The first cars appeared before the First World War.
They had to provide transportation of passengers faster and more economical than steam locomotives.
The autorails were drawn heat. They were designed as road vehicles. They were propelled by one or more diesel engines installed below the floor or in the body.
They are still used on non-electrified lines and did not necessarily very large passenger traffic. The cost of operating responds very well to this need.
The Autorails in 1934 on the Paris-Granville are faster than the steam locomotives. Just 3 hours to connect Paris to Argentan.
At the SNCF, the cars have been baptized with an X.
In 1930 Michelin develops a railcar-mounted tires,hence the name of Micheline for these cars.
The tires were equipped with a strapping on the inside wheel to avoid derailing.
In 1932 the line Alencon - Argentan - Granville, rolled a type Micheline Panhard petrol. The Panhard engine railcar that this type is a 95 Ch These cars are fast but they are limited to 24 seats. Two types of vehicles will be manufactured, they will be registered ZZy 24,201 and ZZy24202.
Thereafter they will be equipped with a double driving position for the change of direction on the tracks. They looked more like bus than to a train.
-------------------------- The Michelines Type 11 et Type 12 . ----------------------------
The X3800 cars, called "Picasso" with their driving position excentré recalling Picasso's paintings and portraits shifted, were designed by the engineering departments of cars of the SNCF in 1947. Built to the number of 251 copies in 1950 by Renault, they were equipped with a Renault engine of 300 hp and reach speeds of 120 km / h. 61 Passengers were available.
Numbering by the SNCF was X4051 to X3800.
They were robust, economical and reliable. Their white and red colors make them easily recognizable. They provide service until 1988. this autorail is the most popular of the SNCF. They can be driven in 2 directions from the elevated driving position.
A number have been retained and provide service on tourist lines.
---------Autorail Picasso with his driving position ------------------
------------------Picasso Autorail recognition to its cockpit ---------------
These locomotives were designed in 1961 and factory output from 1963 to ensure the next generation of steam locomotives with traffic did not justify electrification of the line. They were equipped with a diesel engine of 2000 kilowatts and a weight of more than 100 t, two 3-axle truck for the A1A-A1A.
The high output diesel engines posed many problems for the SNCF and these models are equipped with boiler to produce steam for heating the trains and the system is heavy and cumbersome penalizing the performance of the machine.
Technical Specifications:
Weight: 106 t
Speed: 130 km / h
Power: 1980 Kw
Engine: 12 cylinder V
------------------------ Diesel Locomotive A1A-A1A 68000 -------------------------------