Z 23000
The Z 23000 were railcars of the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris (CMP). The trains, also known as the "automotrices Z" (English: self-propelled Z), were ordered from 1934 to provide service on the Ligne de Sceaux to the southern suburbs of Paris, which was heavily modernized and electrified by 1937. Each car in the series was identical, with all being motorized. The Z 23000 was the first generation of modern self-propelled equipment intended to serve a future regional metro network, which would not be created until forty years later under the name Reseau Express Regional (RER).
| Z 23000 | |
|---|---|
 Z 23000 train at Laplace station, c. 1980 | |
 2nd class section of preserved Z 23000 train | |
| Manufacturer | Brissonneau et Lotz, CFMCF, CGC, CIMT and Decauville |
| Scrapped | 1987 |
| Number built | 150 cars |
| Capacity | 84 seats (56 fixed, 28 folding), 177 maximum |
| Operator(s) | CMP (before 1949) RATP (after 1949) |
| Line(s) served | Ligne de Sceaux |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 20.7 m (67 ft 11 in) |
| Width | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) |
| Floor height | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
| Doors | 4 pairs per side, per car |
| Wheel diameter | 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) |
| Maximum speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Weight | 44,600 kg (98,300 lb) |
| Traction motors | 2x 173.5 kW (232.7 hp) self-ventilated motors (Jeumont TC127-4) |
| Power output | 1,390 kW (1,860 hp) (four-car train) |
| Acceleration | 1 m/s2 (2.2 mph/s) |
| Electric system(s) | 1.5 kV DC overhead catenary |
| Current collection method | Pantograph |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
History
In 1930, the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris (CMP) ordered the Z 23000, intended to be suitable for reliable and efficient suburban service on the Ligne de Sceaux, which was being radically modernized and electrified at the time of the order. These new cars introduced several new features, including four pairs of doors per side (similar to equipment used on the Paris Métro) allowing for faster passenger boarding at stations, high platform boarding, longer cars without significant gaps at curved platforms, light construction for faster acceleration and simple, reliable electrical equipment. The railcars are equipped with a pantograph for capturing the 1.5 kV DC power from overhead catenary lines.
The Z 23000 railcars were ordered in several installments. The first phase in 1934, followed by a second order in 1937, a third in 1942, a fourth in June 1950, a fifth in 1959, and a sixth in 1961. A total of 160 railcars were built over a period of almost 30 years.
In the 1970s, RATP transformed the Ligne de Sceaux into line B of the new Reseau Express Regional (RER), and the Z 23000 continued to see use on the new line after brakes and wheels were upgraded to accommodate the steeper grades on the new tracks for the RER B. However the Z 23000 had limited functionality on the RER B because north of Gare du Nord the line was electrified using SNCF's incompatible 25 kV AC system. Because of this, the RATP ordered the MI 79 (French: Matériel d'Interconnexion de 1979, English: interconnection rolling stock of 1979) trainsets for the RER B, which could use both electric systems (interconnect).
Withdrawal
The RATP planned to withdraw the Z 23000 from service by 1983, but technical issues with the MS 61 (which would soon operate exclusively on the RER A) forced 24 trains of the then-new MI 79 to leave the RER B to make up for the shortfall. Withdrawal actually began in 1984, but the process was slowed down by a cold wave in 1985–86, which caused technical issues with the MI 79 fleet to force the surviving Z 23000 units to make up for the shortfall.[1]
The last Z 23000 train ran in revenue service on 27 February 1987, from Gare du Nord to Orsay-Ville. The withdrawal of the Z 23000 was also necessary for Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame to open (in 1988): although the Z 23000 was upgraded to climb a 4.08% gradient from Luxembourg to Châtelet, the momentum would have been lost if the train stopped at Saint Michel.[1]
After its withdrawal from service, two heritage runs took place on the southern part of the line, in 1990 and 1994.[2][3]
Order list
| Order | Number purchased | Numbering | Original owner | Ordered | Builder | Delivered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Z 23221-241 | CMP | 1934 | Decauville | 1937 | Delivered in "duck blue" livery |
| 24 | Z 23242-265 | CFMCF | |||||
| 12 | Z 23266-277 | CGC | |||||
| 2 | 4 | Z 23278-281 | CMP | 1937 | CFMCF | ? | |
| 14 | Z 23451-464 | PO | 1937 | 1938 | |||
| 3 | 5 | Z 23282-286 | CMP | 1942 | Brissonneau et Lotz | 1947 | Delivered in "celtic green" livery |
| 10 | Z 23287-296 | 1949 | |||||
| 4 | 14 | Z 23297-310 | RATP | 20 June 1950 | CIMT | 1952 | Fluorescent lights instead of chandeliers |
| 5 | 21 | Z 23311-331 | 2 October 1959 | 1961 | |||
| 6 | 25 | Z 23332-356 | 1961 | 1962 |
Preserved examples
The Z 23461 is preserved in its original "duck blue" livery at the Cité du train museum in Mulhouse.
The RATP preserves five railcars in the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges reserve. Z 23237 has been restored into the "celtic green" livery, while Z 23342, Z 23312, Z 23326 and Z 23328 were preserved in the blue and gray livery they wore at retirement.
Photo gallery
MS 61 (left), Z 23237 (right) preserved at Villeneuve-Saint-Georges
Control cab
Route map
First class seat
Chandelier
References
- "Les automotrices de la ligne de Sceaux". Transport Paris (in French). Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- Camous Joël (13 November 2016). "Automotrice Z 23000 Paris Denfert -Rochereau 1990". Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- Celerier, Jean-Leon (7 February 2016). "Les Tramways,Métro,RER,Bus de la RATP: RER B". Les Tramways,Métro,RER,Bus de la RATP. Retrieved 2 November 2018.