Amtrak French Turbo 63

Name	Type	Comments	Date

Jim Bruce	General	these sets were developed from the French SNCF (Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francias) T2000 RTG ("Rame A Turbine A Gaz") trainsets. like the Amtrak versions they had 5 cars with a gas turbine power car at each end. they were built for SNCF from 1972 to 1976 and many have seen 30+ years of service on SNCF with the last being withdrawn in April 2005. some are preserved an some are now thought to be in iran an North Africa. the SNCF T2000 RTG ("Rame A Turbine A Gaz") was itself developed from the SNCF T1000/T1500 ETG ("Element a Turbine a Gaz") trainsets first converted from an SNCF X4300 class DMU in 1967. the 1968-1973 production sets were 4 cars with the T1000 car containing the gas turbine and the T1500 car containing the diesel engine. the last SNCF T1000/T1500 ETG ("Element a Turbine a Gaz") sets were retired in january 2001. both types ran allover France.http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/diesel/dmu/RTG/pix.html,http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/diesel/dmu/ETG/pix.html.	6/11/2011 3:34:42 PM

Jim Bruce	General	Further to the info above, the SNCF T2000 RTG ("Rame a Turbine a Gaz") and T1000/T1500 ETG ("Element a Turbine a Gaz") trainsets also provided the basis for todays SNCF TGV (Train a Grand Vittese) sets. Here are some pics of the now preserved Prototype set TGV 001, which was built in 1971 and like the RTG sets was Gas Turbine Powered. http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/prototype/pix.html. See also these shots of SNCF Z7001 experimental high speed railcar "Zebulon" actually a former Z7100 Class (Z7115) railcar of 1961, rebuilt in 1972, with a view to testing various components for a would be electric TGV, at a time when SNCF TGV 001 was still to pave the way for Jet (Gas Turbine) TGVs. It eventually ran at 309km/h on 15th October 1975, but was unfortunately scrapped by SNCF in 1981, though some key components of the TGV PSE such as pantographs, motors, braking & shafts were proven on this railcar. http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/work/measure/Z-7001_1.jpg.	6/11/2011 3:35:02 PM

Amtrak French Turbo 63
Taken at 12t St., sometime in December, 1973
Date: 12/1/1973	Location: Chicago, IL Map	Views: 506	Collection Of: Bob Sterner
Locomotives: AMTK 63(Turboliner)			Author: Bob Sterner

Picture Categories:		This picture is part of album: Chicago area 1970s

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