Picasso X-3976

It's a nice little beast. Weighs 31 tons. Not that heavy compared with many other rail vehicles. It was put into service in April 1956 at the depot in Tours SW of Paris. It served railway passengers for more than three decades before becoming a member of the tourist railway in Guîtres-Marcenais's rail vehicle collection NE of Bordeaux.


In April 1996 it arrived at ATTCV's depot in Besse-sur-Issole. After five years in Besse it was ready for service under the ATTCV banner. On 19th August 2001 it ran as the association's inauguration train on the Carnoules - Brignoles tourist train line.

The Picasso was for five years the association's only railcar in the tourist service, until the arrival of the two Caravelles in 2006 - and the "Shoebox" a month ago. Now, she's the old grand lady in a increasing collection of historic railcars and other vehicles, a member of the railway museum at Besse.

The Picasso engine room

The two passenger compartments

More at railtrain.org/attcv/