During the 1950s, SNCF investigations into high-speed rail saw some CC 7100 class locomotives specially modified for operation at speeds far higher than their regular service speed. These experiments provided valuable test data for the SNCF to develop increasingly more rapid regular services, including the 200 kilometres per hour (124 mph) Mistral of 1967, and ultimately the TGV.
CC 7121 broke the rail speed record when it achieved 243 kilometres per hour (151 mph) on the PLM mainline between Dijon and Beaune on 21 February 1954.
Preparations for further high-speed tests proceeded, and at March 28. 1955 CC 7107 attained 331 kilometres per hour (206 mph) on separate high-speed runs between Bordeaux and Dax, Landes. CC 7107 hauled a three car train with streamlining modifications to reduce aerodynamic drag.
Although the rail speed record has since 1990 been repeatedly broken by high-speed trainsets such as the French TGV and the German InterCityExperimental trains, BB 9004 and CC 7107 retained the locomotive speed record for over 50 years until it was broken on 2 September 2006 by a Siemens Taurus locomotive.
(Wikipedia)
Pictures of French high speed conquest... With all kind of locomotives, trains and infrastructures that participated to improve rail speed and makes the best world records.
