Autorail à grande capacité

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Z 27526 at the Gare de la Part-Dieu, Lyon, France

B 81500-series train at the Gare de Bercy, Paris, France

The Autorail à Grande Capacité (literally, high-capacity railcar) is a category of multiple-unit trains built by the Canadian train manufacturer Bombardier for the French rail operator SNCF.

The series consists of 3 models:

X 76500: diesel variant, also designated XGC
Z 27500: electric variant capable of running on both 1.5 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC, also designated ZGC
B 81500: dual-mode variant, capable of running on both diesel (by means of a diesel-electric engine) and 1.5 kV DC (by means of a pantograph), also designated BGC
B 82500: dual-mode variant, capable of running on both diesel (by means of a diesel-electric motor) and 1.5 kV DC/25 kV AC (by means of a pantograph), also designated BGC; these trains are identical to the B 81500-series except for their capability of operating on AC power.

The modularity of these trains permits each railroad (or region) to choose the number of units – currently 3 or 4 – that make up the train, as well as the interior layout of the cars. Trains can also be made up of mixed units, i.e. a train can be made up from both BGC and ZGC units. A two-unit variant has never been ordered; the B 82500 is only available in a four-unit version.

The B 81500 were put into service for the first time on the SNCF network for the TER service in 2005 and can attain speeds of (depending on configuration) up to 87 mph in diesel mode and 99 mph in electric mode.