skip to content
stan runge

#3743

SNCF Class X 4500

🇫🇷 France ·built by Alstom Crespin· from 1963· class of French 2-car diesel multiple unit

🚆 multiple unit diesel
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Nevers gare 4: Croquant· CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. 2. Moulins gare 7: Croquant· CC BY-SA 4.0
  3. 3. Moulins gare 8: Croquant· CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. 4. 03.06.91 Provins (Seine-et-Marne) X 4609 & X 4533: Phil Richards· CC BY-SA 2.0
  5. 5. 04.05.92 Rolleville X 4771 & X 4510 (14714569917): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  6. 6. 04.05.92 Rolleville X4771, X8771, X4510 & X8514 (6783425677): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  7. 7. 04.06.91 St Dié X 4781: Phil Richards· CC BY-SA 2.0
  8. 8. 05.07.93 Brignais X 4683 (15449767249): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  9. 9. 05.07.93 Sain-Bel X 4703 (15450284728): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  10. 10. 12.10.07 Vaşcau Via Terra X4501 (5824649325): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
SNCF Class X 4500, photo 1 of 10
1/10 Croquant· CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

The SNCF Class X 4500 diesel multiple units were built by ANF between 1963 and 1970. The X4500 class are one of four classes of similar design (X 4300, X4500, X4630, X4750) known as "Caravelles". This name comes from when built the engine sound reminded railwaymen of the contemporary French SE210 'Caravelle' jet airliner.

who runs it

Société nationale des chemins de fer françaisRegio CălătoriVia Terra

base stats

  • speed 120 km/htop speed
  • power 320 kWpower output
  • weight 35 tin working order
  • seats 60passengers
  • built 126made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

  • First built 63 years ago, in 1963.
  • 320 kW is about 4 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
  • Weighs about as much as 6 African elephants (~6 t each).
  • 21.2 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.

multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.

spec sheet

built
1963
in service from
1963
number built
126
kind
multiple unit
traction
diesel
origin
🇫🇷 France
builders
Alstom Crespin, Blanc-Misseron
operators
Société nationale des chemins de fer français, Regio Călători, Via Terra
top speed
120 km/h
power
320 kW
length
21.2 m
weight
35 t
capacity
60 passengers

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q3570514, Wikipedia: SNCF Class X 4500 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.

stan runge 0ee981a source