French Trains Delayed After Power Lines Hit

The incident is the latest in a series of delays that have affected the SNCF`s much-praised high speed train services.

Overnight delays to high-speed train services in western France were probably caused by a vandal who shot out overhead power lines with a gun, French rail operator SNCF said on Sunday.

Thousands of passengers faced hours of waiting after at least 50 high speed TGV trains were delayed or cancelled due to a power line break at Marcoussis, just outside Paris. The SNCF said it would take legal action against those responsible.

"There is no proof of a technical incident. But there are strong presumptions that the damage was caused by gun shots," the rail operator said in a statement.

The incident is the latest in a series of delays that have affected the SNCF's much-praised high speed train services, drawing concern over the condition of its infrastructure.

"The power line incident at Marcoussis on Saturday Nov 1 is one incident too many," Transport secretary Dominique Bussereau said in a statement.