Corail (train)
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Corail is the name given to a class of passenger rail cars of the SNCF that first entered commercial service in 1975. Corail is the French equivalent to the common European rail designation EuroCity or EC trains that run as long-distance national or inter-continental services (and on international reservation systems, Corail trains are given the EC designation). Corail carriages feature air-conditioning, a superior level of comfort, suspension and sound-proofing than previous InterCity carriages, and a comfortable maximum operating speed of up to 200km/h. When introduced, Corail carriages were painted in two tones of grey with a sharp flash of orange on the doors. They represented a massive investment with more than 3000 specimens ordered, representing a massive leap in quality of service for French rail passengers. Most of the vehicles are still in service as of 2007. Certain vehicles have been modernised and renamed: Corail Téoz for the day trains, Corail Lunéa for night trains.
The name Corail, which is also used as a designation of service for trains made up of these carriages, can be considered as a combination of 'comfort' and 'rail', also meaning coral in French. On routes where more than one type of train operates, passengers will pay more to travel on board a Corail Téoz than an unmodernised Corail.
The carriages were mainly built by a Franco-Belgian enterprise in Raismes. Alstom also took part in the programme by assisting with the completion of the second class and buffet cars, and rebuilt between 2004 and 2008 some 2nd class cars with bagage compartiment into new B5uxh cab-cars.
Corail carriages are principally used on long- and medium-distance intercity and regional routes within France and into neighbouring countries. Their use has gradually been reduced with the development and introduction of the TGV. Refurbished and upgraded Corail Téoz trains are usually deployed on routes that will subsequently be replaced by future TGV services, and act as stop-gap until they open service. As the TGV network has expanded, Corail trains have been cascaded down into regional routes, such as the "Interloire" lines, the "Intercités" lines and the TER express lines. The main national line still serviced by Corail only is Paris-Limoges-Brive-Toulouse. Not all Corail trains are SNCF operated, and many (particularly between Southern France and Italy) are operated by Trenitalia carriages.
[edit] Design features
- Overall length: 26,4 m
- Width: 2,825 m
- Weight: 42 tonnes
- Seats: 2nd class coach: 80 or 88 (according to type), 2nd class compartments: 88, 1st class coach: 58, 1st class compartments: 54 or 60, buffet car: 44 (other configurations exist).
- Interior installation: 'Vtu' open “coach” (carraige with a single salon), or compartments
- Bogies: Type Y 32 A
- Maximum speed: 160 km/h or 200 km/h (according to type)
[edit] Corail today
Despite having provided many years of reliable and comfortable intercity service, with the expansion of the TGV network the image of the Corail trains began to suffer. The SNCF responded by beginning to modernise the fleet in 1996. A new livery and refurbished interior was introduced as part of the "Corail Plus" programme. The bold orange doors become green for second class and red for first. These refurbishments of mainline Corail trains was soon considered to be insufficient, and in 2003 three heavily refurbished and re-fitted cars were revealed in Paris as the new Corail Téoz, featuring multicoloured extrior colour schemes and heavily modernised interiors.
Surplus carriages were sold to regional councils to be used for TER regional services, such as the line between Strasbourg and Mulhouse in Alsace. In this instance, the high speed capabilities of the Corail fleet has allowed a new level of fast regional service to be introduced, known as TER 200.
By 2006 the Corail family has seen almost thirty years of good service. The Corail was last type of standard unpowered passenger car ordered by the SNCF. All cars ordered in the last twenty years have been diesel, electric and dual-mode railcars for regional TER services, and integrated TGV trainsets. With the most recent refurbishments they are expected to remain in service for at least another decade.
A large fleet of Corail cars remains in active service with regional TER services, which could be refurbished for enhanced intercity service if they were ever needed.
Corail Lunéa night trains operate on a number of domestic routes, offering a basic first and second class couchette service. Passengers travel in reclining seats or compartments of four or six bunks, sleeping in a lightweight blanket provided instead of bedding.
[edit] External links
- Pictures of Corail Lunéa services, categorized into separate folders for first class and two types of second class coaches.
