France: Initially SNCF, a French operator, was to receive a new fleet of 28 trains by the end of 2023. Now the Spanish manufacturer promises to complete the delivery in Q4 2027.
As French media cite Laurent Caseau, CAF’s commercial director, the COVID-19 pandemic was a reason for the delay in the assembly of a pre-series train. Nicolas Guinault, a technical manager for CAF, has further explained that later the tests revealed premature wear of brake linings and a strong vibration caused by operational failures of motors attached to the bottom of the vehicle. However, all the problems have been resolved, and two trains have already been sent to VUZ, the Velim test centre in Czechia, where they will be tested till the end of the year.
The head car of the CAF Oxygene for SNCF. Source: David Jelinek
The Oxygene ten-car EMUs designed to operate at a maximum speed of 200 km/h can accommodate 420 passengers seated. The first trains on the Paris–Clermont-Ferrand and Paris–Toulouse lines are expected to enter service in 2027.
