Originally Posted by
EWR ATC Hold
Huh? Have you ridden on the TGV? There's nothing special about it or EuroStar. In 2nd class, I'd probably say the seating is comparable in terms of set-up/size, but Acela is much newer, cleaner and has power at every seat (every other row on EuroStar has power and it alternates UK/Europe plugs). I couldn't find power on TGV. First class on Acela is much nicer than First Class on TGV or EuroStar. I think the only nicer thing about TGV/EuroStar is they go slightly faster than Acela and its a different technology that TGV uses. But Acela still goes up to 150mph (240kph) (though I acknowledge at places its more like 120mph). TGV can go upwards of 300mph, but it routinely is under 200mph in commercial operations. I'll give you that is faster and saves you a few hours on a long route (but from NY to Boston, that would save you about 30 minutes at best). Eurostar can go up to 180mph, but routinely travels in the 150mph range (and up until recently, was 80mph on the UK side).
Anyhow, TGV is faster, I'll give you that, but Acela isn't the "pathetic" high speed train you make it out to be.
Acela may have the capability of running at 150 mph, but because of track conditions it runs at maybe 90 mph (I first took the metroliner in 1977 from Philadelphia to Washington, it was a four unit Budd Company self-propelled electric traction train, and it ran 125 mph on the same right-of-way). It takes 2 hours 45 minutes to go from Union Station in Washington to Penn Station in New York, which is about 225 track miles.
The Eurostar and the TGV actually are something special. With respect to the Eurostar, start with the incredible 31 mile long "chunnel", which is traversed in 21 minutes 15 seconds (the train slows to 150 kmph through it). The UK did a lot of work and investment to get this train to go to St. Pancras, where connections can be made to trains at three different stations (Kings Cross and Euston) to most northern points on the island of Britain. The total time for a non-stop Eurostar to run almost 300 miles, 31 of them under an estuary of the Atlantic, is 2 hours 15 minutes. Also, in "Leisure Select", first class seating sans lounge access, you get fed and watered as a part of your ticket, which is not much more than regular coach.
You've probably never been on a TGV. I have--in addition to the Paris-Lille-Brussels line (which the Eurostar uses), I've been on the new Est Europeen line (top speed 320 kmph), as well as on the Mediteranee and Atlantique lines (Paris to Avignon, 450 miles in 2 hours 45 minutes; the Atlantique features a high speed line between Paris and Tours, and then regular tracks to Bordeaux). The Paris to Avignon run, which I did in December, 2003, was the most impressive train ride I had ever taken.
The French have made the TGV the backbone of their everyday intra-national transportation system. It is getting better every day. Also, the rail networks in neighboring countries, and non-neighboring countries such as Austria, are getting better as a result.