SNCF approached French crane company Mediaco Maxilift to plan and execute the job, because it had experience working on difficult technical lifts such as barges for articulated tramways.

Mediaco’s vision was to mount the train low, on a low barge, so that it looked to spectators like the train was rolling on the water.

As there were no barges with sufficient capacity to accommodate the TGV on the river Seine, Mediaco Maxilift had a 60 m X 11m flattop pontoon towed night and day by sea from Le Havre, France, on the North Sea coast.

Mediaco designed and calculated a special mounting system to spread the load over the barge deck to minimise the height of the train. Steel strips and 40 sq mm steel profile to be used as rails were built and welded on the deck with the approval of a naval architect.

Finally many small consequences arose which we had to solve urgently, all with regards to esthetic considerations.

Anchors, light panels, winches and foremast all had to be removed to improve the clean lines of the barge. After doing so, the barge convoy needed also needed special dispensation from the riverway authorities.

Mediaco Maxilift designed special saddles to be welded in front and behind each wheel to get minimum longitudinal lashing lines during the barging transfer operations. In fact Mediaco Maxilift used only four lashing points on each side fitted with light double nylon ropes to safeguard the train in case of a collision.

Mediaco used a Demag AC 700 fitted with 160 tons of counterweight plus superlift attachment to load the 90t TGV locomotive on the pontoon at the heavy lift berth of Gennevilliers harbour.

The distance from the rails outside the quay to the center of the barge was 48m.

Slinging was done with a 200 tons capacity longitudinal spreader and 2 X 50 tons lifting beams across and 4 X 20 tons capacity nylon orange ropes.

The limited free air draft under the lowest bridges of Paris was checked several times per day up until the last moments to adapt the draft with the barge’s ballast systems.

Despite the fact that Mediaco Maxilift managed and solved all the details, it was pouring with rain when the show began and unfortunately the speed of the barge was a little under the train capacities due to riverway restrictions.