Z50000

SNCF Class Z50000, dubbed “Nouvelle automotrice transilien” (New transilien EMU) (NAT) or “Francilien” (these names come from the name of Paris'region “Ile de France”, litterally meaning “Island of France”), is a suburban EMU used by SNCF in Paris'region.

Z50000 had been designed since 2000 to replace class Z6100 on transilien lines (Paris'regional lines) starting from St-Lazare station, Gare du Nord station and Gare de l'Est station. These trains have permanent wide passage between carriages, giving a feeling of “tube”. Moreover, carriages are short and bogies are placed between each, just like TGV. Bombardier wins tender in 2004, hence Alstom's anger which argue that Bombardier's trains aren't reliable and denounce the fact that SNCF prefers a Canadian maker to a French one. A deal finally comes up, Bombardier promises that all trains will be built in its plant of Crespin, France, it also subcontracts a part of production to Alstom. 172 units are ordered in order to equip transilien lines J, L, H and P. Line H got the first trains.

There are two possible configurations for a Z50000 trainset. Most of them have eight carriages, though some have seven carriages with a shortened central one.

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