The Z 27500 is a type of dual-voltage electric multiple unit trainset for the French National Railway Company (SNCF) intended to the TER network (French commuter rail).
The train is the electric variant of Bombardier AGC, often referred to as ZGC. It the most important fleet of all other AGC variants. It is capable of operating on a 1,500 V DC or 25 kV 50 Hz AC electricity supply.
A total of 211 trainsets have been built by Canadian conglomerate Bombardier at its factory in Crespin (near Valenciennes, France) since 2005. The first set (Z 27503/27504) was placed into regular passenger service on 24 March 2005, for the Basse-Normandie region.
Design
Bombardier vehicle design is articulated using bogies between carriages. The Z 27500 are available in three or four-car unit. The train can be operated as a multiple-unit control with up to three units, with other Z 27500 or the dual-mode version Diesel/1,500 V DC (B 81500). The train is equipped with 2 pantographs on the intermediate car.
Their capacity offers 160 seats in a three-car unit, 220 in a four-car set. The inter-carriage passages have wide, open gangway connections, limiting bottlenecking.
The Z 27500 from Lorraine region can be operated as a multiple-unit control with the Diesel variant (X 76500), specifically equipped with a command to raise the pantograph.
Whereas the first trains were delivered in their three-car set version (with an intermediate car), several regions later added a second intermediate car, in order to increase their capacity from 160 to 220 seats.
Runaway train TER Z 27500 between Formerie, Serqueux and Sommery on 20 October 2015. This incident occurred after the train hit 2 cows just after the Formerie station, without causing victims.
Accident between a train TER Z 27500 and a stuck trailer truck on 16 October 2019 on the crossing n°70 at Boulzicourt. This accident caused the derailment of the train. 2 passengers were slightly injured as well as the train driver.
Models
The LS Models brand makes a model of the Z 27500 in 3 or 4-car set version in HO gauge.
Different versions of AGC can be downloaded (free or paid) for Train Simulator game.
Future
SNCF has announced on 18 March 2021, that 40% of the TER (French commuter rail) fleet will be renovated in the next 10 years, included Z 27500 Class.
See also
List of SNCF classes
Autorail à grande capacité (AGC)
Media related to SNCF Class Z 27500 at Wikimedia Commons
References
Literature
Redoutey, Denis (2016). La Vie du Rail (ed.). Le matériel moteur SNCF en 2016 (in French). Paris. p. 400. ISBN 978-2-370620-40-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
"450 AGC déjà en service". Rail-Passion (in French). 137. March 2009.
"État annuel du matériel moteur SNCF". Rail-Passion (in French). 139. May 2009.