SNCF Class Z 5600
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The SNCF Class Z 5600 is a double-deck
electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...
trainset that is operated by
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
on line C of the
Réseau Express Régional The (; ), commonly abbreviated RER (), is a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. It acts as a combined city-center underground rail system and suburbs-to-city-center commuter rail, similar to the Elizabe ...
(RER), a hybrid suburban commuter and
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...
system serving
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and its
ÃŽle-de-France The ÃŽle-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
suburbs and the
TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is the regional rail network serving the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is operated by the French national railway company SNCF. It was formed in 2017 from the previous TER networks TER Bourgo ...
regional rail Regional rail is a public transport, public rail transport service that operates between towns and cities. These trains operate with more stops than inter-city rail, and unlike commuter rail, operate beyond the limits of urban areas, connectin ...
system. The 52 trainsets were built by a
consortium A consortium () is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations, or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a ...
of , TCF, and TCO between 1982 and 1985. The Z 5600 trainsets proved successful and became the basis for the
Z 2N series The Z 2N (French: ''Automotrice Z à 2 niveaux'', English: ''two-level Z series'') is a family of double-deck electric multiple unit trainsets that are operated on the Réseau Express Régional (RER), a hybrid suburban commuter and rapid trans ...
of trainsets, which were continuously improved over several generations. The Z 2N series was also the basis of the later MI 2N family of double-deck, dual power trainsets.


History

After the SNCF's successful introduction of the
VB2N VB often refers to volleyball, a team sport. VB, Vb, and variants may refer to: Places * Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (ISO code VB), Italy * Vero Beach, a city in Florida, USA * Virginia Beach, a city in Virginia, USA Companies and organiza ...
double-deck locomotive-hauled trainsets, the railway wanted to extend the concept of two-level to self-propelled equipment, also known as a
multiple unit A multiple-unit train (or multiple unit (MU)) is a self-propelled train composed of one or more Coach (rail), carriages joined, and where one or more of the carriages have the means of propulsion built in. By contrast, a locomotive-hauled ...
trainsets.
Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...
trainsets offers a major advantage: the motors can be distributed across the entire train, instead of being concentrated in a locomotive. This improves traction and therefore accelerations which is useful on suburban commuter rail systems with frequent stops, like the RER. The Z 5600 was SNCF's first venture into creating a double-deck electric multiple unit trainset. The equipment would be based on the VB2N and SNCF placed an order for trainsets to be built by a
consortium A consortium () is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations, or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a ...
of CIMT, TCF, and TCO between 1982 and 1985. The ZR trailer cars, which had no motors or electrical equipment, were built and delivered faster than the more complex power cars. In order to take advantage of the equipment as quickly as possible, SNCF operated the trailer cars between a pair of Class BB 8500 electric locomotives. These unique trainsets were used from 1982 until 1984 in the south-eastern suburbs, the lines that would make up the future
RER D RER D is one of the five lines in the (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line crosses the region from north to south, with all trains serving a group of stat ...
line and
Transilien Line R Transilien Line R is a railway line of the Paris Transilien suburban rail network. The trains on this line travel between Paris-Gare-de-Lyon in central Paris, as well as from Gare de Melun, Melun station in the suburbs, and the south-east of ÃŽ ...
. As the power cars began to arrive in 1984, 36 Z 5600 four-car trainsets went into service on the
RER C RER C is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line crosses the region from north to south. Briefly, betwe ...
line, relieving the single-level Class Z 5300 trainsets, especially at peak times. Additionally, 16 five-car trainsets were assigned to continue to work in the south-eastern suburbs. The Z 5600 trainsets proved successful and became the basis for the Z 2N family of trainsets, which were continuously improved over several generations. The Z 2N family was also the basis of the later
MI 2N The MI 2N (French: ''Matériel d'Interconnexion à 2 Niveaux'', English: ''two-level interconnection rolling stock'') is a family of double-deck, dual-voltage electric multiple unit trainsets that are operated on the Réseau Express Régional ( ...
family of double-deck, dual power trainsets. In the early 1990s, some of the Z 5600 trainsets were expanded from four cars (two power cars and two trailers) to six cars with the addition of two extra trailer cars that were purchased in the order of the Class Z 20500 trainsets. These extra cars allowed these trainsets to carry additional passengers but did create some operating issues: the extra weight caused some reliability problems with the power cars and slowed rate of acceleration. In 2001, the sets were changed up again, with the Z 20500 trailer cars removed (and placed back into other Z 20500 trainsets), and VB2N trailers inserted into the Z 5600s, creating a total of 20 six-car trainsets. The Z 5600 trainsets received a renovation between 2009 and 2016. During the renovation process, folding seats and interior partitions were removed, seats were replaced, the former first-class areas were reconfigured to use 3 + 2 seating, and onboard passenger information and video surveillance systems were installed. But the Z 5600 did not receive air conditioning during the renovations, provoking the anger of user associations. With the deliveries of the
Regio 2N The Regio 2N is family of a Bilevel rail car, double-deck, Multi-system (rail), dual-voltage electric multiple unit trainsets built for France, French rail operator SNCF to serve its regional rail routes (Transport express régional, TER, Transil ...
trainsets, the Z 5600 trainsets were removed from the RER D in September 2020. Some Z 5600 trainsets are still assigned to operate out of the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges depot on the
TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is the regional rail network serving the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is operated by the French national railway company SNCF. It was formed in 2017 from the previous TER networks TER Bourgo ...
and the
Transilien Line R Transilien Line R is a railway line of the Paris Transilien suburban rail network. The trains on this line travel between Paris-Gare-de-Lyon in central Paris, as well as from Gare de Melun, Melun station in the suburbs, and the south-east of ÃŽ ...
, but they are seldom used. Only two TER round-trips per day are scheduled to use the Z 5600 trainsets and they are only used as backup equipment on the R line. The last Z 5600 trains on lines C and R are to be replaced by cascaded Z 20500 trains from RER D as this line receives the RER NG trains.


Formations

, 57 Z8800 trainsets are based at the Les Ardoines (RER C) and Villeneuve (Transilien R) SNCF depots. There are 22 four-car trainsets (17C–31C, 36C–38C, 40C, 42C–43C, 49C) on the RER C. As shown below, they are formed with two motored cars and two non-powered (trailer) cars (2M2T). * < or > show a pantograph. Cars 1 and 4 are each equipped with one pantograph. * Car 2 was formerly a mixed 1st class and 2nd class car. There are 30 six-car trainsets (1C–15C, 32C–35C, 39C, 41C, 44C–52C) on the RER C and Transilien R. As shown below, they are formed with two motored cars and four non-powered (trailer) cars (2M4T). * < or > show a pantograph. Cars 1 and 6 are each equipped with one pantograph. * Car 2 was formerly a mixed 1st class and 2nd class car.


Fleet

The number of Z5600 trainsets is 45 : 36 for C Line,9 for R Line * Listing Fleet Z5600 (in French)


Photo gallery

Z5622.jpg, Z 5600 in original "Ile de France" livery near
Thomery station Thomery station ( French: ''Gare de Thomery'') is a railway station in Thomery, Île-de-France, France. The Station The station is located on the Paris–Marseille railway line. The station is served by Transilien line R (Paris-Gare de Lyon). ...
Z 5600.4 — gare de Chilly-Mazarin.jpg, Z 5600 in "Carmillon" livery at Chilly-Mazarin station. Z8800_Intérieur_2.JPG, Z 5600 interior, upper deck Z5600 Intérieur.JPG, Interior, upper deck of an ex-VB2N trailer


References

{{SNCF units Réseau Express Régional multiple units Double-decker EMUs Electric multiple units of France 1500 V DC multiple units of France Train-related introductions in 1982