SNCF Class X 4900

Last updated
X 4900
X 4922 - Bernay 1986.jpg
X 4922 at Bernay
Type and origin
Power type Autorail
Builder ANF
Build date1975 to 1979
Specifications
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Length63.23 m (207 ft 5 in)
Loco weight103.8 t
(102.2 long tons; 114.4 short tons)
Fuel type Gazole
Prime mover Saurer SDHR by Saurer
Engine type Diesel engine
Transmission Hydraulic
Performance figures
Maximum speed140 km/h (87 mph)
Power output295 kW (396 hp) +
295 kW (396 hp)
(590 kW or 790 hp)
Career
Operators SNCF
Class X 4900
Number in class13
NumbersX 4901/2 à 4925/6
NicknamesCaravelle
Locale Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie

SNCF's X 4900 is a diesel multiple unit railroad car of the Caravelle family.

They are derived from the two-car X 4630 DMU with which they share the same Saurer 330 kW (440 hp) engines as well as their hydraulic gear box. The railcars possessed more power than the other Caravelles as they are formed of two motor coaches and one intermediate trailer, this authorised them to run at a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).

Aesthetics are different from the other Caravelles as the painting scheme chosen is English blue, white and grey. Interiors were designed with care and benches ignored in favour of individual seats.

The class was first allocated at Marseille-Blancarde engine shed, this led to the replacement of the X 2400 and X 2800 in the region. Their superior power led to their allocation to passenger service duties on steep gradient routes in the Southern Alps. The other members of the class were allocated to Sotteville-lès-Rouen engine shed.

Renovated railcar X 4907 TER Haute Normandie at Gare de Trouville-Deauville on 24 March 2005. SNCF X 4907 - Trouville-Deauville 24-03-05.jpg
Renovated railcar X 4907 TER Haute Normandie at Gare de Trouville-Deauville on 24 March 2005.

The 4900s in Normandy ran coupled to X 4500 and X 4750 around Caen, Rouen, and Le Mans and as far as Rennes and Tours. The Southern 4900s joined the Norman railcars upon the arrival of the BB 67400 at Marseille. Despite the arrival in Normandy of the X 72500 and particularly of the X 73500, the 4900 have been taken out of service but in fact have kept to their regular schedule. The X 76500 delivered in 2004 will run between Caen and Rouen along the 4900s. [1]

The three trains belonging to Basse-Normandie received an extensive servicing at the beginning of the 2000s and kept their original livery. The 10 trains belonging to Haute-Normandie received the TER as well as a modernised cab, identical to that of the X 4630 renovated DMUs. Thanks to their reliability, the X 4900 will be kept for another fifteen years, unlike the X 4300 and X 4500 which will be retired. [1]

Inventory

2006 list of railcars of the X4900 class.

Train numberDepotTransfersNamings
X4901+XR8901+X490222 May 1975 at Marseille Blancarde Sotteville-lès-Rouen Veynes, 13 July 1975
X4903+XR8902+X490411 June 1975 at Marseille BlancardeSotteville-lès-Rouen Manosque, 21 October 1978
X4905+XR8903+X49061 July 1975 at Marseille BlancardeSotteville-lès-Rouen
X4907+XR8904+X49089 July 1975 at Marseille BlancardeSotteville-lès-Rouen
X4909+XR8905+X491025 July 1975 at Marseille BlancardeSotteville-lès-Rouen
X4911+XR8906+X491212 August 1975 at Marseille BlancardeSotteville-lès-Rouen
X4913+XR8907+X49148 December 1976 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
X4915+XR8908+X491613 December 1976 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
X4917+XR8909+X49189 December 1976 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
X4919+XR8910+X492017 December 1975 at Sotteville-lès-RouenSotteville, 23 September 1982
X4921+XR8911+X492212 January 1975 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
X4923+XR8912+X492410 January 1977 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
X4925+XR8913+X492618 January 1977 at Sotteville-lès-Rouen

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diesel multiple unit</span> Diesel-powered railcar designed to be used in formations of 2 or more cars

A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also generally classed as DMUs. Diesel-powered units may be further classified by their transmission type: diesel–mechanical DMMU, diesel–hydraulic DHMU, or diesel–electric DEMU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Normandy</span> Geographical and cultural region of France

Normandy is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caen</span> Prefecture and commune in Normandy, France

Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants, while its functional urban area has 470,000, making Caen the second largest urban area in Normandy and the 19th largest in France. It is also the third largest commune in all of Normandy after Le Havre and Rouen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Classes 101 and 102</span>

The British Rail Classes 101 and 102 diesel mechanical multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham, England from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. These classes proved to be some of the most successful and longest-lived of BR's First Generation DMUs, second in longevity only to the Class 121, with the final five units being withdrawn on 24 December 2003. The oldest set was, by then, just over 47 years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCF Class X 4500</span>

The SNCF Class X 4500 diesel multiple units were built by ANF between 1963–1970. The X4500 class are one of four classes of similar design known as "Caravelles". This name comes from when built the engine sound reminded railwaymen of the contemporary French SE210 'Caravelle' jet airliner. X4500 are identical to the earlier Class X4300 except for having a different engine. The motor cars operate with unpowered trailers from either class XR8300 or XR8500 depending on seating demand. The class has now been withdrawn, some being sold to other countries such as Romania. The last examples in France worked around Burgundy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 103</span>

The British Rail Class 103 diesel multiple units were built by Park Royal Vehicles with diesel engines by British United Traction (BUT). Ordered in the first half of 1955, 20 of these sets were built by Park Royal at the Crossley Motors works in Stockport of the ACV Group. They consisted of a power car and a driving trailer. Standard BUT equipment was fitted, with 'A' type engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Endeavour railcar</span> Class of diesel multiple unit operated by NSW TrainLink

The Endeavour Railcars are a class of diesel multiple units operated by NSW TrainLink on passenger rail services in New South Wales, Australia on the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and South Coast lines. They are mechanically identical to the Xplorers. All 30 carriages were built by ABB Transportation in Dandenong, Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Réseau Saint-Lazare</span>

Réseau Saint-Lazare is the network of railway lines originating from Saint Lazare Station in Paris. The network stretches from Paris to Normandy and encompasses suburban services. Parisian suburban rail services are operated under SNCF's brand name Transilien. Intercity services are also operated by SNCF but under the brand name Corail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TER Basse-Normandie</span>

TER Basse-Normandie was the regional rail network serving Lower Normandy, France. In 2016 it was merged into the new TER Normandie. Its network was articulated around the city of Caen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TER Haute-Normandie</span>

TER Haute Normandie was the regional rail network serving the former region of Upper Normandy in France. In 2016 it was merged into the new TER Normandie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rouen-Rive-Droite station</span>

Rouen-Rive-Droite is a large railway station serving the city of Rouen, Normandy, France. The station is on Rue Verte in the north of the city. Services are mainly intercity but many services are local. There are also TGV from Le Havre to Marseille-Saint-Charles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caen station</span>

Caen, Gare de l'Ouest or Gare Calvados, is the main and now only station serving the city of Caen, Normandy, France. The station stands on the main line from Paris to Cherbourg and although it mainly is an intercity station many regional trains use the station. Typical services link Caen to Lisieux, Paris, Rouen, Saint-Lô, Granville, Bayeux and Cherbourg. The station opened in 1857 with the arrival of the CF de l'Ouest line from Paris. The station was rebuilt by Henri Pacon in 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCF Class X 73500</span>

The X73500 is a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train type operated by the SNCF in France. They were built from 1999 to 2004 by Alsthom DDF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laira Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot</span>

Laira T&RSMD is a railway traction and rolling stock maintenance depot situated in Plymouth, Devon, England. The depot is operated by Great Western Railway and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMUs used on local services. The depot code "LA" is used to identify rolling stock based there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 124</span> Class of 8 six-car diesel multiple units built by Swindon Works

The British Rail Class 124 diesel multiple units were built by BR Swindon Works in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCF Class X 2400</span>

SNCF's X 2400 are a class of railcars. The 79 XABDP 2400, unifiés 600 PS (440 kW) were built from 1951 to 1955. They were capable of carrying 12 passengers in 1st class and 56 in 2nd class, they were 27 m long and capable of reaching a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). The railcars were often coupled to trailers of coupled to other units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGV Normandie</span> Future French high-speed railway

The LGV Normandie is a French high-speed rail line project to link Paris and Normandy. Trains will run at 250 km/h (155 mph) with a new TGV station serving Rouen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British railcars and diesel multiple units</span> Network_Rail

Diesel multiple units and railcars are trains, usually with passenger accommodation, that do not require a locomotive. Railcars can be single cars, while in multiple units cars are marshalled together with a driving position either end. As of December 2010, 23 percent of the rail passenger cars used on Network Rail are part of a diesel multiple unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCF Class X 3800</span> French diesel railcars

The SNCF X 3800 class are diesel railcars with an elevated off-center control cabin. It is often said that they were nicknamed “Picassos” because the off-center cabin was reminiscent of paintings by Pablo Picasso featuring faces where the eyes and nose were completely offset. The nickname may though have come from the number of early paint schemes applied to the class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botanic Gardens TMD</span>

Botanic Gardens TMD is a traction maintenance depot in Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire, England. As built it was one of the principal steam engine sheds in the Hull area, Botanic Gardens was the one closest to the main Hull Paragon station and its locomotives were responsible for working passenger services in the area. This entry also covers the engine sheds in the Paragon area that preceded Botanic Gardens.

References

  1. 1 2 "4900s". Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2006-10-05.[ full citation needed ]