Eurostar has modified the specifications for the 50 double-decker trains ordered from Alstom so that their equipment can operate at temperatures of up to 55°C. The decision was made following the heat waves that affected Europe and with a view to operations extending into the 2060s.
The next-generation Eurostar trains will be built to withstand temperatures currently found more in the Sahara or the Arabian Peninsula than in northern Europe.
The operator of international rail services through the Channel Tunnel has chosen an upgraded technical specification for the 50 Celestia double-decker trains ordered from the French manufacturer Alstom. The air-conditioning systems, electronic components, and running gear will need to operate at outside temperatures of up to 55°C.
The contract, valued at approximately EUR 2 billion, initially specified an operating limit of 45°C. However, the specifications were revised following recent heat waves in France, according to the British publication The Telegraph.
During one of these heat waves, more than 40% of France recorded temperatures above 40°C, and in Pissos, near Bordeaux, thermometers reached 44.3°C.
Trains Designed for the Climate of the 2060s
Eurostar management initially believed that a 45°C limit would be sufficient for a network concentrated in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
However, these calculations changed as heat waves became more frequent. The new trains will not enter service before 2031 and are expected to remain in operation for approximately 30 years, meaning they will still be in service in the 2060s.
Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar’s CEO, told The Telegraph that the operator has decided to choose what the company informally calls “the Sahara option”, even though this solution is more expensive.
This will include more efficient air-conditioning systems, higher-quality components, and microprocessors capable of operating smoothly at very high temperatures.
“We’re buying trains that will be in service for 30 years,” explained the Eurostar CEO, noting that temperatures considered exceptional today could become more frequent, even in the United Kingdom.
The First Double-Deck Trains Through the Channel Tunnel
Celestia will be the first family of double-decker trains to run through the Channel Tunnel. Each train set will have a capacity of over 1,000 passengers, significantly higher than that of current Eurostar trains.
The order is part of the operator’s plans to expand capacity and launch new international routes. The adaptation for temperatures of 55°C aims to prevent situations where the new trains would become vulnerable precisely during periods of peak demand on the network.
Heat waves affect not only passenger comfort but also air-conditioning systems, onboard electronics, traction systems, and other equipment mounted under the train or on the roof.
One in ten Eurostar trains affected by heat
Earlier this year, Eurostar also activated its seasonal plan for extreme temperatures, called “Solstice”.
The procedures call for checking the air-conditioning systems and water reserves in each railcar, as well as reserving additional time slots at depots for urgent repairs.
According to company management, approximately one in ten Eurostar trains has been affected to some extent by the high temperatures, resulting in malfunctions or delays.
During a heat wave last month, passengers on a train that broke down in Belgium reportedly spent over two hours without air conditioning. Several people required medical attention, and passengers were evacuated along the tracks after emergency services intervened.
Eurostar is now in discussions with infrastructure managers in the countries it travels through to improve procedures for when a train becomes stranded in extreme heat.
Trains can be adapted, but the tracks remain vulnerable
However, the problem does not stop with the rolling stock. At high temperatures, rails exposed to the sun can become approximately 20°C hotter than the air.
Steel expands, and under certain conditions, the track can warp. Infrastructure managers are then forced to impose speed restrictions or temporarily close the affected sections.
Alloys and technical solutions with lower thermal expansion are being developed, but adapting the entire European rail infrastructure will be much slower than changing the specifications for a train order.
For Eurostar, choosing the option capable of withstanding 55°C is an investment made for a climate that does not yet typically exist along its routes. Following the heat waves of recent years, however, the company is no longer willing to assume that current temperatures will remain an exception.
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