in domestic service.
In my proposal, I am referring to the dual-voltage variant, as this is the variant most commonly encountered on the LGV Est européenne. The triple-voltage variant is also represented there, but only since 2017 and thus outside the chronological location of this route add-on.
As this train primarily designed for domestic travel only and, as far as I know, not used for services to Forbach, the lines to Reims or Metz would be necessary for the integration of this train. Alternatively, it would also be possible to end / start services from / to Paris at the stations that are located on the LGV Est line.

TGV Euroduplex (TGV 2N2 3UA)



The TGV Euroduplex, also known as TGV 2N2, is a double-deck high-speed EMU developed by French railway company SNCF. It is an evolution of the original, widely known, TGV Duplex (which you may have already encountered on the LGV Méditerannée), featuring enhanced performance. The train is capable of operating at speeds of up to 320 kmph (200 mph) and is designed for both domestic and international travel.
There are also different versions of the TGV Euroduplex, each with slightly different equipment. For example, there is also a variant for traffic to Spain, but I am of course talking here about the variant of the Euroduplex that is designed for traffic to Germany, or TGV 2N2 3UA for short.

German trains

ICE 3MF (BR 406F)



The ICE 3MF was a modified version of the ICE 3M (the multi-system variant of the ICE 3 some of you may already know from Köln - Aachen high speed line that came along with the 3M). It was used to serve the Frankfurt Hbf - Paris Gare de l'Est Route and had equipment for service on French lines. In 2016, this equipment has been removed from these trains, which made them unfit for French high speed routes. Since 2017, the Velaro D (ICE 3, BR 407) is the only ICE train to serve the route.
As a pioneer for German high-speed trains in France, this train should not be missing from this DLC in my opinion. It should not be too much trouble to model this train, as only the end cars and the driver's cab of the ICE 3M would have to be slightly adapted. In addition, its appearance in TSW would provide scope for scenarios, especially on the Southeastern High Speed route. (For example, an ICE 3MF (Tz 4685 aka Schwäbisch Hall) once ran to London St. Pancras in the past.)

ICE 3 MS “Velaro D” (BR 407)



The ICE 3, BR 407, also known as “Velaro D” is a high-speed train model developed by Siemens Mobility, known for its advanced technology and exceptional performance. It is designed for operation in Germany and it’s neighbouring countries, catering to their high-speed rail network. The train boasts impressive features, including a streamlined exterior design, cutting-edge aerodynamics, and a spacious, modern interior for passengers.
Equipped with multi-system compatibility, the train can seamlessly operate on different electrification systems and under various safety systems found in other countries. This versatility allows the Velaro D to cross international boundaries and serve routes in neighboring nations.
The Velaro D had its premiere run to France in July 2015, so the era of the ICE 3MF overlaps with that of the Velaro D in France by one year, 2016. This is the reason why I chose exactly this year to settle this route add-on.

Trains for regional services French only

SNCF Class X 73900 (A TER)



The A TER diesel-powered single-box railcar is specially designed for cross-border services between France and Germany. Having several nicknames, such as “cucumber” or “sausage”, they are derived from the X 73500, which was particularly used within France.

SNCF Class Z 24500 (Alstom Coradia Duplex, TER 2N NG)



The SNCF Z 24500, also known as TER 2N NG, is a double-decker EMU based on Alstom's Coradia Duplex type and designed for the TER service in France. SNCF distinguishes between the Z 24500 series with two or three carbodies and the Z 26500 series with four or five carbodies. The Z 24500 is not capable of running beyond the French borders, so it would suit perfectly for serving the part Rémilly - Forbach as it is used for the TER Lorraine / Grand Est Line 15, running from Metz to Forbach.

Gallery

To give you a better picture of the whole thing, I have put together a few additional pictures (sources given below) to form a small gallery. Excuse my lack of skills to create beautiful collages!





Conclusion

In conclusion, the addition of the LGV Est européenne (East European High-Speed Line) to Train Sim World presents an exciting and diverse opportunity for rail enthusiasts. This high-speed railway, stretching over 400 kilometres and extending into Saarbrücken, offers a compelling blend of modern high-speed travel and classic rail routes. The proposal to include the branch line to Saarbrücken and the sections to Reims and Metz not only adds variety to the experience but also opens the door to regional traffic possibilities, enhancing the overall gameplay.

The suggested rolling stock, featuring a mix of iconic French and German high-speed trains, further enriches the immersive journey. From the sleek TGV Réseau and TGV Euroduplex to the impressive ICE 3MF and 407 "Velaro D," each train model brings its own unique charm and performance to the virtual rails.

I hope the self-designed route maps and gallery images help convey the beauty and complexity of my undertaking, and allow you to visualize the picturesque landscapes and dynamic rail environments you would encounter.

Cab rides

As a bonus, I was looking for some cab rides on YouTube. Here are a few ones:
Some of them can not be watched on the forums, you will have to click the “Watch on YouTube” button for watching.

Reims - Paris Est TGV Réseau with instruments view


Paris Est - Strasbourg TGV Euroduplex with instruments view Beadrecourt junction timestamp: 1:15:00


Frankfurt (Main) - Paris Est ICE 3MF rear cab, premiere journey Saarbrücken Hbf timestamp: 2:12:00


Neustadt (Weinstr.) - Forbach DB BR 181 Saarbücken Hbf timestamp: 1:03:00


And, additionally, the TGV V150 setting the speed world record on rail


Image sources

General
Header Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/xrispics/6035311842
TGV R: https://www.bahnbilder.de/1200/sncf-tgv4502-trecate-i-9248-1294929.jpg
TGV 2N2: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luxemburg_train_station_2019_3.jpg
ICE 3MF/ BR406F: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DB_ICE_3MF_406_(8465394974).jpg
ICE 3 (BR407)/ Velaro D: https://www.eurailpress.de/nachrich...407-alstom-ruestet-17-ice-3-mit-etcs-aus.html
TGV Logo (in Route Map): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:TGV.png
ICE Logo (in Route Map, edited): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ICE-Logo.svg
TER Logo (in Route Map, edited): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Logo_TER.svg
A TER: https://www.bahnbilder.de/bild/fran...ter/1234310/ter-73913-nach-metz-ville-in.html
Z 24500: https://hellertal.startbilder.de/bi...r-2n-ng/446357/-die-sncf-ter-rame-625626.html

Gallery
ICE 3 MF Premiere: https://m.focus.de/finanzen/news/mehdorns-besonderer-paris-trip-ice_id_1973393.html
TGV R on LGV: https://www.dna.fr/actualite/2016/07/02/grilles-horaires-l-europeenne-en-service-demain
TGV V150 on LGV: https://openarchives.sncf.com/archive/101782
TGV R at Noisy-le-sec: https://trainspo.com/photo/95621/
ICE 3MF on the Bridge (edited): https://railfanworld.com/blog/france/2007/lgv-est
TGVs and ICE at Paris Est: https://www.eisenbahn-kurier.de/sta...mit-ice-und-tgv-nach-paris-und-wieder-zurueck
ICE 3MF at Meuse TGV: https://structurae.net/de/medien/175372-bahnhof-meuse-tgv
TGV POS on LGV: https://www.ville-rail-transports.c...s-travaux-de-la-deuxieme-phase-de-la-lgv-est/

 

Sounds good, but don't you think this route is too long for TSW

 

I was worried about that too, but I think with the Kassel - Würzburg high-speed route, DTG has shown us that even longer distance routes are not a particular problem.

 

You are absolutely correct. however when you try localizing this to the German language You might as well need to look at the German name for the French town of Baudrecourt and Forbach because both French towns were in the German Empire Alsace Lorraine Territory. On Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Kassel Würzburg the LGV Est DB BR406 ICE3MF has a chance to spawn as a 16 carriage set being itself and a DB Baureihe 403 ICE3 being the rear set. Remember in real life both train types are compatible with each other but not DB Baureihe 407 Velaro D

 

As a German-speaking person, I can confirm to you that even former German cities in France are no longer (at least not officially) mentioned with their old German names. In addition, I actually believe that the Velaro D units can be coupled with each other.

 

Thank you for telling me about that because I got used to the practice with German speakers using the German names of a city in former Austria-Hungary and German Empire controlled Poland Czech Republic and Russia Kaliningrad Lithuania East Prussia.
Are you sure about that the DB BR407 can combine with DB BR406 ICE3MF and Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Würzburg Hauptstrecke München Augsburg DB BR403?
From this video at Frankfurt Flughafen
a DB BR403 is combined with DB BR406

If not DTG can copy and paste TSC DB BR407 manual section on multiple unit To which you cannot couple a 407 to 403/406 due to different coding

 

yes 407+407 it's possible but ice 3m+ 3m new it's possible but only in emergency same with a tgv

 

and the 407 must be in tow the reverse is impossible

 

it's possible but only in emergency a 407+406 or 403

 

Find that helpful and if one has LGV Est Paris Est Saarbrucken with Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Würzburg and Schnellfahrstrecke Köln Aachen selected services get a 407 + 406 combined others are 403 + 406 or 407 + 403. However 407 gets a speed reduction from 320 kmh LGV Est to 250-280 kmh on Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Würzburg

 

I like your proposition and DTG mentioned in the past that they find a way to do longer routes automatically so it’ll will save a lot of time but I don’t know if they already use this technique or it’ll be in a near future. I think we’ll have more chance of having the TSC Strasbourg-Karlsruhe route ( which will be the first international route ) as it’s mixed traffic with both passenger and freight. DTG will give us the BR186, TGV 47xx series and BR407 or if they want to give use again the 406 in MF version then the TGV 44xx ( POS ) will suits better.

 

Spot on and also I suggested this route as the Appenweier Strasbourg Railway with BB37000

 

We definitely need more French routes and some more LGV action :p

 

Absolute france routes

something different from LGV with all understanding for new high-speed lines. Wouldn't a traditional route give a better insight into what it's like in France. Offer more options than just TGV.



basic SNCF railway line




Transilien LIGNE N







Preferred train BB7600+VB2N
​

 

Got any pic as i would like to see how that would look like?

 

I found a picture on the internet:


Source: https://www.ice-treff.de/index.php?mode=thread&id=423300

 

Why showin a map of the ligne P when you want to show the ligne N ???

 

You showed us the map of the line P which is over 250 km and the BB7600 now withdrawn for nearly a year was a transformation of BB7200 for Transilien but you showed us a BB22200 in “Béton livery”

 

That can happen here & Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Würzburg and in the case of Schnellfahrstrecke Hannover Würzburg or Hauptstrecke München Augsburg which everyone has and owned TSW 2 with München Augsburg The DB Baureihe 403 ICE3 on both routes has combined with DB BR407 on the back.

 

In principle, I agree with you that French regional transport also deserves a place in TSW. Nevertheless, I also think that even if we already have the rather short section of LGV Méditerranée, we still have room for another French high-speed route in TSW, especially compared to the amount of German high-speed routes currently in the game. In addition, here in Germany, French high-speed transport is much more popular than French local transport, as the French are ahead of us Germans in terms of high speed with the LGVs.

 

Oh I didn't know that.

 

yes TGV is very popular. There is also the BB7600 a locomotive that could be or become very popular.

 

That locomotive can't run here because BB7600 is 1.5kv DC since Northern France is 25kv 50 hz. Correct locomotive here is it's 25kv 50hz version the BB15000. On this route it's sitting inside Forbach yard waiting for 185.1 185.0 185.2 freight service to end then bring it to Metz Woippy or Paris Le Bourget Triage. If Backdated to 2013 LGV Est Paris Est Saarbrucken Metz Forbach section would have seen BB15000 run to Forbach with the CNL Paris to Berlin or EN452/453 Paris Est Moscow Belarussia station via Berlin Hbf Asschaffenburg Hbf or Hanau Fulda Bebra Gerstungen
BB15000 picture

 

I'll have you know, I'd do anything to get Saarbrücken Hbf in TSW (or any train sim really), but I don't see this happening anytime soon. 375km is even longer than Zusi's Kassel-Hamburg with its impressive 310 km journey (although the entire route network is even longer with 465km).

 

Yes! And we need a world speed record scenario as this line is where the TGV got to 574,8km/h.

 

Agreed. Dedicated high speed lines are pretty boring, and we've already got a fair share of those.

 

Would someone please educate me?
Does Eurostar run on this route or am I wrong?
P.S: Amazing Suggestion, Would love to see more french content in the game

 

I actually don't believe that Eurostar trains can be seen on the LGV Est européenne, because there are no destinations in Central East France operated by Eurostar.

Eurostar map:


Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eurostar_map.svg

 

no only thalys go to est of france with the eurodéputer service 2 service one in a double tgv and 1 in a single tgv

 

For you, high speed may be boring, but not for me. And in my opinion, "high speed" is 300kph+, currently we only have one route on which such speeds are reached.

 

High speed lines are boring because they’re short cf LGV med but if DTG added the extension to Lyon Part-Dieu then it would’ve been interesting

 

I actually meant the route I suggested, not LGV Méditerranée. I don’t think 1h50 is short

 

Yes I know but I was commenting Purno’s when he said it’s boring

 

Okay, sorry

 

No worries

 

We only do have two dedicated highspeed lines and one of them can’t even reach it’s highspeed most of the time

 

You mean SFS Hannover Kassel Wurzburg where you can't reach 280 kmh? LGV Est allows 320 kmh 200 mph to Baudrecourt. Then 160 kmh (100 mph) to Forbach and Saarbrucken

 

They're boring because they're a one trick pony. Even Kassel-Würzburg has limited services.

 

To prevent this, I provided to also offer services terminating (in-game) at Metz, Reims or Meuse TGV.

 

That can work but running it to Saarbrücken you can have 185.5 B85500 185.2 BB37000 DLC 181 end at Remilly in both ways.

 

That's still only TGV services.

The only high speed routes I enjoy are those which also feature local passenger trains and freight, such as Köln-Aachen and München-Augsburg (and, to a more limited extent, London-Reading).

 

No. I also offer ICE services.

If you are absolutely against high speed, I can't help you, sorry. But I think there are also many other people like me in the TSW community who would like to see more high speed routes in the game.

 

I'm not against high speed, I'm against routes that ONLY offer high speed. You know, dedicated high speed lines without any other type of traffic, like Marseille-Avignon.

 

Initially, I also planned to implement regional traffic (Transilien) in this DLC. But later, I noticed that, if I also added Transilien, it would become to large. So I decided to only offer high speed services, as high speed is quite more interesting for me and the main thing I want are still the Paris Gare de l'Est - Saarbrücken Hbf ICE and TGV services.

 

How about TER Remilly Saarbrucken with B85500 X73900. Own them with this route and a DB OBB PZB route you have French DMU and Dual Mode train capable of running PZB under15kv 16.7hz AC

 

Thanks for giving me a shout out and you forgot Freight services BB37000 185.1 185.0

 

Good luck for DTG getting the green light from the Conseil Régional du Grand Est to have the right of using that specific Grand Est livery

 

Correct and also X73900 has a Deutsche Bahn Paint scheme which turns it into a DB Baureihe 641 Saarland with SNCF Decals. When it comes to B85500 were those trains also ordered for Metz Remilly Saarbrücken services or not?

 

Yeah the X73900/VT641 with red livery DB logo at the front and SNCF on each side. For the B85500 it will be for 7 lines first and as Baden-Württemberg is planning to open more lines, more are to come. The 7 lines:

• Metz-Trier
• Metz-Saarbrücken
• Strasbourg-Saarbrücken
• Strasbourg-Wörth am Rhein-Karlsruhe
• Strasbourg-Neustadt
• Strasbourg-Offenburg
• Mulhouse-Mülheim

 

Sorry for the double post for some reason it doesn’t let me modify my post. If DTG can’t get the livery at least they can use the 2 only X73900 owned by Saarland that are red with both DB SNCF logos similar to the VT641 running exclusively in Germany. I really want an international route between France and Germany that would be great