Autorail à grande capacité

The Autorail à Grande Capacité (literally, high-capacity railcar) is a category of multiple-unit trains built by the Canadian train manufacturer Bombardier for the French rail operator SNCF.

The series consists of 3 models:
*X 76500: diesel variant, also designated XGC
*Z 27500: electric variant capable of running on both 1.5 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC, also designated ZGC
*B 81500: dual-mode variant, capable of running on both diesel (by means of a diesel-electric engine) and 1.5 kV DC (by means of a pantograph), also designated BGC
*B 82500: dual-mode variant, capable of running on both diesel (by means of a diesel-electric motor) and 1.5 kV DC/25 kV AC (by means of a pantograph), also designated BGC; these trains are identical to the B 81500-series except for their capability of operating on AC power.

The modularity of these trains permits each railroad (or region) to choose the number of units – currently 3 or 4 – that make up the train, as well as the interior layout of the cars (e.g. lounge car, first class, etc.). Trains can also be made up of mixed units, i.e. a train can be made up from both BGC and ZGC units. Basse-Normandie and Lorraine regions have also ordered sets that consist of both diesel and electric units (i.e XGC and ZGC). A two-unit variant has never been ordered; the B 82500 is only available in a four-unit version.

The first car delivered was a B 81500, numbered B 81501, and was put into service on February 6, 2004 for TER Midi-Pyrénées service. The 200th trainset was put into service November 20, 2006 on the TER Haute-Normandie. The first B 82500 unit was delivered February 2007 and entered into service on the TER Champagne Ardenne on May 15, 2007.

Depending on configuration, the trains can attain speeds of up to 87 mph in diesel mode and 99 mph in electric mode.

ee also

*List of SNCF classes

External links

* [http://www.bombardier.com/en/1_0/1_1/1_1_3_2_1_1.jsp Bombardier AGC page]
* [http://jorgevega.free.fr/listedesagc__les700_.htm AGC unit roster]