European Railroad Discussion > Mountain Railroading in the Southern France (2)

Here is the second part of the mountain railroading. Since this was not a railfanning safari, I have mountain rail without a train in the previous part, and here I have a mountain passenger service without mountains :/ ... put these two together and you have what the subject says.

To subject: There seems to be an hourly service from Nice Ville to Breil-sur-Roya, halfway up the mountains. The connection is provided by several Bombardier built diesel AGC units. As you can see these are specially decorated for the "Valley of Miracles", the route through the mountains. As the pictures suggest, it has been confirmed that people lived here tens of thousands of years ago.

Here the unit 76583/4 is leaving Nice Ville for Breil-sur-Roya in the mountains.

---

---

---

While we watch the unit creeping out of the station, maybe someone could tell me why this interconnected (permanent connection) unit has two road numbers: the other end says 76583 and the other 76584.

---

---

---

The unit 76583/4 takes switches and accelerates for mountains.

---

---

Great looking equipment: low floor doors, clean, big windows, etc.
Makes a US Amtrak P42 pulling a string of Horizon or Amfleet cars look shabby.

I think you will find that the numbering doesn't refer to the unit but the individual coaches.

Are these diesel or electric? I can't see a pantograph, or any visible heat exhaust.

According to the first entry, these units are diesel powered. One design feature that caught my attention was what appears to be a track brake shoe between the wheels on the powered truck. Quite similar to one of the characteristic elements of a PCC streetcar (or as it would be called "over there", tramcar)

These are conventional diesels. And yes, it looks very EMU like, because it is also available as EMU.

Here is a picture taken by Focalplane of a similar looking EMU in southern France too, but closer to Spain. This unit has 4 modules. Lots of variations in module count seems to exist in France.


trainman630 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are these diesel or electric? I can't see a
> pantograph, or any visible heat exhaust.

---

Right, this is an emergency brake used (and obligatory) on all modern passenger rolling stock. I think that basically least every other bogie has one, even on coaches.

DNRY122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> According to the first entry, these units are
> diesel powered. One design feature that caught my
> attention was what appears to be a track brake
> shoe between the wheels on the powered truck.
> Quite similar to one of the characteristic
> elements of a PCC streetcar (or as it would be
> called "over there", tramcar)

The photos are beautiful.

About the track brakes-I now understand what
I saw on the one photo of the many
Beilhack Snow Clearer photos I have.




EDIT:



I fixed my typos now HAHA, I was using a keyboard that had a lot of the keys worn
off and las and alack my typing skills are lacking- time to buy the new label maker for the keys-
white out does not last.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/12 08:23 by leonz.

These Bombardier MUs are to bee seen all over France in a variety of regional liveries. The number of cars varies, as John has noted. The neatest, in my opinion are the "doodlebugs" - a double ended motorized single coach for rural branch lines. These tend to be diesel engined for the obvious reason that branch lines are generally not electrified.

They are comfortable to ride in and have some interesting seating arrangements in the step up areas over the bogies, including a large L or U shaped area for larger groups to share. The three and four car units have space for bikes as well.

As John shows, the upper area of the cars, hidden behind metal screens, contain both pantographs and air conditioning modules. These are "big format" trains that look quite formidable from trackside when at track speed (~120 kph where I live).

There is also a bi-mode version for operation as s straight electric under the wires, and a diesel elsewhere.

I think I have a pictures of the Bibi too, have to look for that with some time. The pantograph gives away the usage under wires, but any idea how to know that it has a diesel too when it is not running? In my case it was brightly vinyled, which seem to be the French style making trains (even) more interesting.

McKey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think I have a pictures of the Bibi too, have to
> look for that with some time. The pantograph gives
> away the usage under wires, but any idea how to
> know that it has a diesel too when it is not
> running? In my case it was brightly vinyled, which
> seem to be the French style making trains (even)
> more interesting.

Easiest way to spot the BiBis if you can't look into the roof, is to look at the set number. The BiBis set numbers start with B 8xxxx, the letter "B" indicates a BiBi.

More specifically B 81xxx is equipped with a diesel and 1.5kV DC capability, while B 82xxx is equipped with a diesel and both 1.5 kV DC and 25kV AC capability.

So to summarize if the set is IDed by a "Z" then it is a EMU, by a "X" it is a DMU. and if it is a "B" then it is a BiBi.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/12 07:03 by SOO6617.

Thank you SOO6617 for the information, how to spot different models exactly!