SNCF Class X 3800
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.
| SNCF X 3800 | |
|---|---|
Preserved example, unit number X4042, shown in 2009. | |
| Manufacturer | Renault / ANF / De Dietrich Ferroviaire / SACM |
| Constructed | 1950–1961 |
| Number built | 251 |
| Fleet numbers | X 3801 – X 4051 |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 21.851 metres (71 ft 8+1⁄4 in) over buffers |
| Width | 3.090 metres (10 ft 1+5⁄8 in) |
| Height | 3.952 metres (12 ft 11+5⁄8 in) |
| Wheel diameter | 860 mm (33.86 in) |
| Maximum speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Weight | 31.5 tonnes (31.0 long tons; 34.7 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | Saurer BZDSe or Renault |
| Engine type | Diesel |
| Power output | 250 kW (335 hp) |
| Transmission | mechanical |
| UIC classification | B′2′ |
| Bogies |
|
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
The X3800 served on secondary lines all over the French rail network. The elevated control cabin allowed the railcars to operate in forward and reverse modes, allowing for ease of operation. One example is preserved at the Cité du Train.
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